Gladys Knight & the Pips Lyrics (1968-83) Quiz

Answer: I Heard it Through the Grapevine

Gladys Knight and the Pips' energetic and very 'soulful' original version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was recorded and released a year before Marvin Gaye's # 1 version. Gladys and 'the fellas' hit # 2 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart. The song went on to sell over a million copies. By the way, the song was written by the team of Motown songwriters, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.

Answer: Hero

"Hero", one of my personal favorites, was a huge hit for Bette Midler, under the title, "Wind Beneath My Wings". Gladys and the Pips' version was a "Cashbox Magazine" survey Top 30 Pop hit in 1983.

Answer: Midnight Train to Georgia

A # 1 Pop and # 1 R & B hit in August, 1973, "Midnight Train to Georgia" was one of the group's biggest hits. The song, which was written by former All-American college quarterback turned songwriter, Jim Weatherly, was originally called, "Midnight Plane to Houston". Gladys and her brother, Merald (Bubba), asked Weatherly to change two things: 1) change the plane to a train, which was Gladys' favorite form of transportation; and 2) change 'Houston' to 'Georgia'--her home state.

The song won a Grammy Award in 1974 for "Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal".

Answer: Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me

Another hit written by Jim Weatherly, "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" was released in February, 1974. A gold single, it hit # 3 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart. A beautiful tribute song, Gladys chose a line from this song to serve as the title of her autobiography, "Between Each Line of Pain and Glory."

Answer: If I Were Your Woman

"If I Were Your Woman", the title song from the LP of the same name, peaked at # 9 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart in November, 1970. It was nominated for two Grammys: 1) "Best R & B Song" and 2) "Best R & B Performance by a Duo or Group". Considered a soul classic, the song has been recorded by other female artists, including former Broadway actress/singer, Stephanie Mills.

Answer: Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)

The title song from the LP of the same name, "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" hit # 2 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart in January, 1973. The year 1973 was an exceptionally good year for the group: they sold a total of 7.3 million albums and singles that year.

Answer: I Feel a Song (In My Heart)

A beautiful, melodic song, "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)" hit # 21 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart in October, 1974. Written by producer Tony Camillo and his writing partner, Mary Sawyer, the song was recorded by three other artists before Gladys Knight and the Pips. Their version, of course, was the most successful.

Answer: On & On

"On & On" was featured on the movie soundtrack LP, "Claudine", which starred Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones. Written and produced by the late Curtis Mayfield, the single peaked at # 5 on the Pop chart and # 2 on the R & B chart in May, 1974. "On & On" became the group's fourth consecutive million seller.

Answer: I've Got to Use (My Imagination)

Another hit from Gladys and the fellas' smash hit year of 1973, "I've Got to Use (My Imagination)" hit # 4 on the Pop chart and # 1 on the R & B chart. A million seller, the single went gold. The song was produced by Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise; the team that produced The Stories' # 1 hit, "Brother Louie".

Answer: The Nitty Gritty

A hit from their time spent recording for Soul Records, a subsidiary of Motown Records, "The Nitty Gritty" exemplifies the meaning of the word "soul" music. A remake of singer Shirley Ellis song from the mid 1960's, Gladys and the fellas' version hit # 2 on the R & B chart in 1969.