JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Gladys Knight (b. 28 May 1944, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), her brother Merald 'Bubba' (b. 4 September 1942, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), sister Brenda and cousins Elenor Guest and William Guest (b. 2 June 1941, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) formed their first vocal group in their native Atlanta in 1952. Calling themselves the Pips, the youngsters sang supper-club material in the week, and gospel music on Sundays. They first recorded for Brunswick in 1958, with another cousin of the Knights, Edward Patten (b. 2 August 1939), and Langston George making changes to the group line-up the following year when Brenda and Elenor left to get married. Three years elapsed before their next sessions, which produced a version of Johnny Otis 's 'Every Beat Of My Heart' for the small Huntom label. This song, which highlighted Knight's bluesy, compelling vocal style, was leased to Vee Jay Records when it began attracting national attention, and went on to top the US R&B charts. By this time, the group, now credited as Gladys Knight And The Pips, had signed a long-term contract with Fury Records, where they issued a re-recording of 'Every Beat Of My Heart' which competed for sales with the original release. Subsequent singles such as 'Letter Full Of Tears' and 'Operator' sealed the group's R&B credentials, but a switch to the Maxx label in 1964 - where they worked with producer Van McCoy - brought their run of successes to a halt. Langston George retired from the group in the early 60s, leaving the quartet line-up that survived into the 80s.
In 1966, Gladys Knight and the Pips were signed to Motown 's Soul subsidiary, where they were teamed up with producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield. Knight's tough vocals left them slightly out of the Motown mainstream, and throughout their stay with the label the group were regarded as a second-string act. In 1967, they had a major hit single with the original release of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', an uncompromisingly tough performance of a song that became a Motown standard in the hands of its author Marvin Gaye in 1969. 'The Nitty Gritty' (1968) and 'Friendship Train' (1969) proved equally successful, while the poignant 'If I Were Your Woman' was one of the label's biggest-selling releases of 1970. In the early 70s, the group slowly moved away from their original blues-influenced sound towards a more middle-of-the-road harmony blend. Their new approach brought them success in 1972 with 'Neither One Of Us (Wants To Say Goodbye)'. Later that year, Knight and The Pips elected to leave Motown for Buddah, unhappy at the label's shift of operations from Detroit to Hollywood. At Buddah, the group found immediate success with the US chart-topper 'Midnight Train To Georgia', an arresting soul ballad, while major hits such as 'I've Got To Use My Imagination' and 'The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me' mined a similar vein. In 1974, they performed Curtis Mayfield 's soundtrack songs for the film Claudine; the following year, the title track of I Feel A Song gave them another soul number 1. Their smoother approach was epitomized by the medley of 'The Way We Were/Try To Remember' which was the centrepiece of Second Anniversary in 1975 - the same year that saw Gladys and the group host their own US television series. Gladys made her acting debut in Pipedream in 1976, for which the group recorded a soundtrack album.
Legal problems then dogged their career until the end of the decade, forcing Knight and the Pips to record separately until they could sign a new contract with CBS. About Love in 1980 teamed them with the Ashford And Simpson writing/production partnership, and produced a strident piece of R&B social comment in 'Bourgie Bourgie'. Subsequent releases alternated between the group's R&B and MOR modes, and hits such as 'Save The Overtime (For Me)' and 'You're Number One In My Book' (1983) and, after a move to MCA Records, 'Love Overboard' (1988), demonstrated that they could work equally well in either genre. The latter song earned them a Grammy award for the Best R&B performance in early 1989. Following this, Knight and the Pips split. Merald remained with Gladys Knight when she achieved a UK Top 10 that year with the James Bond movie song 'Licence To Kill', and released A Good Woman the following year. She collaborated with Chaka Khan, Brandy and Tamia on the minor hit single 'Missing You' in 1996, taken from the Queen Latifah film Set It Off.
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Copyright Muze UK Ltd. 1989 - 1998
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01. Letter Full Of Tears 02. You Broke Your Promise 03. Operator 04. I'll Trust You 05. Come See About Me 06. I Can't Stand By 07. Morning, Noon And Night |
08. Every Beat Of My Heart 09. I Want That Kind Of Love 10. Room In Your Heart 11. Guess Who 12. Love Call 13. What Shall I Do? 14. Stop Running Around |
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1. The End Of The Road 2.That's The Way Love Is 3.Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby 4. The Boy From Crosstown 5.Ain't You Glad You Chose Love 6.I Know Better |
7.Don't Let Her Take Your Love From Me 8.It Should Have Been Me 9.Don't Turn Me Away 10.What Good Am I Without You 11.Your Old Standby 12.It's Time To Go Now |
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1.I Wish It Would Rain 2.Look Of Love, The 3.Goin' Out Of My Head 4.Yesterday 5.Groovin' 6.You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' |
7.Theme From Valley Of The Dolls 8.Baby I Need Your Loving 9.Together 10.Tracks Of My Tears, The 11.You're My Everything 12.Every Little Bit Hurts |
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1.Cloud Nine 2.Runnin' Out 3.Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometimes) 4.I'm Losing You (I Know) 5.Nitty Gritty, The 6.Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone 7.All I Could Do Was Cry |
8.Keep An Eye 9.Got Myself A Good Man 10.It's Summer 11.Stranger, The 12.I Want Him To Say It Again |
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1.If I Were Your Woman 2.Feeling Alright 3.One Less Bell To Answer 4.Let It Be 5.I Don't Want To Do Wrong 6.One Step Away |
7.Here I Am Again 8.How Can You Say That Ain't Love 9.Is There A Place (In Her Heart For Me) 10.Everybody Is A Star 11.Signed Gladys 12.Your Love's Been Good For Me |
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1.Make Me The Woman That You Go Home 2.Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee 3.Fire And Rain 4.Master Of My Mind 5.He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother / Bridge Over Troubled Water |
1.Make Me The Woman That You Go Home 2.Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee 3.Fire And Rain 4.Master Of My Mind 5.He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother / Bridge Over Troubled Water |
| 1.Midnight Train To Georgia 2.I've Got To Use My Imagination 3.Storms Of Troubled Times 4.Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me 5.Once In A Lifetime Thing |
6.Where Peaceful Waters Flow 7.I Can See Clearly Now 8.Perfect Love 9.Window Raisin' Granny |
| 1.I'll Be Happy 2.I Declare 3.Can't Give It Up No More 4.For Once In My Life 5.Who Is She 6.Thank You 7.Singer 8.It's Gotta Be That Way 9.Don't It Make You Feel Guilty |
10.And This Is Love 11.Daddy Could Swear 12.Neither One Of Us 13.This Child Needs Its Father 14.Heavy Makes You Happy 15.Oh What A Love I've Found 16.All I Need Is Time 17.Only Time You Love Me Is When You're Losing Me 18.There's A Lesson To Be Learned |
| 1.Mr. Welfare Man 2.To Be Invisible 3.On And On 4.The Makings Of You |
5.Claudine's Theme - (instrumental) 6.Hold On 7.Make Yours A Happy Home |
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01. I Feel A Song (In My Heart) 02. Love Finds Its Own Way 03. Seconds 04. The Going Ups And The Coming Downs 05. The Way We Were |
06. Better You Go Your Way 07. Don't Burn Down The Bridge 08. The Need To Be 09. Tenderness Is His Way |
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1. So sad the song 2. Alaskan pipeline 3. Pot of jazz 4. I�ll miss you 5. Nobody but you |
6. Pipe dream 7. Find a way 8. Follow my dreams 8. So sad the song (instrumental) |
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01. Make Yours A Happy Home 02. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me 03. I Feel A Song ( In My Heart ) 04. The Going Ups And The Coming Downs 05. Midnight Train To Georgia |
06. On And On 07. Where Peaceful Waters Flow 08. I've Got To Use My Imagination 09. I Can See Clearly Now 10. Try To Remember/ The Way We Were |
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01. Am I Too Late 02. You Bring Out The Best In Me 03. I Just Want To Be With You 04. If You Ever Need Somebody 05. My World |
06. I (Who Have Nothing) 07. You Don't Have To Say I Love You 08. The Best Thing We Can Do Is Say Goodbye 09. It's The Same Old Song 10. You Loved Away The Pain |
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1. Landlord 2. Taste of bitter love 3. Still such a thing 4. Get the love |
5. Add it up 6. Bourgie�, bourgie� 7. Friendly persuasion 8. We need hearts |
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01. I Believe 02. It's The Happiest Time Of The Year 03. Jingle Bells 04. Let There Be Peace On Earth (Let It Begin With Me) 05. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town |
6.That Special Time Of Year 7.Lord's Prayer, The - (with Johnny Mathis) 8.This Christmas 9.What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? 10.When A Child Is Born - (with Johnny Mathis) |
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1. I Will Fight 2. If That'll Make You Happy 3. Baby, Baby Don't Waste My Time 4. A Friend Of Mine 5. Love Was Made For Two |
6. God Is 7. Changed 8. Reach High 9. I Will Survive |
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01. I Heard It Through The Grapevine 02. The End Of Our Road 03. Nitty Gritty 04. Friendship Train 05. You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You?) |
06. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye] 07. Daddy Could Swear, I Declare 08. Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To 09. I Don't Want To Do Wrong 10. If I Were Your Woman |
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01. Ain't No Greater Love 02.Don't Make Me Run Away 03.Heaven Sent 04.Hero 05.Just Be My Lover |
6.Oh La De Da 7.Save The Overtime (For Me) 8.Seconds 9.When You're Far Away 10.You're Number One (In My Book) |
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1.Till I See You Again 2.Life 3.Strivin' 4.Keep Givin' Me Love 5.Just Let Me Love You |
6.My Time Forever 7.Do You Wanna Have Some Fun 8.Straight Up 9.Glitter |
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01. Love Overboard 02. Lovin' On Next To Nothin' 03. Thief In Paradise 04. You 05. Let Me Be The One 06. Complete Recovery |
07. Say What You Mean 08. It's Gonna Take All Our Love 09. Love Is Fire (Love Is Ice) 10. Point Of View 11. Overnight Success |
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01. I Heard It Through The Grapevine 02. If I Were Your Woman 03. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) 04. Friendship Train 05. Midnight Train To Georgia |
06. You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me 07. I've Got To Use My Imagination 08. On And On 09. Letter Full Of Tears 10. Every Beat Of My Heart |
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01. Men 02. Meet Me In The Middle 03. This Is Love 04. Where Would I Be 05. Superwoman 06. Give Me A Chance |
07. Good Woman 08. If You Only Knew 09. Mr. Love 10. Waiting On You 11. In This Life |
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01. Letter Full Of Tears 02. Darlin' 03. Every Beat Of My Heart 04. You Broke Your Promise 05. Operator 06. Guess Who |
07. Come See About Me 08. One More Lonely Night 09. Really Didn't Mean It 10. How Do You Say Good-Bye 11. Jungle Love 12. Room In Your Heart |
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01. Next Time 02. I Don't Want To Know 03. I'll Fall In Love If You Hang Around 04. Our Love 05. Home Alone |
06. Choice Of Colors 07. Guilty 08. Somehow He Loves Me 09. End Of The Road Medley (Live) |
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01. Every Beat Of My Heart 02. Letter Full Of Tears 03. Giving Up 04. Just Walk In My Shoes 05. Since I've Lost You 06. Take Me In Your Arms and Love Me 07. Everybody Needs Love 08. I Heard It Through The Grapevine 09. The End Of Our Road 10. Don't Let Her Take Her Love From Me 11. All I Could Do Was Cry |
12. It Should Have Been Me 13. I Wish It Would Rain 14. Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime) 15. Got Myself A Good Man 16. I Want Him To Say It Again 17. Nitty Gritty 18. (I Know) I'm Losing You 19. Cloud Nine 20. Every Little Bit Hurts 21. Billy, Come Back As Quick As You Can 22. It's Bad For Me To See You |
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01. Friendship Train 02. Tracks Of My Tears 03. You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You) 04. If I Were Your Woman 05. I Don't Want To Do Wrong 06. It's All Over But The Shoutin' 07. Somebody Stole The Sunshine 08. For Once In My Life 09. Feeling Alright |
10. Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To 11. If You Gonna Leave 12. Help Me Make It Through The Night 13. Neither One Of Us 14. Daddy Could Swear, I Declare 15. Can't Give It Up No More 16. All I Need Is Time 17. The Only Time You Love Me 18. Between Her Goodbye and Hello |
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01. Where Peaceful Waters Flow 02. With You In Mind 03. The Makings Of You 04. Midnight Train To Georgia 05. Nobody But You 06. Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right 07. The Way It Was 08. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me 09. Pipe Dreams |
10. What If I Should Ever Need You 11. The One And Only 12. So Sad The Song 13. Love Finds Its Own Way 14. Part Time Love 15. Hold On 16. To Make A Long Story Short 17. Try To Remember/The Way We Were |
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01. I Heard It Through The Grapevine 02. The End Of Our Road 03. Everybody Needs Love 04. Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me 05. It Should Have Been Me 06. I Wish It Would Rain 07. Every Little Bit Hurts 08. Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime) 09. Just Walk In My Shoes 10. The Nitty Gritty 11. Friendship Train |
12. You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You?) 13. If I Were Your Woman 14. I Don't Want To Do Wrong 15. Here I Am Again 16. Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To 17. Help Me Make It Through The Night 18. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) 19. Daddy Could Swear, I Declare 20. All I Need Is Time 21. Between Her Goodbye And My Hello 22. It's Time To Go Now |
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01 Mercy's Arms 02 Open Up Your Eyes 03 Precious Lord 04 Everybody 05 Mr. Love 06 What Would I Do Without You - (interlude) 07 He Never Will |
08 Jesus' Love Is Like A River 09 Good Morning Heavenly Father 10 Many Different Roads 11 With A Smile 12 Saints Medley 13 Worship You - (interlude) |
