6th Avenue and 11th Street, 1905. Image via Ephemeral New York,
August 3, 2017
‘Heard it through the grapevine?’ The source was probably at 6th Avenue and 11th Street
On August 6, 1966, the first known recording of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was made by the Miracles. Written by Motown pioneers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the song was re-recorded several times, most famously by Gladys Night and the Pips and Marvin Gaye, whose version landed on the top of the charts for seven weeks in early 1969.
But the famous saying about receiving important news or information through a person-to-person chain of communication significantly pre-dates the Motown era. In fact, plentiful evidence and credible sources say it all goes back to a beloved tavern on the corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street in Greenwich Village.
more on the history here
more on the history here
