I Heard It Through the Grapevine

When you dive into Creedence Clearwater Revival's version of *I Heard It Through the Grapevine*, you encounter an interpretation that strays far from the original Motown versions. The first thing that stands out is its length: no less than eleven minutes. This gives the band the freedom to expand each section, exploring different textures and rhythms that create a much denser and more immersive atmosphere. The arrangement, by John Fogerty, takes the essence of the song and transforms it into something of their own, with that characteristic CCR sound that fuses rock and roll with so-called "swamp rock", giving it a rawer and more direct character.

This version by Creedence Clearwater Revival appeared on their album *Cosmo's Factory*, released in 1970. This record, which was a great success for the band, demonstrated CCR's versatility and musical reach, achieving significant international recognition. The recording of *I Heard It Through the Grapevine* for this album took place at a time of great productivity for the group, which had already established itself as a major force in the music scene of the late sixties and early seventies. The song, originally written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield for Motown, had several previous recordings, including those by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye, before CCR put its own spin on it.