The is the second time that one Motown hit followed another to number one. It happened for the first time back in 1965 when The Four Tops singing “I Can’t Help Myself” followed right after the Supremes and their “Back in My Arms Again.” This time Marvin Gaye followed the Supremes to number one.

This was Marvin Gaye’s first trip to the number one spot. He had been recording for Motown (technically Tamla Records, but they were a subsidiary of Motown) since 1963 and had put seventeen hits into the Top 40, but this was the first time he had made it to number one.

Since this is the first time we’ve seen Marvin Gaye at the number one spot, let’s look at his life a little. He was born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. in 1939 at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington D.C. He was the son of a minister, Marvin Gay, Sr and Alberta Gay, who is listed as a domestic worker. He grew up in the housing projects in an area of Washington D.C. that is now torn down. Like so many before him, he started singing in church and in high school joined a Glee Club of which he was the star.

After a short stint in the Air Force, he was discharged and joined the group Harvey and the Moonglows who had several R&B hits in the Fifties. After the Moonglows disbanded in 1960, Marvin moved to Detroit where he found singing work in various places. One night, he had the opportunity to sing at Berry Gordy’s home and Berry was so impressed by him that he signed him to Motown under one of its subsidiaries, Tamla Records. He had his first chart hit on the pop charts in 1963. It took him five more years to hit number one.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The song really made the rounds at Motown. It was recorded first by Gladys Knight and the Pips and went to number two on the pop chart in November 1967. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles recorded it for one of their albums, but it was not released as a single. Then Marvin Gaye recorded the song late in 1968 and for the second time in a year, the song was on the charts, this time going all the way to number one.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” entered the pop charts on November 28, 1968 and hit the top the week of December 14, staying at number one for seven weeks until January 25, 1969.
So, it was the last number one of 1968 and the first number one of 1969.