“Didn’t You Know (You’d Have to Cry Sometimes),” Gladys Knight & the Pips
Greetings, seekers of fine worthless music!
I come to you today with a new musical offering culled from the junk stores, flea markets, and garbage cans of our nation’s capitol. This time, it’s a fine old single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, entitled “Didn’t You Know (You’d Have to Cry Sometimes).”
I could go into nerdy detail about exactly why I think this song is so great, but really, all I want to do is fall down on my knees, raise my hands up to heaven, and thank the almighty God for giving us Gladys Knight. Seriously, that woman is/was the greatest soul music singer ever. You can have your Aretha Franklins, your Mavis Staples-es, even your (sentimental favorite) Candi Statons. For my money, Gladys Knight was the best — I can honestly say that she’s the only singer who gives me the chills every time I hear her sing. That voice! At the same time, huge and intimate; joyful and passionate; soft and righteous — just amazing. And “Midnight Train to Georgia”? Forget about it. True, that song may also benefit from one of the all-time greatest lyrics in the soul canon, but when Gladys sings “I’d rather live with him in his world, than live without him in mine”… well, it’s all over.
Anyhow, here’s a tune that may not scale the vast heights reached by “Midnight Train…”, but it’s a good’un for sure. Thanks mainly to Gladys Knight — and, God bless ’em, to a lesser extent, the Pips.
My question for you all is a simple one: Is anybody better than Gladys Knight? (Hint: NO.)
I look forward to your responses.
HVB
She’s pretty great. Now that I think about it, though, I never heard much of her music beside her mid-’70s hits, like “Midnight Train…” and “Neither One of Us,” or whatever that great song is called. Why? Why isn’t she better known and held in higher regard among the likes of us than Dusty Springfield? I used to have the album with “Midnight Train…” on cassette, from my junior high Columbia Record Club days. My Mom had her albums from that period. Now I need to see if she still has that stuff. Thanks, HVB!
You are right on with Midnight Train to Georgia, hrr. I have always loved Gladys’ voice, and we all know the secret sauce is The Pips. Mod mentions Neither One of Us, another great one from that era. I also dig You’re The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, and my favorite version of (I Heard It Though The) Grapevine. I’m unfamiliar with most of the other stuff she did, with or without The Pips.
This song is pretty cool! I especially like the signature Motown three-hit (two snare, one tom) roll into the next line. Thanks for sharing.
That’s right, sonny, you’ve noted the two other tremendous Gladys Knight & the Pips songs that I knew and loved as a kid.
I’ll never forget that in grade school andyr and I had a classmate whose uncle was a Pip. I always wanted to meet that guy.
I like her voice so much that I will sit through the insipid “That’s What Friends Are For” just to hear her come in towards the end with the “Keep smiling…” line.
She’s singing with Dion Warwick, Elton John and Stevie Wonder and she totally stands out. (Seriously)
This is great. Like the others, I know the hits from the early 70s and that’s it. If this cut is indicative the quality of the non-hits then they must be worth checking out. Is there a recommended compilation or “can’t miss period” for her?
Gladys Knight is fab and all, but yes, I believe I *will* take my Mavis Staples.
Gladys is great, but you’re not going to catch me voting against Aretha. Isn’t the problem that Gladys didn’t have access to the best material over the long haul? When she was at Motown the notable exception is Grapevine, of which her version is by far my favorite.
I think she’s a top-flight vocalist with only a handful of top-flight songs.
She’s great, but my top secret love in the late 70s was Natalie Cole — check out her Natalie Live! album.
I was at a used record shop today, hoping to find some Gladys, but no dice. Instead I scored two albums by War, one with my man Burdon and one following his exit!