 The first release was the Gladys Knight & the Pips version on September 28 , 1967 on Motown 's Soul label , with " It ’ s Time to Go Now " on the B @-@ side . Motown put little support behind it and the Pips relied on connections with DJs across the United States to get the record played . The Pips ' version of " Grapevine " reached number one on the Billboard R & B chart on November 25 , 1967 , and stayed there for six weeks , making it the group 's second R & B number one after 1961 's " Every Beat of My Heart " . It reached two on the Billboard Pop Singles singles chart the same month , with the Monkees ' " Daydream Believer " holding top spot . It was Motown 's best @-@ selling single to that point . The song was later placed on the Gladys Knight & the Pips album Everybody Needs Love . 
