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This version, released in September 1967 became the biggest Motown hit to date. In response, Whitfield recorded a different version of the song by Gladys Knight & the Pips in an attempt to "out- funk Aretha Franklin's " Respect". When Whitfield presented "Grapevine" to Berry Gordy, the producer was stunned when Gordy turned it down sensing the song "wasn't a hit" and that "it sucked". Though Gaye and Whitfield reportedly argued over the sessions of "Grapevine", Whitfield was able to get what he wanted from Gaye. However, during the recording of what would become Gaye's biggest-selling and signature single of his career, " I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Whitfield decided to force Gaye to raise his vocal register higher than what he was used to, which Whitfield already tried successfully on Ruffin during the recording of the Temptations hit, " Ain't Too Proud to Beg". Some speculate Terrell's illness and subsequent death two and a half years later affected Gaye's performances in which he went from being a soul stylist in the same way his idol Sam Cooke had been into a more gospel-influenced soul vocalist who sounded more in par with Otis Redding, James Brown, and Temptations lead singer David Ruffin. Terrell was later diagnosed at the end of the year with having a brain tumor, which depressed Gaye. On top of that, during an October 1967 engagement at Hampden-Sydney College with Terrell, the younger Terrell collapsed from exhaustion into Gaye's waiting arms. Perhaps done on purpose, Gaye's earlier collaborator Norman Whitfield and his pupil, Frank Wilson, began to write songs they felt fit the singer's chaotic personal life: Gaye's marriage to Anna Gordy was turbulent as was life on the road in which Gaye grew a constant dislike to live performances and his personal disagreements with Motown CEO Berry Gordy had started to create strain in his relationship with the Motown label. Recording difficulties aside, Gaye's vocals went through a transition through this period. Motown brought Gaye back to the studio in the beginning of 1967 to record a solo album. Between his Kim Weston duet, " It Takes Two" and his Tammi Terrell duets, " Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and " Your Precious Love" among others, Gaye had released " Your Unchanging Love", which peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the end of 1967, Marvin Gaye had released only one solo single in 18 months.