The End of Our Road

"The End of Our Road"
Single by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Released 1968 (1968)
Label Motown
Writer(s) Roger Penzabene
Norman Whitfield
Barrett Strong
Gladys Knight & the Pips singles chronology
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
(1967)		 "The End of Our Road"
(1968)		 "It Should Have Been Me"
(1968)

"The End of Our Road" is a single written by Roger Penzabene, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1967. Originally recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips and issued as a single in 1968, the Pips' version of the song, which talked about the demise of a couple's relationship, became another top forty hit for the family group as it peaked at number fifteen on the pop singles chart and number five on the R&B singles chart. As with the last two songs in Penzabene's trilogy for The Temptations, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", there is real sentiment behind the song's words, as lyricist Penzabene wrote his songs as personal statements to his wife, publicizing his pain of his own marriage falling apart. Unable to handle the extreme pain and hurt caused by this, he wrote the songs, drawing from his real-life heart break. After all three songs were completed and recorded, Penzabene committed suicide.

Gladys Knight & the Pips version

Chart positions

Chart (1968) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 15
U.S. Billboard R&B Singles[1] 5

The Marvin Gaye Recording

Much like the minor controversy with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", Whitfield produced a different version of the song with Marvin Gaye, who issued the song in early 1970. The song peaked at number forty on the pop charts. Ironically given its title, it was the very first song counted down on the debut American Top 40 radio show, the weekend of July 4, 1970.[2]

Chart positions

Chart (1970) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 40
U.S. Billboard R&B Singles [3] 7

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 330.
  2. ↑ Appel, Rich (15 June 2014). "Casey Kasem: The Man Who Made Countdowns “Coast To Coast"". Billboard. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
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