Gladys Knight Songs Ranked
Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the “Empress of Soul”, is an American singer and actress. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight is known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her group The Pips, which also included her brother Merald “Bubba” Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten. Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles (“Midnight Train to Georgia” and “That’s What Friends Are For” which she did with Dionne Warwick and Sir Elton John), eleven number-one R&B singles and six number-one R&B albums. She has won seven Grammy Awards (four as a solo artist and three with the Pips) and is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame along with The Pips. Two of her songs (“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Midnight Train to Georgia”) were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for “historical, artistic and significant” value. She also recorded the theme song for the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Knight among the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Here are all of Gladys Knight’s songs ranked.
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10. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) (Neither One of Us, 1973)
“Neither One of Us” is a poignant breakup song whose lyrics perfectly and unpretentiously capture the final days of what was once a loving relationship. Songwriter Jim Weatherly, who also wrote “Midnight Train to Georgia,” has a knack for lyrics that are simple yet richly human and true to life.”
9. Part Time Love (2nd Anniversary, 1975)
“Classic Gladys and the Pips! My Jam here! Played this one endlessly! Some where, Some day, you got to take a chance, If you like the music baby, get up and dance. . . Love them! Much Love!”
8. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Everybody Needs Love, 1967)
“One of, if not the most famous pop song of all time (mainly for the other version), Gladys Knight with her Pips recorded it before His Highness Mr Gaye made it his own. Ms Knight’s version was a huge hit in 1967 reaching number 2 in the States.”
See more: Gladys Knight Albums Ranked
7. Love Overboard (All Our Love, 1987)
“This song is fascinating when you really put your ear to it. The rhythm carries the melody throughout the entire song. Yet it’s never repetitive or overbearing. There’s a lot going on within the instrumentation as well as the vocal performances of Gladys and the Pips et al -in every section of the song.”
6. Hero (Just the Two of Us, 1990)
“Love this version! It has more feeling, more soul, more depth and it feels like she just took us all to church! Bette Midler’s version isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t even remotely touch the superior quality of this.”
5. Save the Overtime (For Me) (Visions (Expanded Edition), 1983)
“So dope how groups like Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Temptations were creative enough to adapt to the times of the 1980’s. Embracing a more uptempo style of music that was more popular at the time.”
See more: John Lennon Albums Ranked
4. Help Me Make It Through the Night (Standing Ovation, 1971)
“I don’t normally like it when Motown covers standards or the Beatles or even Motown itself. Worst of all, I can’t imagine a more oil and water mix than it and country, yet here we have Gladys Knight and The Pips version of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night” and blow me if it’s not a thing of rare beauty.”
3. If I Were Your Woman (If I Were Your Woman, 1971)
“I rate this as Gladys Knight’s best vocal performance. Yet again, she’s caught in a love triangle, although this time she herself is the “other woman” as she pleads her case for superseding her rival in her man’s affections. She goes from calm reasoning to desperate pleading in her allotted three minutes as she realises she’s not winning her case. “
2. Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me (Imagination, 1973)
“Another fine Jim Weatherly song given another fine rendition by Gladys and her Pips. Weatherly’s song-titles must have been paid by the word but the group put them over effortlessly in this stylish production. Yes, it’s very similar to its classic predecessor “Midnight Train To Georgia” but still does just enough to carve out its own particular niche.”
1. Licence to Kill (Licence to Kill, 1989)
“One of the most dynamic, well composed and sung Bond themes. Gladys’ voice is amazing and soulful and this song, unlike a lot of other Bond tunes from the 80s and 90s, actually doesn’t feel aged at all even though some of the instrumentation screams 80s production. But it’s GK’s pipes and the overall hook (and those back-up singers) that make this a Bond Banger.”