1. I Heard It Through The Grapevine (2:46) - Although Marvin Gaye recorded this song before Gladys did, his version was released after hers. This version is somewhat faster than Marvin's. For the line "I know a man ain't supposed to cry," Gladys substitutes "Take a good look at these tears in my eyes."
2. If I Were Your Woman (3:14) - As this moderately slow song opens, I hear a piano and chimes. Just before Gladys starts singing, I hear a low guitar lick. The guy to whom the song is sung has a girlfriend who "treats [him] like glass," meaning that she breaks his heart all the time. (What a contrast to Tammi Terrell's "What A Good Man He Is": "He knows how to handle me like I was made out of glass," meaning handling with the utmost care.) Gladys plays the role of a gal who'd treat the guy nice if she were his woman. My favorite parts of this song happen when Gladys sings the title, then the guys respond, "If you were my woman."
3. Neither One Of Us Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye (4:21) - Instruments include orchestral strings, a piano and a harp. The slow tempo and soft tone match the somber mood of the song. The narrator and his boyfriend both realize that their relationship is getting nowhere, and each is afraid of hurting the other by saying goodbye. But since the relationship is doomed anyway, someone's gotta be the first.
4. Friendship Train (3:46) - The tempo is somewhat faster than moderate, probably the pace for a train that is in no hurry to get anywhere. Instruments enter one by one: bass guitar, drums, guitar, until the singing starts; in some parts I hear horns. This is a nice song for promoting unity among people of all races, creeds, colors, and both sexes. Just before the 2-minute mark, one of the guys gets the lead vocal for a few measures. To everyone who wants unity, "shake a hand, make a friend" and climb aboard!
5. Midnight Train To Georgia (4:38) - One "train" song right after another. This moderately slow song features horns and a tambourine. This is my favorite Gladys/Pips song; in the guy Gladys sings about, I see myself: a guy whose dreams of stardom have been broken. Only I've never been to L.A. The narrator apparently lives in L.A. to start with, and her boyfriend met her while pursuing his dreams there. He's returning to his home in Georgia, and she loves him enough to take the train with him.
6. You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (3:44) - The tempo is moderately slow. During the first half-minute, the instruments play softly. Though the narrator has had her share of adversity, it is mitigated by the relationship she has with the guy to whom she sings. If her biography were ever written, he would permeate "each line of pain and glory."
7. I've Got To Use My Imagination (3:29) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, features horns. So much negativity has been thrown at the narrator that she has only one thing to help her cope--her imagination. I often use mine nowadays; for instance, when I'm at a dance and don't have a partner, I dance solo, with my hands held out slightly as though I had a woman dancing in my arms. The unlimited imagination helps one cope with the limited reality. I also have a version of this song by Martha Reeves.
8. On And On (4:18) - That's how long the relationship between the narrator and her guy will last, since they love each other a lot. The moderate speed and the pan-clanging are apt for the ticking of a clock.
9. Letter Full Of Tears (2:42) - The tempo is similar, but the mood is the opposite to that in the previous song. Gladys sings in a sad tone as she plays the role of a girl who receives a letter from her boyfriend telling her their relationship is over. Having thought it was too strong to end, she now laments, "My reward [for loving the guy] was a broken heart."
10. Every Beat Of My Heart (2:01) - This slow, 12/8 song starts with a few seconds of Gladys singing so softly you can barely hear her. Her character so much loves the man to whom she sings that each beat of her heart is for him. And every note on this disc is a note worth listening to.