Originally the record was released as In the Groove. During the recording of what would become Gaye's biggest-selling and signature single of his career, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", there was a lot of arguing going on between Norman Whitfield and Gaye over the sessions of "Grapevine".
In the end Whitfield was able to get what he wanted from Gaye, and the duo started a collaboration that lasted into the beginning of 1970.