Nitty Gritty (album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nitty Gritty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 25, 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969 at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit | |||
| Length | 42:13[1] | |||
| Label | Soul | |||
| Gladys Knight & the Pips chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Nitty Gritty | ||||
| ||||
Nitty Gritty is the sixth studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1969 on Motown's Soul Records imprint.
The album had three singles that became a hit. "Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime)" peaked at No. 63 on the pop chart, and No. 11 on the R&B chart.[2] "The Nitty Gritty", originally recorded by Shirley Ellis, peaked at No. 19 on the pop charts, and on No. 2 on the R&B charts.[3][4] "Friendship Train" peaked at No. 17 on the pop charts, and No. 2 on the R&B charts.[5] It was later nominated for a Grammy Award.[6]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
John Lowe of AllMusic stated: "One of the reasons was their association with writer/producer Norman Whitfield, whose grittier, funkier style proved to be a key to Motown's counterattack to the rawer soul sounds that emerged in the latter part of the decade."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cloud Nine" | Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Runnin' Out" | Ashford & Simpson | 2:15 |
| 3. | "Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime)" | Ashford & Simpson | 3:20 |
| 4. | "(I Know) I'm Losing You" | Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland, Norman Whitfield | 2:33 |
| 5. | "The Nitty Gritty" | Lincoln Chase | 2:57 |
| 6. | "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone" | Cornelius Grant, Norman Whitfield, Sylvia Moy | 3:20 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All I Could Do Was Cry" | Berry Gordy Jr., B. Davis, George Gordy | 2:57 |
| 2. | "Keep An Eye" | Ashford & Simpson | 2:48 |
| 3. | "Got Myself A Good Man" | Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield | 2:58 |
| 4. | "It's Summer" | B. Strong*, N. Whitfield* | 2:18 |
| 5. | "The Stranger" | Ivy Jo Hunter | 3:07 |
| 6. | "I Want Him To Say It Again" | Merald Knight*, G. Knight*, J. Bristol*, Wm. Guest* | 2:58 |