Nitty Gritty (album)
Nitty Gritty is the sixth studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1969 on Motown's Soul Records imprint.
| Nitty Gritty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969 at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit | |||
| Length | 42:13[1] | |||
| Label | Soul | |||
| Gladys Knight & the Pips chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Nitty Gritty | ||||
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History
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 |
Charts
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 (Billboard)[8] | 81 |
| US Hot Soul LPs (Billboard)[9] | 11 |
Singles
| Song Title | US Pop Charts[10][11][12] | US R&B Charts[11][12] | Canada CHUM/RPM[13] |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime) | 63 | 11 | – |
| "Friendship Train" | 19 | 2 | 27 |
| "The Nitty Gritty" | 17 | 2 | 29 |
References
- "Nitty Gritty - Gladys Knight & the Pips | Album | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- "Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime) (song by Gladys Knight & the Pips) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 330.
- "The Nitty Gritty (song by Gladys Knight & the Pips) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
- "Friendship Train (song by Gladys Knight & the Pips) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
- "Gladys Knight". 23 November 2020.
- Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 2003.
- "Gladys Knight and the Pips Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- "Gladys Knight and the Pips Chart History (Top R&B/Hip–Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- "Gladys Knight & the Pips - Awards". Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- "Gladys Knight & the Pips Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
- "Gladys Knight And The Pips | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
- "CAN Charts > Gladys Knight & the Pips". RPM. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
External links
- The Nitty Gritty at Discogs (list of releases)