| Nitty Gritty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 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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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]
| 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]
| 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 |
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 ( Billboard ) [8] | 81 |
| US Hot Soul LPs ( Billboard ) [9] | 11 |
| 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 |
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