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"The Nitty Gritty" is a 1963 song written by Lincoln Chase and recorded by Shirley Ellis. Released by Congress Records, it reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1964. Ellis' recording led to the "nitty gritty" becoming a popular dance style (see popular culture, below).

Cover versions

• Motown released a version of "The Nitty Gritty" by Gladys Knight & The Pips in mid-1969 on its Soul imprint. It went to #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Soul chart.
• A version by Diana Ross & The Supremes can be found on the 2001 edition of their album, Anthology
• Southern Culture on the Skids covered it on the Dirt Track Date album.

Popular culture

• Ellis' recording was played during a 1964 episode of The Judy Garland Show, with a group of dancers led by choreographer Robert Banas interpreting the Nitty Gritty dance style. Banas, who reportedly had to step in for an absent dancer at the last minute, gave a dominating performance that "went viral" when the sequence appeared on YouTube, having generated more than 10 million views.

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 205.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 330.
3. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Best 60s Dancer Boy Ever - The Nitty Gritty. YouTube.

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