Everybody's asking what the nitty gritty
The nitty gritty's anything you want it to be
Just stir it up from the soul
And when it starts to fizz
That's what the nitty gritty is
That's what the nitty gritty is, listen
There's a nitty gritty way of talking
Boom bop boom
The nitty gritty
There's a nitty gritty way of walking
Boom de boom boom
There's a nitty gritty way of sounding
Ooh, ooh, ooh
There's a nitty gritty way of sounding
Boom digga boom
Tell the beat
Some people think the nitty gritty's a dance
You think it's a dance
Do the nitty gritty
Come on and do the nitty gritty
Come on and dance the nitty gritty
There's a nitty gritty way of saying
Boom bop boom
The nitty gritty
There's a nitty gritty way of playing
Do do do dooda
There's a nitty gritty way of oohing
Ooh, ooh, ooh
There's a nitty gritty way of doing
Boom digga boom
Tell the beat
Gotta say and call it
Taking care of biz
That's what the nitty gritty is
That's really what the nitty gritty is
That's what the nitty gritty is
Listen
That's what the nitty gritty is
That's what the nitty gritty is
Really what the nitty gritty is
Listen
That's what the nitty gritty is
Shirley Ellis released (That’s) What The Nitty Gritty Is on Wed Jan 01 1964.