(That’s) What The Nitty Gritty Is Shirley Ellis

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