Nitty Gritty was one of dancehall reggae's top singers in the 1980s.
On… Read Full Bio ↴Nitty Gritty was one of dancehall reggae's top singers in the 1980s.
One of his earliest stageshow performances occured in 1979 alsongside General Echo and Madoo for the Stereophonic sound system. However, he didn't become a star until 1983-84, perfoming mostly for Sugar Minott's Youthman Promotion.
By 1985, Nitty had recorded many hit tunes including "Run Down the World", "Good Morning Teacher", and "False Alarm" for the Jammys label. The latter was likely dancehall reggae's most popular "counteraction" tune ever, a response to the massive hit "Ring the Alarm" by Tenor Saw.
In addition to his own music, Nitty is well-regarded for being mentor to Saw, who during his short-lived career became the bigger star. Still, it is Nitty who gave Tenor Saw his unique singing style, one which was copied by many others as the decade wore on.
By 1986, Nitty Gritty was touring England, performing with other artists over the Sir Coxsone Outernational sound system (no affiliation to Coxsone Dodd). He spent the reminder of the decade performing stagehows and recording dubplate specials for sound systems all over the world.
Nitty Gritty's life ended in 1992, during a shooting incident in front of Superpower Records in Brooklyn, New York. The shooter was fellow dancehall superstar Super Cat, who was cleared of any charges by local police in the name of self-defence.

This isn't a picture of the South Jersey Rap duo Nitty Gritty, but I would imagine they wouldn't mind it representing them.

Key To Your Heart
Nitty Gritty Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello, I am your heart
And you've got me broken one too many times
Oh, hello, this is your heart speaking
And you've got me hurt boy one too many times

Goin' away on a little vacation
I'll be gone quite a while
You won't have you no lovemakin'

You just have that ten cent smile

Goodbye, this is your heart leaving
I wish you the best luck while I'm healing up

Oh hello,this is your heart
I just telephoned to see how you're getting by.
Oh hello, this is your heart calling,
Well, I've got to run now, but I'll drop you a line.

I'm having fun on my little vacation
May be gone quite a while
You won't have you no lovemakin'
You just have that ten-cent smile

Hello, this is your heart
Wish you the best luck while I'm healing up

Oh goodbye
Goodbye

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I Am A Pilgrim" by Nitty Gritty Band, as presented, are incorrect. What follows is an interpretation of the correct version of the song:

"I Am A Pilgrim" is a traditional Christian song that speaks of a pilgrim's journey through life. The pilgrim has realized that the world is not their home and is seeking a better country. The song encourages listeners to join on this journey.

The song begins with the line "I am a pilgrim and a stranger, traveling through this wearisome land," which sets the pilgrim's tone for the rest of the song. It is a declaration of the pilgrim's identity and purpose for being in the world. The song then acknowledges that the pilgrim has no permanent home on earth but is instead moving toward a heavenly destination.

The next verse declares that the pilgrim is not alone on this journey. The songwriter refers to Jesus as a fellow traveler on the pilgrim's path, saying that the Savior also walked through the trials and tribulations of life. The chorus reiterates that the pilgrim does not belong to this world and that their true home is in heaven, where they will be with the Lord.

The third verse emphasizes that the journey may be difficult, but the pilgrim must continue to move forward, not looking back or lingering in one place for too long. The pilgrim must always be ready to move when the Lord calls them to the next place on their journey. The final chorus proclaims that the pilgrim's journey has not ended, that they are still traveling, and that they look forward to the day when they will finally reach their heavenly home.

Overall, "I Am A Pilgrim" is a reminder that life is a journey, and for Christians, the destination is heaven. The song encourages believers to keep moving forward and to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, even when the path is difficult.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello, I am your heart
I am your emotional center and represent your feelings and love.

And you've got me broken one too many times
You have hurt me emotionally multiple times before.

Goin' away on a little vacation
I am taking a break from being emotionally involved in your life.

I'll be gone quite a while
I will not be available to experience your emotions for some time.

You won't have you no lovemakin'
You will not be able to connect with me emotionally or feel true love.

You just have that ten cent smile
Your superficial charm will not be able to replace genuine emotional connection.

Goodbye, this is your heart leaving
I am departing from being emotionally invested in your life.

I wish you the best luck while I'm healing up
I hope you can find happiness and love while I am recovering from past emotional wounds.

Oh hello, this is your heart
I am reaching out to see how you are doing emotionally.

I just telephoned to see how you're getting by.
I am checking in on your emotional well-being.

Well, I've got to run now, but I'll drop you a line.
I have to go now, but I will reach out to you again.