Not too long ago I picked up 20 Heavy Hits, a bubblegum-leaning collection of radio hits from 1968 that appears to be the predecessor to Crystal Corporation’s, 20 Solid Gold Hits.  Even though it was only a buck, I almost didn’t get it since I already had most of the tunes on other albums.  But in the end, it was the cover – specifically, the sumptuous Victorian-era elevator – that convinced me:

In the end, I’m glad I picked up this collection, if for no other reason than to hear Ricardo Ray‘s hip Latin take on Shirley Ellis‘ 1963 top 10 hit, “Nitty Gritty“:

“Nitty Gritty”     Ricardo Ray     1968

This song is the lead-off track from The Ricardo Ray Orchestra’s 1968 album of the same name – released on Alegre, an imprint of Roulette.