HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Done before but I can't find the thread.

I just finished reading Dave Grohl's book (which is very good by the way). That led me to listening to Nirvana Nevermind in it's entirety for the first time in years. Back in the 90's I played this album to death and beyond. I loved it so much. It's not a good thing to do cos then you end up not being able to listen to it for a while.

Anyway, about 10 years since I last gave this a serious listen. Fucking masterpiece. Kurt Cobain was a genius. I feel very sad that he had such a troubled existence that he felt the need to have multiple heroin overdoses and then blow his own brains out. My sadness was deepened by reading Dave's first hand account of his life with Kurt Cobain. He slept on his sofa for quite a while.

Well down to the nitty gritty. I just love this lyric from Kurt

"I'm so ugly, that's OK 'cause so are you"

Mine change depending on numerous factors. What is good is there is always something to listen that links directly into my state of mind, I have even been known to turn to modern gospel music when things occasionally get tough and that usually gets me back on track.

karatestu wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:01 pm
Well down to the nitty gritty.

No criticism intended but you may get into trouble with that remark, so just a friendly 'Heads up'.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ‘nitty gritty’ now refers to “the basic facts of a situation”.
But it is believed the phrase once had less palatable connotations, with many considering the term to have roots to be in the slave trade – its use is already banned in institutions like the police force.
Theories suggest the expression originally referred to the detritus found in the bottom of boats once a shipment of slaves had been removed from the hold, and was eventually stretched to refer to the slaves themselves.

Plenty of songs with it in there lyrics though.

BadgerBeerIsBest wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:34 pm

karatestu wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:01 pm
Well down to the nitty gritty.

No criticism intended but you may get into trouble with that remark, so just a friendly 'Heads up'.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ‘nitty gritty’ now refers to “the basic facts of a situation”.
But it is believed the phrase once had less palatable connotations, with many considering the term to have roots to be in the slave trade – its use is already banned in institutions like the police force.
Theories suggest the expression originally referred to the detritus found in the bottom of boats once a shipment of slaves had been removed from the hold, and was eventually stretched to refer to the slaves themselves.

Plenty of songs with it in there lyrics though.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I was unaware of it's history. Please forgive me

No criticism intended but is there any wonder I don't bother much with forums anymore. And I thought the grammar police were bad enough.

No apology needed you were unaware and its not me that will be offended, we have all probably said it at one point in our lives.
I got told about it when singing that dance hit by 'Beats International' dub be good to me/ we were jam hot.
As someone who spent their teenage years in the 70's I've probably said much worse.
I hate all this retrospective woke stuff, chin up.

According to Merriam Webster:

First Known Use of nitty-gritty
1934, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for nitty-gritty
origin unknown

Wiktionary says:

Etymology
Of uncertain origin; said to have been first used by black jazz musicians from the United States, the word is perhaps a reduplication of gritty (“resembling grit”) (ultimately from Proto-Germanic *greutą (“grit”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrewd-) with alteration of the first syllable.[1]

The Phrase Finder says:

There is no evidence of any sort to support the suggestion that the phrase 'nitty-gritty' had any connection with slave ships.

And continues:
It originated in the USA as an African-American expression, but that's as near as it gets to slavery. It isn't recorded in print until the 1930s, long after slave ships had disappeared, and none of the early references make any link to slavery.

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/nitty-gritty.html

Which is all just as well, or the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who have been making brilliant music for closing in on sixty years now would be royally fucked.

My point was I did not want Stu to get into trouble, that's where I was coming from.

Night Comes On by Leonard Cohen.
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I play it backwards at 78 RPM to cheer myself up tremendously.

I don't pay much attention to the lyrics. For me they are just words put together and I'm not able to see beyond them to understand what the meaning might be to the lyricist or even how it might connect to my life.

I am ok with any lyrics that fit in with the music and what my favourite bands go with. The standard rock lyrics about sex and booze are fine with me. Otherwise I like a Tolkien slant; demons and wizards, sword and sorcery and the occult. I am not personally into any of that stuff it is just escapism. What I do not like is being preached to. I also put a high value on ambiguity. This contributes so much to Bohemian Rhapsody, Stairway to heaven and Life on Mars as examples.