Drift Away
Encyclopedia
"Drift Away" is a song written by Mentor Williams
and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album Reunion. In 1973 the song became Dobie Gray
's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100
, though it did not enter the charts in the United Kingdom
.
This song is also a famous "goodbye" or ending song for concerts. Its use is often as filler for a last song, usually in preparation for an encore, since it has a catchy beat and a guitar solo can be easily added to the end of the song in order to spice things up before the encore. As such, many live covers have been performed by a multitude of bands and it has become a hit among soft rock
fans. Appropriately, it was the final pop hit for Decca Records
in the United States.
Gray
's version of Drift Away remains a staple on many classic rock
stations.
, Ike and Tina Turner, Humble Pie
, Rod Stewart
, Waylon Jennings
, Ray Charles
, Neville Brothers, Michael Bolton
, Christian Kane
, Ringo Starr
, and John Kay
.
There is an unreleased 1973 recording of this song by The Rolling Stones
. This version features all of the members of the then-current lineup of the Stones with the exception of Keith Richards and the addition of keyboardist Nicky Hopkins
. This version is frequently and erroneously referred to as having been recorded by The Rolling Stones and The Beatles
together, which would have been impossible, as The Beatles were already broken up three years by the time of this recording. The Heptones recorded a reggae version which is included on many compilation cds. Street Corner Symphony
also sang a version of this songs as their swan song
on the season 2 finale of the NBC series, The Sing-Off
.
in 1973. His was a mid-tempo country ballad version, compared to Gray's bluesy rendition. Felts' version — which changed the lyrics "I wanna get lost in your rock and roll" to "I wanna get lost in your country song" — peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in mid-August 1973, about three months after Gray's version reached its popularity peak.
in 2003. This version, which featured Dobie Grey singing the final verse, reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It spent a record-setting 28 weeks atop the adult contemporary chart
in the U.S. It also peaked at number 25 on the New Zealand Singles chart.
Mentor Williams
Mentor Williams is an American songwriter and producer. He is best known for writing "Drift Away", a middle-of-the-road playlist classic performed by Dobie Gray in 1973. He is the brother of famed songwriter Paul Williams.-Background:...
and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album Reunion. In 1973 the song became Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater...
's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, though it did not enter the charts in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
This song is also a famous "goodbye" or ending song for concerts. Its use is often as filler for a last song, usually in preparation for an encore, since it has a catchy beat and a guitar solo can be easily added to the end of the song in order to spice things up before the encore. As such, many live covers have been performed by a multitude of bands and it has become a hit among soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
fans. Appropriately, it was the final pop hit for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in the United States.
Gray
Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater...
's version of Drift Away remains a staple on many classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
stations.
Chart performance (Dobie Gray)
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 42 |
Covers
"Drift Away" has been covered by many bands and vocalists across the world. Known versions include those of Roy OrbisonRoy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, Ike and Tina Turner, Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Neville Brothers, Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
, Christian Kane
Christian Kane
Christian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, and John Kay
John Kay (musician)
John Kay is a German-Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the frontman of Steppenwolf...
.
There is an unreleased 1973 recording of this song by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. This version features all of the members of the then-current lineup of the Stones with the exception of Keith Richards and the addition of keyboardist Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
. This version is frequently and erroneously referred to as having been recorded by The Rolling Stones and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
together, which would have been impossible, as The Beatles were already broken up three years by the time of this recording. The Heptones recorded a reggae version which is included on many compilation cds. Street Corner Symphony
Street Corner Symphony (group)
Street Corner Symphony is an a cappella group from Nashville, Tennessee and a contestant on the second season of NBC's reality show The Sing-Off. During the The Sing-Off season finale, Street Corner Symphony claimed the second place title, losing the championship to Huntsville, Alabama group...
also sang a version of this songs as their swan song
Swan song
"Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song...
on the season 2 finale of the NBC series, The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It premiered on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television....
.
Narvel Felts version
A country version was recorded by Narvel FeltsNarvel Felts
Narvel Felts is an American country music singer. Known for his soaring tenor and high falsetto, Felts enjoyed his greatest success during the 1970s, most famously 1975's "Reconsider Me."-Career:...
in 1973. His was a mid-tempo country ballad version, compared to Gray's bluesy rendition. Felts' version — which changed the lyrics "I wanna get lost in your rock and roll" to "I wanna get lost in your country song" — peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in mid-August 1973, about three months after Gray's version reached its popularity peak.
Chart performance (Narvel Felts)
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 48 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 8 |
Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray version
A cover version was released by Uncle KrackerUncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
in 2003. This version, which featured Dobie Grey singing the final verse, reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It spent a record-setting 28 weeks atop the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
in the U.S. It also peaked at number 25 on the New Zealand Singles chart.
Chart performance (Uncle Kracker)
| Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 25 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40 | 10 |
In popular culture
- Nashville StarNashville StarNashville Star is an American reality television program. It was transmitted during mid-2008 on NBC, following five seasons on USA Network. It premiered on March 8, 2003, and its five seasons on USA made it the longest-running competition series on cable television. In Canada, the show aired on CMT...
contestant Coffey AndersonCoffey AndersonCoffey Anderson is an American singer-songwriter originally from Bangs, Texas. His unique brand of country music blends in distinct influences from pop, contemporary Christian, gospel and soul that has attracted many. He came to fame through his YouTube videos and in 2008 took part in Nashville Star...
sang the song during the sixth seasonNashville Star (season 6)Season 6 of Nashville Star, the annual reality show and singing competition, premiered on NBC on June 9, 2008 at 9PM Eastern/Pacific. The show moved to NBC from USA Network, which had inaugurated the show and broadcast it for five seasons. For the first time, auditions were open also for duets and...
of the singing competition.