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Drift Away

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"Drift Away"
Song by Mike Berry
from the album Drift Away
Released1972
Length3:13
LabelYork
SongwriterMentor Williams
"Drift Away"
Single by John Henry Kurtz
from the album Reunion
Written1970
Released1972
GenreSwamp rock
Length3:30
LabelABC
SongwriterMentor Williams
Producers
  • Steve Barri
  • Dan Walsh
  • Harvey Price
John Henry Kurtz singles chronology
"Drift Away"
(1972)		 "One Tin Soldier"
(1973)

"Drift Away" is a song written by Mentor Williams in 1970 and originally recorded by British singer and actor Mike Berry on his 1972 album Drift Away. A version by John Henry Kurtz was released two months later in November 1972.[1][2] Mentor Williams was a country songwriter, and John Henry Kurtz was an actor and swamp rock singer. It was later given to soul singer Dobie Gray for whom it became a surprise international hit. In 1973, the song became Gray's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and receiving a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song has been covered by numerous musicians.

Dobie Gray version

[edit]
"Drift Away"
Single by Dobie Gray
from the album Drift Away
B-side"City Stars"
ReleasedJanuary 1973[citation needed]
Genre
Length3:54
LabelDecca
SongwriterMentor Williams
ProducerMentor Williams
Dobie Gray singles chronology
"Rose Garden"
(1972)		 "Drift Away"
(1973)		 "Loving Arms"
(1973)

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts

[edit]
Chart (1973) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 44
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 7
US Billboard Hot 100[7]5
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[8] 12
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard) 42
US Cash Box Top 100 8

Year-end charts

[edit]
Chart (1973) Rank
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 83
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 17
US Cash Box Top 100[11] 18

Certifications

[edit]
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

[edit]

Narvel Felts version

[edit]
"Drift Away"
Single by Narvel Felts
from the album Drift Away
B-side"Foggy Misty Morning"
Released1973
Length3:15
LabelCinnamon
ProducerFarah Productions[14]
Narvel Felts singles chronology
"Rockin' Little Angel"
(1973)		 "Drift Away"
(1973)		 "All in the Name of Love"
(1973)

A country version was recorded by American country music and rockabilly singer Narvel Felts in 1973. 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 number 8 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in mid-August 1973, about three months after Gray's version reached its popularity peak.[15] This song marked Narvel's first success in the country scene, as he was known from the late 1950s as a rockabilly singer.

Charts (Narvel Felts)

[edit]
Chart (1973) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM) 48
US Hot Country Singles (Billboard) 8

Michael Bolton version

[edit]
"Drift Away"
Single by Michael Bolton
from the album Timeless: The Classics
ReleasedDecember 14, 1992 (1992-12-14)[16]
Length6:07
LabelColumbia
Producers
Michael Bolton singles chronology
"To Love Somebody"
(1992)		 "Drift Away"
(1992)		 "Reach Out I'll Be There"
(1992)

American singer and songwriter Michael Bolton covered "Drift Away" and released it as the second single from his 1992 covers album, Timeless: The Classics, in December 1992 by Columbia Records. His rendition was produced by Bolton with David Foster and Walter Afanasieff. It became the only hit version of the song in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 18, and also charted in Ireland and New Zealand.

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 104
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 35
Europe (European Hit Radio)[19] 39
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[20] 18
Ireland (IRMA)[21]15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22]23
UK Singles (Official Charts)[23]18
UK Airplay (Music Week)[24] 10

Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray version

[edit]
"Drift Away"
Single by Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray
from the album No Stranger to Shame
ReleasedJanuary 27, 2003 (2003-01-27)
Length
  • 4:15 (album version)
  • 3:40 (radio edit)
LabelLava
Producers
Uncle Kracker singles chronology
"In a Little While"
(2002)		 "Drift Away"
(2003)		 "Memphis Soul Song"
(2003)
Dobie Gray singles chronology
"Take It Real Easy"
(1987)		 "Drift Away"
(2003)
Music video
"Drift Away" on YouTube

American singer-songwriter Uncle Kracker released a cover version from his second studio album, No Stranger to Shame (2002), in January 2003. This version, which features Dobie Gray singing parts of the song with Kracker, reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a then-record-setting 28 weeks atop the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It also peaked at number 25 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.

Music video

[edit]

The music video for the song was directed by Bronston Jones. Filmed in Kracker's hometown of Detroit, it shows him performing the song on stage to an audience (Dobie, during his parts, comes in to perform) and Kracker working at a garage (owned by his brother), unloading and stacking tires. Scenes also feature him walking alone on snowy railroad tracks, and singing on an empty stage in the garage. His mechanic's uniform is labeled "Matt," a reference to his real first name, Matthew.

Charts

[edit]
Weekly charts
[edit]
Chart (2003–2004) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25]25
US Billboard Hot 100[26]9
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[27]1
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[28]2
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[29]10
Year-end charts
[edit]
Chart (2003) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 19
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[31] 3
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 2
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 34
Chart (2004) Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[33] 4

Certifications

[edit]
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[34] 2× Platinum 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States January 27, 2003 Hot adult contemporary radio Lava [35]
May 5, 2003 Contemporary hit radio [36]

Other cover versions

[edit]

The Rolling Stones recorded a cover of the song during the sessions for their It's Only Rock 'n Roll LP in 1974, but it did not appear on the finished album.[37] It was finally given an official release in October 2021 as part of the Tattoo You reissue.

Rod Stewart recorded a cover of the song for the album Atlantic Crossing.

Dustin Lynch's 2023 song "Chevrolet", featuring Jelly Roll, contains lyrics set to the melody of "Drift Away".

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "That's a Cover?: "Drift Away" (Dobie Gray / John Henry Kurtz / Mike Berry)". Cover Me. June 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Drift Away by Mike Berry" – via SecondHandSongs.
  3. ↑ "200 Greatest Soft Rock Songs". entertainment.expertscolumn.com.
  4. ↑ McIntyre, Ken (July 9, 2018). "Rock'N'Soul: 20 Soul Classics Rock Fans Will Love". Classic Rock. Future plc. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ Gray, Dobie, Dobie Gray: Drift Away, Loving Arms, Hey Dixie, BGO Records, BGOCD1004, liner notes, 2011
  6. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ↑ "Dobie Gray Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 101.
  9. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (December 26, 2017). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  11. ↑ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1973YESP.html Archived 2014-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1973
  12. ↑ "British single certifications – Dobie Gray – Drift Away". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 29, 2026. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Drift Away Dobie Gray in the "Search:" field.
  13. ↑ "American single certifications – Dobie Gray – Drift Away". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Narvel Felts - Drift Away / Foggy Misty Morning - ABC - UK - ABC 4119". 45cat. 1976-05-14. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  15. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  16. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 12, 1992. p. 19.
  17. ↑ "Bubbling Down Under: Week commencing 22 February 1993". Bubblingdownunder.com. February 22, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 3. January 16, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  19. ↑ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 4. January 23, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28. Jan.–4. Feb.)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 28, 1993. p. 29. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Drift Away | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Michael Bolton – Drift Away". Top 40 Singles.
  23. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 27/12/1992 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ↑ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. January 16, 1993. p. 16. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Uncle Kracker feat. Dobie Gray – Drift Away". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Uncle Kracker Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Uncle Kracker Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Uncle Kracker Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Uncle Kracker Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  31. 1 2 "Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 52. December 27, 2003. p. YE-80. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  32. ↑ "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 14.
  33. ↑ "Year in Music & Touring". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  34. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Uncle Kracker – Drift Away". Radioscope. Retrieved June 5, 2026. Type Drift Away in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  35. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1488. January 24, 2003. p. 30. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1502. May 2, 2003. p. 26. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  37. ↑ Stadler, Gustavus (25 June 2013). "Cover Art". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
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