Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Rolling Stones songs: Drift Away
Beginning to think that I’m wasting time/ I don’t understand the things I do…
Written by: Mentor Williams Recorded: Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany, Nov. 13-24 1973; Rolling Stones Mobile, Stargroves, Newbury, England, Jan. 14-28-April; Island Studios, London, England, May 20-25 1974; Mick Jagger’s overdubs at RAK Studios, London, England, Spring 2021
Mick Jagger: vocals Keith Richards: guitar Mick Taylor: guitar Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Ronnie Wood: additional guitar Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), Billy Preston (organ)
From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012: Do you want to get lost in rock and roll? This is the Stones adequately do on Dobie Gray’s March 1973 Number 5 USA hit. Mick Jagger sings the lyrics with sparse accompaniment, save the piano work of Nicky Hopkins. Recorded live in the studio, it’s a typical studio run-through but very popular in outtake circles (till it’s official release) The songwriter is hard to detect: some credit Williams as in the producer of Dobie Gray, Mentor Williams or just Chandler. Drift Away was also covered on Rod Stewart’s Atlantic Crossing album in 1975.
Some songs slip quietly into the world before suddenly revealing the power they’ve carried all along, and Drift Away is one of those rare pieces of music that seems to gather strength each time a new artist touches it. Long before it became Dobie Gray’s soulful signature hit, the track had already begun weaving its way through different genres and musical personalities. It emerged from Mentor Williams’ pen in 1970, shaped by the sensibility of a country songwriter who understood the healing pull of melody. From there, it passed through the hands of British actor-singer Mike Berry, swamp-rock performer John Henry Kurtz, and eventually the studio session where Reggie Young Jr.’s shimmering guitar lines carved out the unforgettable intro that would echo through decades. By the time The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, and countless others took their turn with it, Drift Away had transformed into something larger than any chart statistic—an ode to the universal desire to lose oneself completely in music.
The early steps of a wandering melody
Before it became the reflective anthem fans cherish today, “Drift Away” began with a modest recording on Mike Berry’s 1972 album of the same name. Berry approached the track with a gentle British pop sensibility, allowing Mentor Williams’ melody to breathe through straightforward, earnest phrasing. Only weeks later, John Henry Kurtz unveiled his own version, offering a swamp-rock interpretation shaped by his dual career as an actor and musician. These early releases didn’t chart or define the era, yet they served an essential purpose: they established the song’s emotional architecture. Williams had written Drift Away as a tribute to the sanctuary of music—something that could cradle a listener when the world outside felt too heavy—and both early interpretations carried that message forward, even if the wider public wasn’t listening closely yet.
Dobie Gray and the song’s soaring breakthrough
The track’s destiny changed dramatically in 1973 when soul singer Dobie Gray recorded his now-classic rendition. With a velvety, expressive voice that seemed tailor-made for the song’s yearning, Gray transformed Drift Away into a chart-topping cultural moment. His version climbed to No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, earned a gold certification, and carved out a permanent home in radio rotations for generations to come. Much of its magic lies in the contrast between the song’s soft emotional ache and the warmth in Gray’s delivery—he doesn’t simply sing about drifting away; he invites the listener to step inside the feeling with him. Reggie Young Jr.’s iconic guitar intro became equally legendary, so memorable that Young had to re-learn it for a Nashville radio broadcast decades later. The song’s appeal spread far beyond Gray’s release, inspiring artists from every corner of the musical spectrum to reinterpret its message of escape, comfort, and surrender to sound.
Artists who kept its spirit alive
Drift Away soon became one of the most frequently revisited tracks of its era, largely because its themes are so universal. Rod Stewart added his voice to the song on his Atlantic Crossing album in 1975, giving it a glossier pop-rock polish. Many years later, The Rolling Stones offered a raw, stripped-back studio take featuring Mick Jagger’s loose and intimate vocals, supported primarily by Nicky Hopkins’ piano. Recorded during the It’s Only Rock ’n Roll sessions in 1974, their version didn’t make the final album but became a beloved bootleg among collectors until its official release on the Tattoo You reissue in 2021. Jagger approaches the track differently from Gray—less polished, more conversational, almost as if he’s singing it to himself at the end of a long night. Despite the simple arrangement, the Stones capture one of the song’s essential truths: sometimes you don’t need production fireworks to let a great melody do its work.
A timeless refuge for listeners and musicians alike
What makes Drift Away endure is not just its lyrical longing to “get lost in rock and roll” but the way each new version reshapes that sentiment while keeping its heart intact. From its country-folk origins to its soulful breakthrough, from swamp-rock textures to Stones-style looseness, the song has become a vessel for artists seeking a moment of honesty. And listeners continue to return to it for the same reason: it offers a quiet refuge, a reminder that music has the power to pull us away from chaos and into clarity. Whether heard through Dobie Gray’s polished mastery, Mick Jagger’s studio spontaneity, or Reggie Young’s unforgettable guitar phrasing, Drift Away remains a testament to the emotional places a simple melody can carry us—always somewhere softer, deeper, and beautifully out of reach.
Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
Subscribe to the Stones Data newsletter and get all daily posts delivered to you for free. Everybody got to go! *Support this site and help us keep sharing great content. Thanks in advance!
