THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

243-Dobie Gray-The ‘In’ Crowd.

1965-Number 25 single.

Best Bit-At 0.56. I normally find that those who do the most bragging tend to have the least to brag about, but with two songs in the best 1000 songs list, Dobie Gray does have a lot to shout about.

Dobie Gray was born Lawence Darrow Brown on July 26th, 1940, in Simonton, Texas, United States, he died of complications from cancer surgery on December 6th, 2011, at the age of 71. During his 55 years as a performer Gray worked under different stage names including Larry Brown, and Leonard Ainsworth, but it was when signing with ‘Stripe Records’ in 1963 that they suggested that he should record as Dobie Gray, an allusion to the then popular American sitcom ‘The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.’

Dobie Gray recorded in differing genres including Soul, R&B, Pop, and Country Music releasing at least 24 Albums between 1963-2005. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, four of his songs have reached the top 40, with his 1973 cover of the Country Music song ‘Drift Away’ peaking the highest at Number 5, and selling over one million copies. In the UK this song remains as his only chart entry, but Gray is also responsible for the Northern Soul favourite ‘Out on the Floor (Number 42 in 1975) (see also best songs 845.)

‘The ‘In’ Crowd’ was written by the late Billy Page, and arranged by his brother Gene Page, (1939-1998) and produced by the late Fred Darian. Gene Page arranged songs for many of the worlds top artists including Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Barry White, and Page arranged ‘The In’ Crowd’ to sound very much like a ‘Motown’ song. Dobie Gray was the first to record the track, taking it to Number 13 on Billboard in February 1965, this was followed within a few months by a live recording from the Ramsey Lewis Trio, (see also best songs 525) which did even better on the chart by reaching Number 5. In the UK in 1974 Bryan Ferry (see also best songs 721-316 and 57) recorded the song for his second solo Album ‘Another Time, Another Place,’ and when it was released as a single it made Number 13.

In ‘The ‘In’ Crowd’ Dobie Gray sings about the advantages of being a member of a popular clique in the ‘Swinging Sixties.’ He boasts that he knows all of the latest dances, and the best places to hang out. He speaks a cool language that only the elite will understand, and he gets respect wherever he goes. He is also using his status to try to attract girls to go out with him.

‘At a spot where the beats really hot, oh, if it’s square. we ain’t there. We make every minute count, our share is always the biggest amount. Other guys imitate us, but the original’s still the greatest.’