THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

243-Dobie Gray-The ‘In’ Crowd.

1965-Number 25 single.

Best Bit-At 0.57. I normally find that those who do the most bragging tend to have the least to brag about, but with two songs in this ‘1000 Best Songs’ list, Dobie Gray does have a lot to shout about.

Dobie Gray (see also best songs 845) 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 has said that he knew from the age of seven that he would be an entertainer, after his grandfather told him he had a good singing voice, after hearing him perform in church. In the early 1960’s Gray moved to Los Angeles, intending to pursue an acting career while also singing to make money, it was the American singer Sonny Bono (1935-1998) (see also best songs 672) who directed him toward the small independent ‘Stripe Records.’ As well as being a recording artist Dobie Gray spent two and a half years in the late 1960’s, and early 1970’s as an actor in the Los Angeles production of ‘Hair’ (see also best songs 202.)

The discography of Dobie Gray who recorded in differing genres, including Soul, R&B, Pop, and Country Music, includes 24 Albums released between 1963-2005, and an unspecified number of singles, of which 20 have charted in various territories. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, four of his singles have reached the top 40, with his cover version of the Country Music song ‘Drift Away,’ from 1973, charting the highest at Number 5. In 2003 he re-recorded ‘Drift Away’ with the American ‘Country Rock’ singer Unkle Kracker, and this time the song reached Number 9. On the Billboard Hot 100 ‘The ‘In’ Crowd’ made Number 13. In the UK, Dobie Gray’s only top 40 hit single is ‘The ‘In’ Crowd,’ which reached Number 25, but he 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 Billy Page, and arranged by his brother Gene Page, with the production being by Fred Darian. The song was the first of two charting singles taken from Dobie Gray’s second studio Album ‘Dobie Gray Sings for “In” Crowders That Go “Go-Go,’ from 1965, the other charting track was ‘See You at the Go-Go,’ which peaked at Number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 also in 1965. Billy Page was born William E. Page II on September 24th, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, United States, (I cannot find the date, or cause of his death) he was the younger brother of Gene Page. Other songs written by Billy Page include ‘A House Built on Sand,’ for Leslie Uggams, (1968) ‘Sugar Lump,’ for Leon Haywood, (1974) (Number 35-Billboard Hot R&B) and ‘Midnight and You,’ which was co-written with his brother Gene Page, for Solomon Burke in 1974 (Number 14-Billboard Hot R&B.) Billy Page also produced his brother Gene’s musical score for the 1972 American blaxploitation horror film ‘Blacula.’ Gene Page was born Eugene Edgar Page Jr. on September 13th, 1939, in Los Angeles, California, United States, he died on August 24th, 1998, after a long-term illness of severe alcoholism, at the age of 58. Gene Page was a conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, mainly active from the mid-1960’s through to the mid-1980’s. In addition to arranging for many of the worlds top artists, including Barbra Streisand, Barry White, (1944-2003) and Elton John, (‘Philadelphia Freedom’-1975) he also released four solo studio Albums between 1974-1980, and arranged and conducted the orchestra on Big Joe Turner’s (1911-1985) 1969 Album ‘The Real Boss of the Blues.’ Gene Page scored various motion picture soundtracks that include the 1970 American comedy ‘Brewster McCloud,’ and the 1977 American comedy film ‘Fun with Dick and Jane.’ ‘The ‘In’ Crowd’ was produced by Fred Darian who was born on June 16th, 1927, in Detroit Michigan, United States, he is an actor, composer, and singer, who released several singles in the 1950.s, and 1960’s.

Gene 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 that 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. The other notable version of ‘The In’ Crowd’ is by the Mamas & the Papas on their 1966 debut studio Album ‘ If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears,’ with ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot on the lead vocal.

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.’