Gray was born near Houston, Texas, by his own account in Simonton although some sources suggest the nearby town of Brookshire. His birth name was probably Lawrence Darrow Brown, who is listed in the Fort Bend County Birth Records as being born in 1940 to Jane P. Spencel and Jethro Clifton Brown. Other sources suggest he may have been born Leonard Victor Ainsworth, a name he used on some early recordings.
His family were sharecroppers, and he discovered gospel music through his grandfather, a Baptist minister. In the early 1960s he moved to Los Angeles, intending to pursue an acting career but also singing to make money.
He recorded for several local labels under the names Leonard Ainsworth, Larry Curtis, and Larry Dennis, before Sonny Bono directed him towards the small independent Stripe Records. They suggested that he record under the name "Dobie Gray", an allusion to the then-popular sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. His first taste of success came in 1963, when his seventh single "Look At Me", on the Cor-Dak label, recorded with bassist Carol Kaye, reached # 91 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, Gray's first album, Look!, failed to sell.
Greater success came in early 1965 when his original recording of "The 'In' Crowd" (later recorded by Ramsey Lewis) reached # 13 on the chart. Written by Billy Page, arranged by his brother Gene,[8] and produced by Fred Darian. Gray's record reached # 11 on the US R&B chart, and # 25 in the UK. The follow-up, "See You at the Go-Go", recorded with such top session musicians as Kaye, Hal Blaine and Larry Knechtel, also reached the Hot 100, and he issued an album, Dobie Gray Sings For 'In' Crowders That Go Go Go, which featured some self-penned songs.
Gray continued to record, though with little success, for small labels such as Charger and White Whale, as well as contributing to movie soundtracks. He also spent several years working as an actor, including 2½ years in the Los Angeles production of Hair. In 1970, while working in Hair, he joined a band, Pollution, as singer and percussionist. They were managed by actor Max Baer Jr. (best known as "Jethro" in The Beverly Hillbillies), and released two albums of soul-inspired psychedelic rock, Pollution I and Pollution II. The band also included singer Tata Vega and guitarist/singer James Quill Smith. After that, he worked at A & M Records on demo recordings with songwriter Paul Williams.
In 1972, he won a contract with Decca Records, shortly before it became part of MCA, to make an album with producer Mentor Williams, Paul's brother, in Nashville. Among the songs that they recorded at the Quadrafonic Sound Studios, co-owned by session musicians Norbert Putnam and David Briggs, was Mentor Williams' song "Drift Away", featuring a guitar riff by Reggie Young. Released as a single, the song rose to # 5 on the US pop charts, and remains Gray's best known song today. The follow-up, a version of Tom Jans' much-covered song "Loving Arms", made # 61 in the chart. Gray also released three albums with MCA, Drift Away, Loving Arms, and Hey, Dixie, but later stated that MCA were unsure of how to market the albums - "They didn't know where to place a black guy in country music."
In the mid-1970s he moved permanently to Nashville and signed for Capricorn Records, writing songs in collaboration with Troy Seals. His biggest hit singles in the late 1970s were "If Love Must Go", # 78 in 1976, and "You Can Do It", # 37 in late 1978, his last solo chart hit to date. He increasingly concentrated on songwriting, writing songs for a variety of artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Johnny Mathis, Charley Pride and Don Williams. Gray also toured in Europe, Australia and Africa in the 1970s. He performed in South Africa only after persuading the apartheid authorities to allow him to play to integrated audiences, becoming the first artist to do so in that country. His popularity in South Africa continued through numerous subsequent concert tours.
He re-emerged as a recording artist for Capitol Records in the mid-1980s, recording with producer Harold Shedd. Gray placed two singles in the US Billboard country chart during 1986 and 1987, including "That's One to Grow On" which peaked at #35. His country albums included From Where I Stand in 1986, and he made several appearances at Charlie Daniels' popular Volunteer Jam concerts. He also sang on a number of TV and radio jingles. In 1997, he released the album Diamond Cuts, including both new songs and re-recordings of older material.
In 2000, Wigan Casino DJ, Kev Roberts, compiled The Northern Soul Top 500, which was based on a survey of northern soul fans. Gray's "Out On The Floor", a 1966 recording which had been a British chart hit in 1975, was placed in the Top 10. "Drift Away" became a hit again in 2003, when it was covered by Uncle Kracker on his No Stranger to Shame album. The recording was a duet between Kracker and Gray, who was also featured in the video. It ended in the nineteenth place in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2003.
Out On The Floor
Dobie Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out on the floor each night, I'm really movin'
The band's is wailin' right i feel like groovin'
The chicks are out of sight and I am approving
The crowd is in tonight beggin' for more
While I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor
Out on the floor tonight, I feel like singin'
The beat is running right and guitars are ringin'
I'm really on tonight and everything's swingin'
The room is packed up tight, lined at the door, yeah, yeah
So I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor
Yeah, yeah, yeah, babe's it's out of sight
When I'm out on the floor, it makes me feel like a king
Everybody here, don't you know what I mean
It makes me wanna move (makes me wanna move)
It makes me feel that groove (make me feel that groove)
I wanna twist and shout (makes me twist and shout)
Said work it on out (make me work it on out)
When I feel that beat (feel that beat), I gotta move my feet
Out on the floor tonight, I feel like singin'
The beat is hot and bright, guitars are ringin'
The chicks are out of sight everything's swingin'
The room is packed up tight, lined at the door, oh, yeah
So I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor ( I got some more)
Don't you feel that beat, down in in your feet
Dobie Gray's "Out On The Floor" is a groovy soul song about hitting the dance floor and immersing oneself in the rhythm and vibe of the music. The song opens with the singer marveling at how great everything is: the band is playing fabulously, the girls are gorgeous, and the crowd can't get enough. As he moves to the beat, he feels like a king and wants to shout, twist, and work it out. He tells the listener that if they feel the beat, they have to get up and move their feet too. The chorus repeats the phrase "out on the floor," emphasizing the importance of being part of the experience and not just a spectator. The lyrics are simple but effective, relying on repetition and vivid imagery to create a sense of excitement and joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, babe's it's out of sight
This is a great party and I am really enjoying it.
Out on the floor each night, I'm really movin'
I dance every night and feel so alive.
The band's is wailin' right i feel like groovin'
The music is so good, it's making me want to dance.
The chicks are out of sight and I am approving
The women here are beautiful and I am enjoying their company.
The crowd is in tonight beggin' for more
Everyone here is having a good time and wants to keep the party going.
While I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor
I am having a great time dancing and enjoying the party.
Out on the floor tonight, I feel like singin'
I am so happy and the music is so good, it's making me want to sing.
The beat is running right and guitars are ringin'
The music is so well coordinated and tuneful, I feel it is amazing.
I'm really on tonight and everything's swingin'
Tonight's party is really impressive and everything is happening as planned.
The room is packed up tight, lined at the door, yeah, yeah
The party is so good that people are coming in droves and the room is packed.
So I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor
I am enjoying myself to the fullest as I dance to the amazing music.
When I'm out on the floor, it makes me feel like a king
Dancing on this floor is making me feel very important and special.
Everybody here, don't you know what I mean
Everyone at this party feels the way I do; they feel exceptional.
It makes me wanna move (makes me wanna move)
I feel energized by the music and thus want to dance more.
It makes me feel that groove (make me feel that groove)
The rhythm and beat of the music is making me feel excited and I can't hold it back.
I wanna twist and shout (makes me twist and shout)
I feel like letting go and having a blast, screaming and shouting.
Said work it on out (make me work it on out)
I feel like putting my all into this dance - making sure I enjoy every moment of it.
When I feel that beat (feel that beat), I gotta move my feet
Whenever the music gets really great, it compels me to dance more and move my feet faster.
The beat is hot and bright, guitars are ringin'
The music is fantastic and has me movin' and groovin' in ways that I never imagined.
The chicks are out of sight everything's swingin'
The women here are gorgeous, and everything is going well - the party is fantastic.
So I'm gettin' my kicks, out on the floor ( I got some more)
I am having the time of my life enjoying this party and I am not done yet - I want more.
Don't you feel that beat, down in in your feet
Can't you feel the rhythm and beat of the music taking over your body and moving your feet?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FRED DARIAN, ALFRED V. DE LORY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tinsby
How I ever missed this tune I'll never know. It was my good fortune to find it today! Love it!
This has a great hook and if I'd have had my hands on it, I'd have played the hell out of it in the club!
Makes me wonder why it never really hit our shores <sigh>
They sure don't make 'me like this anymore, and haven't for a loooooong time!
Thanks for the posting you made my day!
hookalakah
I have to say--God bless my British brothers and sisters for recognizing what a great soul song this is and bringing it out of the shadows. The Northern Soul movement has revived more good music than anything I can think of in the last 30 years. Too bad you guys couldn't have dropped into Maverick's Flat in '69--you would have been in heaven.
h
I also get goosebumps listening to this classic, every single time. Unlike me this never gets old.
GrimeAndGats
How can anyone seriously dislike this song?
Jean
The In Crowd was the first record I heard by Dobie Gray and I loved it !! I am not a Northern Soul person but I love Soul x
Beehive
Watching Doobie groove away in his humble lounge room is fantastic. Love this song. It's like a morning glass of orange Juice.
gotobedandtickler
This is a true Northern soul classic, as memory serves, I believe the British made it a smash through the Northern soul circuit, corect me if I'm wrong Ian but, I believe it was a huge hit in the uk and then the usa, sadly Dobie is no longer with us, we shall never forget his work. Great work Ian, your fans are many !!!
Robert Wilkinson
THE Northern Soul record! Still knocks them for six NOW. Superb!
Zephaniah 3:17
Yeah man! This is the anthem! Keep the faith!
Q123Susie
wow this song is still fantastic after all these years x
patrick ryan
Very first time hearing "Out On The Floor", but I instantly recognized Dobie Gray's sound. This easily could have been a Top Ten Hit nationwide. Odd how some spectacular music never makes the grade here in America (or elsewhere for that matter). Glad this resurfaced to become a cult classic. 12/2018