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.
See You at the Go Go
Dobie Gray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not far from here
Everybody who's hip will know
They've got music that just won't quit
But it's the dancers that steal the show
(Out there on the floor)
I always meet
And we take off with the beat
(Out there on the floor)
Like a star there in the dark
So I'll see you where the girls are
At the go-go
See you where the girls are
At the go-go
Pretty girls everywhere
And they're all so hot
To you, swear all the action is there
I'm tellin' ya man it's a groove
Just to see how they move
Got these girls up in a cage
In trans-dresses and they shake around
You can walk in there feeling low
But you'll walk with a satisfied smile
You're gonna shine in the big boss line
'Cause the company's so fine
Chicks ain't for free
Tight as they please, yeah
So I'll see you where the girls are
At the go-go
See you where the girls are
At the go-go
Pretty girls everywhere
And they're all so hot, see you'll
Stay 'til the break of day
I'm tellin' ya man it's a groove
Just to see how they move, yeah
They really know how to treat ya
All your friends are gonna meet you down at the go-go
Someday I will see
The one and only for me
I guarantee it will be
(Out there on the floor)
Maybe tonight she'll dance into sight
Yeah
So I'll see you where the girls are
At the go-go
Pretty girls everywhere
At the go-go
So come on down
You're gonna shine in the big boss line
"Dobie Gray's" 1965, soul-dance hit "See You at the Go-Go," highlights the excitement and fun-packed in a Go-Go club. The singer describes a place near his location that everyone who is hip knows about. The music is tremendous, but the dancers steal the show, drawing his attention to the action happening on the dance floor. The song goes ahead to describe the Go-Go club's ambiance, with pretty girls everywhere to keep everyone on their toes, from being low to shining on the big boss line, walking out with a satisfied smile, or even meeting someone sweet.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place
There is a specific location in close proximity.
Not far from here
The place is relatively close.
Everybody who's hip will know
Those who are cool or fashionable are already aware of this location.
They've got music that just won't quit
The music at this location is continuous and never stops.
But it's the dancers that steal the show
Despite the music being great, the real entertainment comes from the dancers on the dancefloor.
(Out there on the floor)
This refers to the dancefloor.
I always meet
Whenever I go to this location,
Somebody sweet
I always encounter someone attractive or pleasant.
And we take off with the beat
We start moving and dancing along to the rhythm.
(Out there on the floor)
Again, referring to the dancefloor.
Like a star there in the dark
My dancing skills make me stand out and be noticed, especially in the dimly lit atmosphere.
So I'll see you where the girls are
I am inviting you to meet me at the location where the women are dancing.
At the go-go
The aforementioned location is called a go-go (a place with live music and dancing).
Pretty girls everywhere
The female dancers are attractive and can be found all throughout the venue.
And they're all so hot
The female dancers are very attractive or sexy.
To you, swear all the action is there
I promise that you will be entertained by the dancing and atmosphere that is found at the go-go location.
I'm tellin' ya man it's a groove
I am informing you that this location is very enjoyable and entertaining.
Just to see how they move
The female dancers move gracefully or sensually, making it enjoyable to watch them dance.
Got these girls up in a cage
There are elevated platforms or cages where the female dancers perform.
In trans-dresses and they shake around
The female dancers are wearing tight or revealing clothing and are moving provocatively on the elevated platforms.
You can walk in there feeling low
You may enter the go-go location feeling down or unhappy.
But you'll walk with a satisfied smile
However, you will leave the location feeling content or pleased with the experience you had.
You're gonna shine in the big boss line
You will stand out and look confident while you dance or socialize with the female dancers.
'Cause the company's so fine
The female dancers are very attractive and pleasant to spend time with.
Chicks ain't for free
The female dancers are being paid to entertain or interact with customers.
Tight as they please, yeah
The female dancers are wearing tight or revealing clothing that accentuates their physical features.
Stay 'til the break of day
Stay and dance until the morning if you want.
They really know how to treat ya
The employees or management staff know how to provide a satisfying and enjoyable experience.
All your friends are gonna meet you down at the go-go
Your friends will gather and socialize with you at the go-go location.
Someday I will see
One day in the future,
The one and only for me
I will find the perfect partner for me at this location.
I guarantee it will be
I am confident that it will happen.
(Out there on the floor)
Referring to the dancefloor once more.
Maybe tonight she'll dance into sight
It is possible that tonight, the perfect partner I mentioned earlier, could appear on the dancefloor.
So come on down
I am encouraging you to join me at the go-go location.
You're gonna shine in the big boss line
You will feel confident and charismatic while you socialize or dance.
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY PAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Laszek
Gray incorporated accents from "The In Crowd" on this song but kept this song distinct and exciting, delivering everything the title promises. The production is quite Phil Spectoresque without suffocating it. That it was released on Charger records fits the song, because it charges! Well done, Dobie. RIP.
MikeBlitzMag
Still his finest moment. When he was with Charger Records, he did some exemplary and introspective B-sides on his singles. Walk With Love and Be A Man are well worth investigating. He is greatly missed.
dave g
My first time hearing this Gem WOW what a great track xxx.
Soul Bear529
For many years this ranked as my most expensive soul record purchase, a princely and pricey £6 for my Pye U.K. copy when I only earned a Fiver a week!!! Great to hear it again, nice post Brico, mighty fine, mighty fine, Soulbear.
17soulable
Great stuff bro, cheers.
MIKECNW
Don't know if these 60's tunes did anything on the charts for Dobie on the charts but I probably like them better that Drift Away though that's also a good song.
Kevin Goins
#69/Pop (Billboard)
john robertson
brilliant
Mick Pike
Preference, personally,over out on floor,classic sound.