Makin' a living the old hard way
Takin' and giving by day by day
I dig snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
My dog Sam eats purple flowers
We ain't got much but what we got's ours
We dig snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Loving the free and feelin' spirit
Of huggin' a tree when you get near it
Diggin' the snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line).....
Takin' and giving by day by day
I dig snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
My dog Sam eats purple flowers
We ain't got much but what we got's ours
We dig snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Loving the free and feelin' spirit
Of huggin' a tree when you get near it
Diggin' the snow and rain and bright sunshine
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
I feel fine I'm talkin' bout peace of mind
I'm gonna take my time I'm gettin' the good sign
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line)
Draggin' the line (draggin' the line).....
song info:
Verified yes
Language
GenreRock & Roll
Rank−
Duration00:04:08
Charts
Copyright ©Sony/atv Music Publishing
WriterRobert King, Tommy James
Lyrics licensed byLyricFind
Added
Last updatedMarch 5th, 2022
About"Draggin' the Line" is a hit song by American rock musician Tommy James, who went solo after Tommy James and the Shondells broke up in 1970. It was first released as the B side of "Church Street Soul Revival" in 1970. The song was judged to have some hit potential so they went back in the studio and added horns to the master and re-released it as an A side single in 1971. It was included on his second album, Christian of the World in 1971 on the Roulette Records label, the song was James' biggest hit as a solo artist selling more than a million copies, and appears as the fifth track on James' 1991 retrospective album The Solo Years (1970-81) released by Rhino.
Written and produced by Tommy James and Bob King, "Draggin' the Line" reached the top 40 on the U.S.'s Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 26, 1971, climbed to a peak of #4 for the week of August 7, 1971, and remained in the top 40 rankings for 11 weeks total. The song reached even higher in Cash Box magazine's competing jukebox singles charts, attaining the #2 spot for the week of August 9, 1971. "Draggin' the Line" was ranked at #54 overall for hot songs of 1971 by U.S. music industry pillar Billboard magazine.
"Draggin' the Line" has been described as a "lazy psychedelic shuffle whose hypnotic feel perfectly expressed its title." Asked about the meaning of the title in a 2009 interview, Tommy James said: ""Draggin' the Line" just meant working every day. Nothing really very mysterious about it." However, it has been falsely speculated that the song's title and lyrics refer to cocaine use, citing the title, the lyrics, Tommy James' documented drug use, and because another Tommy James and The Shondells song, "Crystal Blue Persuasion," has been previously associated with the use of speed, the song having been described in 1979 by noted music critic Dave Marsh as "a transparent allegory about James' involvement with amphetamines."
Written and produced by Tommy James and Bob King, "Draggin' the Line" reached the top 40 on the U.S.'s Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 26, 1971, climbed to a peak of #4 for the week of August 7, 1971, and remained in the top 40 rankings for 11 weeks total. The song reached even higher in Cash Box magazine's competing jukebox singles charts, attaining the #2 spot for the week of August 9, 1971. "Draggin' the Line" was ranked at #54 overall for hot songs of 1971 by U.S. music industry pillar Billboard magazine.
"Draggin' the Line" has been described as a "lazy psychedelic shuffle whose hypnotic feel perfectly expressed its title." Asked about the meaning of the title in a 2009 interview, Tommy James said: ""Draggin' the Line" just meant working every day. Nothing really very mysterious about it." However, it has been falsely speculated that the song's title and lyrics refer to cocaine use, citing the title, the lyrics, Tommy James' documented drug use, and because another Tommy James and The Shondells song, "Crystal Blue Persuasion," has been previously associated with the use of speed, the song having been described in 1979 by noted music critic Dave Marsh as "a transparent allegory about James' involvement with amphetamines."
Album Details
![Tommy James and the Shondells - Anthology [1989]](https://cdn.lsistatic.com/img/pixel.gif){kind=tracking}
Super Hits Of The '70s: Have A Nice Day, Vol. 5 / track 10
Super Hits Of The '70s: Have A Nice Day compilation series
Super Hits Of The '70s: Have A Nice Day compilation series