Right Down the Line
{{short description|1978 song performed by Gerry Rafferty}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Right Down the Line
| cover = Right_Down_the_Line_-_Gerry_Rafferty.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Gerry Rafferty
| album = City to City
| B-side = Waiting for the Day
| released = 27 July 1978 (US)
22 September 1978 (UK){{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1978/Music-Week-1978-09-23.pdf|title=Music Week|page=63}}
| recorded = 1977, Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, UK
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soft rock, reggae rock{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-premiere-bonnie-raitts-reggae-inspired-right-down-the-line-103846/|title=Exclusive Premiere: Bonnie Raitt's Reggae-Inspired 'Right Down the Line'|last1=Fuentes|first1=Catherine|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=7 February 2012|access-date=28 February 2021}}
| length = 4:28 (album version)
3:33 (single version)
| label = United Artists
| writer = Gerry Rafferty
| producer = Hugh Murphy, Gerry Rafferty
| prev_title = Baker Street
| prev_year = 1978
| next_title = Home and Dry
| next_year = 1978
}}
"Right Down the Line" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in the US in July 1978, it was the follow-up to his first major hit as a solo artist, "Baker Street", and reached No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 8 on Cash Box{{cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19781028.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 10/28/78 |website=Tropicalglen.com |date=28 October 1978 |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929220102/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19781028.html |archive-date=29 September 2018 |url-status=dead }} and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary|title=Adult Contemporary Music Chart|magazine=Billboard}}
In Canada, the song reached No. 5 on both the Pop singles and Adult Contemporary charts.
Personnel
- Gerry Rafferty – vocals and rhythm guitar
- Hugh Burns – lead guitar
- Tommy Eyre – organ and piano
- Gary Taylor – bass
- BJ Cole – steel guitar
- Liam Genockey – drums
- Glen Le Fleur – tambourine and clave
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (2022)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|16|artist=Gerry Rafferty|access-date=8 February 2022}} |
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=Year-end charts=
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Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Gerry Rafferty|title=Right Down the Line|award=Silver|relyear=2005|certyear=2023|id=19078-1205-1|access-date=26 June 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Cover versions
{{sources|section|date=May 2020}}
- Ron Sexsmith covered the song on a BBC Scotland tribute to Gerry Rafferty.
- Bonnie Raitt covered the song in 2012, including it in her Slipstream album. The track reached #17 on the US Adult album alternative chart.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/296425/bonnie-raitt/chart?f=851 |title=Bonnie Raitt - Chart History - Adult Alternative Songs |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2 September 2016}}
- Lucius covered the song on their 2018 release, Nudes.
- Sam Evian covered the song in 2019.
- Local Natives covered the song in 2021.
- Brendan Benson covered the song on his 2022 release, Low Key.
- Mills covered the song in 2022.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|lnc2ljZA3bk|Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line}}
- {{YouTube|RnS-i7tgnWU|Bonnie Raitt - Right Down the Line}}
{{Gerry Rafferty}}
Category:United Artists Records singles