"Fly"
Single by Sugar Ray
from the album Floored
B-side"Tap, Twist, Snap"
ReleasedMay 16, 1997 (1997-05-16)
Genre
Length
  • 4:04 (original)
  • 4:52 (featuring Super Cat)
Label
Songwriter(s)Sugar Ray
Producer(s)David Kahne
Sugar Ray singles chronology
"Mean Machine"
(1995) 		"Fly"
(1997) 		"RPM"
(1998)
Music video
"Fly" on YouTube

"Fly" is a song by American rock band Sugar Ray. It appears on their 1997 album Floored twice: one version with reggae artist Super Cat (track four) and the other without (track 13). The song was serviced to US radio in May 1997.

"Fly" became the band's first hit, holding the No. 1 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for four consecutive weeks and spending eight weeks at No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was ineligible to chart on the Hot 100 because a physical CD single was not released commercially in the US. The song also reached No. 1 on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and No. 31 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart.

As a result of the success of "Fly", Floored sold well and was certified double platinum. The song was included on VH1's countdown of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s" at number 52.[1]

Composition and music

"Fly" is an alternative rock,[2][3][4] reggae,[5][6] reggae fusion,[7] and pop rock song,[8] that incorporates elements of dancehall[9] and ska.[10]

Sugar Ray's lead singer Mark McGrath explained that this song had a bouncy beat, yet it was about death; "Fly" too seemed like a bright, up-tempo song but "there is this stark imagery in there. There's loss in it. There is loss of a mother, obviously. I thought it was a good way to juxtapose the lyrics with the melody on that, similar to what Gilbert O'Sullivan did on "Alone Again (Naturally)."[11] The other members wrote it without him as McGrath left during a rehearsal, and McGrath originally did not want to record the song and was downright wanting to quit the band, as he was preferring heavier music, "just wanted to scream and yell because I was scared to be onstage in the first place", and afraid his voice would not work with a mellower tune. His friend McG, who would eventually direct the video for "Fly", convinced him otherwise, telling about the song's merits and asking ‘Where else you gonna go--work at Del Taco?’[12]

Track listings

Australian, European, and UK CD single[13][14][15]

  1. "Fly" (edit featuring Super Cat) – 3:58
  2. "Tap, Twist, Snap" – 3:12
  3. "Fly" (rock edit) – 3:58

UK 7-inch single[16]

A. "Fly" (edit featuring Super Cat) – 3:58
B. "Fly" (rock edit) – 3:58

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States May 16, 1997
[45]
August 5, 1997 Contemporary hit radio [46]
United Kingdom January 19, 1998
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [47]

See also

References

  1. ^ "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s: Not Enough Pavement". Stereogum. December 12, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  2. ^ Richin, Leslie (January 12, 2017). "20 Alternative Rock Hits Turning 20 in 2017". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  3. ^ Cosores, Philip (July 4, 2017). "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  4. ^ Galluci, Michael (February 16, 2013). "Top 10 Alt-Rock Videos From 1997". Diffuser. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  5. ^ BOEHM, MIKE (June 25, 1997). "Rip-Off Artist Hopes to 'Fly' : SUGAR RAY "Floored" Lava/Atlantic (**)". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  6. ^ "Please Enjoy This Sugar Ray Cover of Brian Eno and John Cale's "Spinning Away"". Spin. February 10, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  7. ^ "Did 1997 contain the worst two weeks in music history?". music.avclub.com. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  8. ^ Shaffer, Claire (May 30, 2019). "Sugar Ray Announce First Studio Album in 10 Years". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  9. ^ "CNN - Sugar Ray flying high with new hit - September 9, 1997". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  10. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 29, 1997). "SUGAR RAY SCORES HIT WITH 'FLY'". MTV. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  11. ^ Jacobs, Jay S. (August 14, 2009). "Sugar Ray: Living the Dream". www.popentertainment.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  12. ^ Behind the McMusic : McG, Director of Hip Videos for MTV and VH1, Started Rolling Credits as a Kid Back in Newport , Los Angeles Times
  13. ^ Sugar Ray (1997). Fly (Australian CD single liner notes). Atlantic Records, Lava Records. 7567-85419-2.
  14. ^ Sugar Ray (1997). Fly (European CD single liner notes). Atlantic Records, Lava Records. 7567-85419-9.
  15. ^ Sugar Ray (1998). Fly (UK CD single liner notes). Atlantic Records, Lava Records. A5419CD, 7567-85419-2.
  16. ^ Sugar Ray (1998). Fly (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Atlantic Records, Lava Records. AT0008, 7567-87006-7.
  17. ^ "Sugar Ray feat. Super Cat – Fly". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3355." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3404." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3315." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  21. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (13.11. – 20.11. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 13, 1997. p. 22. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  22. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 45, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  23. ^ "Sugar Ray feat. Super Cat – Fly" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  25. ^ "Sugar Ray: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  27. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  28. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  29. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  30. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  31. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  32. ^ "Sugar Ray Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  33. ^ "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved March 23, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  34. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-36.
  35. ^ "Best of '97: Adult Top 40 Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. December 28, 1997. p. 45.
  36. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-73.
  37. ^ "Best of '97: Rhythmic Top 40 Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. December 28, 1997. p. 42.
  38. ^ "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. December 28, 1997. p. 38.
  39. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  40. ^ "The Year in Music 1998: Hot 100 Singles Airplay". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-46.
  41. ^ "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-96.
  42. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 45.
  43. ^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 36.
  44. ^ "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 46.
  45. ^ Reece, Doug (September 20, 1997). "Lava/Atlantic's Sugar Ray Flying High with 'Floored'". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 38. p. 11. The label followed quickly with 'Fly,' servicing mainstream rock [...] modern rock, and AC May 16.
  46. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1208. August 1, 1997. p. 38.
  47. ^ "New Releases". Music Week. January 17, 1998. p. 35.
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