Fly (Sugar Ray song)

"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).

"Fly"
Single by Sugar Ray
from the album Floored
ReleasedJune 17, 1997[1]
Genre
Length
  • 4:04 (original)
  • 4:52 (featuring Super Cat)
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Sugar Ray
Producer(s)David Kahne
Sugar Ray singles chronology
"Mean Machine"
(1995)		 "Fly"
(1997)		 "RPM"
(1998)

The song became the band's first hit, holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for four consecutive weeks and spending eight weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. A physical CD-single was not released commercially in the US, although it was a huge hit on American radio. The song also reached No. 1 on Canada's Singles Chart.[6]

As a result of the success of "Fly", Floored sold extremely 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.[7]

Composition

"Fly" incorporates elements of dancehall.[8] 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)."[9]

Charts

See also
  • List of RPM number-one singles of 1997
  • List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles
  • List of Mainstream Top 40 number-one hits of 1997 (U.S.)
  • Number one modern rock hits of 1997

References
  1. "Sugar Ray 'Fly' & Third Eye Blind 'Semi-Charmed Life' Turn 20". Stereogum. 2017-06-16. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  2. Richin, Leslie (January 12, 2017). "20 Alternative Rock Hits Turning 20 in 2017". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  3. 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.
  4. "Please Enjoy This Sugar Ray Cover of Brian Eno and John Cale’s “Spinning Away”". Spin. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  5. "Did 1997 contain the worst two weeks in music history?". music.avclub.com. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  6. "Top Singles - Volume 66, No. 6, October 13, 1997". RPM. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  7. "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs Of The '90s: Not Enough Pavement". Stereogum. Retrieved 2016-12-11.
  8. "CNN - Sugar Ray flying high with new hit - September 9, 1997". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  9. Jay S. Jacobs. "Sugar Ray: Living the Dream." PopEntertainment.com, 2009
  10. "Australian-charts.com – Sugar Ray feat. Super Cat – Fly". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3355." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3404." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  13. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3315." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sugar Ray feat. Super Cat – Fly" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  16. "Sugar Ray: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  17. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  18. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  19. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  20. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  21. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  22. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  23. "Sugar Ray Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  24. "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  25. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63 no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
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