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as "a transparent allegory about James' involvement with amphetamines. In addition, it has been widely accepted that the song could more specifically refer to the tedious job of setting up power lines back in the early 1950s and 1960s. This view has gained a large amount of support, especially since
329:
as the main sound. It 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,
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31:
498:
was released featuring "Draggin' the Line" as one of 84 tracks celebrating
Roulette Records' notable 20-year music history (the label had closed its doors in 1977). In various versions, "Draggin' the Line" has appeared on at least 41 studio albums, including covers by AC-Rock,
241:
276:
disbanded 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
417:
commercial that debuted in
October 2004. The commercial shows a long line of cars and sport utility vehicles cruising past Mitsubishi mechanics all dressed in red coveralls. A significant portion of the song is heard in the 2019 film
1407:
316:
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
303:"Draggin' the Line" was the biggest hit and only US top 10 hit of Tommy James' solo career. Written and produced by himself and Bob King, the song reached the top 40 on the U.S.'s
1226:
371:
310:
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
291:
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
355:
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1201:"THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; A beleaguered Mitsubishi decides that a campaign stressing its warranties is the way to sell its cars"
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The
Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits: The Inside Story Behind Every Number One Single on Billboard's Hot 100 from 1955 to the Present
763:
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459:
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use, citing the title, the lyrics, Tommy James' documented drug use, and because another Tommy James and The
Shondells song,
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831:
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925:
607:
450:. Although technically a solo hit for Tommy James, the band performed "Draggin' the Line". Other hits featured included "
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430:
340:, has been previously associated with the use of speed, the song’s having been described in 1979 by noted music critic
1288:
1200:
724:(see page 12 for an explanation of the chart data categories) (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 315.
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353:"Draggin' the Line" has made many media appearances. Among others, in a cover by Beat Goes Bang in the 1991 film
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In 2000, Tommy James and the
Shondells reprised twelve of their most famous songs at the well known
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A looping sample of the main rhythm section of "Draggin' the Line" is used as the background for
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George-Warren, Holly; Patricia
Romanowski; Patricia Romanowski Bashe; Jon Pareles (2001).
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it has been falsely speculated that the song's title and lyrics refer to
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1353:"Tommy James • Top Songs as Writer • Music VF, US & UK hits charts"
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508:
366:
1325:
1227:"Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! At the Bitter End (2000)"
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the lyrics are commonly interchanged with 'Checkin the line''"
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487:. The song also features brief snippets (recreated) of "
470:". The live set was filmed and made into the 2000 movie,
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Tommy James & the
Shondells: Live! At the Bitter End
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993:. Berlin-Hamburg-Münster: LIT Verlag. p. 149.
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1408:"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada"
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927:Precious and Few: Pop Music in the Early Seventies
390:; is heard in the sombre 2006 football drama
1017:The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll
718:Whitburn, Joel (2004). Michelle Bredeson (ed.).
281:in 1971. It was included on his second album,
1490:Tommy James and The Shondells' Official Website
1100:"Review: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me"
424:. It is used as the opening song in the 2023
245:Original vinyl single for "Draggin' the Line"
8:
1433:"Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971"
958:Ortega, Shawna Hansen (September 15, 2009).
930:. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 12.
413:, and was featured in "Anthem," a familiar
836:. New York: Billboard Books. p. 297.
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896:. New York: Watson-Guptill. p. 308.
1178:"My Name Is Earl: Robbed a Stoner Blind"
758:. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 268.
481:"Turn the World", from their 1991 album
359:; as the opener in a 1999 Canadian film
1119:
1117:
924:Breithaup, Don; Jeff Breithaup (1996).
703:
325:"Draggin' the Line" features a notable
66:"Church Street Soul Revival" (original)
47:
36:
372:Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
7:
960:"Tommy James: Songwriter Interviews"
787:"Draggin' The Line (Single Version)"
752:Rees, Dafydd; Luke Crampton (1991).
381:, a 2005 documentary about the 1972
356:Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
1464:. December 25, 1971. Archived from
1069:Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (1979).
1148:"Holiday Roundup: We Are Marshall"
1146:Majeed, Omar (December 21, 2006).
14:
1384:. August 21, 1971. Archived from
1259:"The Roulette Story Album Review"
1199:Hakim, Danny (October 12, 2004).
721:The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits
1458:"Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1971"
1043:"Arts Day a Guide to What's New"
893:Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits
1496:Tommy James - Draggin' the Line
1073:The Rolling Stone Record Guide
987:Kemper, Wolf-Reinhard (2001).
1:
1127:. The Internet Movie Database
78:"Bits & Pieces" (reissue)
1531:Songs written by Tommy James
871:. August 9, 1971. p. 15
869:The Virgin Island Daily News
264:" is a hit song by American
1552:
1378:"Cash Box Top 100 8/21/71"
1291:. Allmusic. Archived from
809:"The Solo Years (1970-81)"
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299:History and interpretation
272:, who went solo after the
1125:"Tommy James Filmography"
1020:. Fireside. p. 483.
755:Rock Movers & Shakers
254:
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28:
1526:Roulette Records singles
1229:. Movies & TV Dept.
406:", in CBS's crime drama
293:The Solo Years (1970-81)
1412:Collectionscanada.gc.ca
1318:"Australian Chart Book"
489:The Lion Sleeps Tonight
468:Crystal Blue Persuasion
456:I Think We're Alone Now
337:Crystal Blue Persuasion
890:Bronson, Fred (2003).
830:Bronson, Fred (2003).
284:Christian of the World
52:Christian of the World
1388:on September 13, 2016
1225:Deming, Mark (2009).
865:"Disc Jockey Special"
421:Finding Steve McQueen
404:Robbed a Stoner Blind
16:Single by Tommy James
1322:Austchartbook.com.au
1239:on February 26, 2009
1050:. September 26, 1991
452:Crimson & Clover
1437:Musicoutfitters.com
1289:"Draggin' the Line"
1048:Dallas Morning News
990:Kokain in der Musik
295:released by Rhino.
24:"Draggin' the Line"
1468:on October 6, 2016
1232:The New York Times
1205:The New York Times
1158:on August 15, 2008
608:Adult Contemporary
503:, Crosswind Band,
496:The Roulette Story
378:Inside Deep Throat
362:New Waterford Girl
188:singles chronology
1521:Tommy James songs
695:
694:
688:
687:
630:
629:
527:Chart performance
444:Greenwich Village
426:Jennifer Lawrence
383:pornographic film
349:Media appearances
262:Draggin' the Line
258:
257:
230:Alternative cover
221:
220:
204:Draggin' the Line
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1462:Tropicalglen.com
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1382:Tropicalglen.com
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1328:on March 5, 2016
1324:. Archived from
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1305:
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1278:
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1269:on June 23, 2013
1265:. Archived from
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1235:. Archived from
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1154:. Archived from
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1077:. Random House.
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431:No Hard Feelings
369:in 1999 for the
365:; in a cover by
289:Roulette Records
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149:Roulette Records
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1295:on June 3, 2009
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399:My Name is Earl
393:We are Marshall
375:soundtrack; in
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287:in 1971 on the
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216:
213:I'm Comin' Home
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811:. MusicBrainz
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544:Chart (1971)
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537:Weekly charts
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517:The Wild Ones
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1516:1971 singles
1470:. Retrieved
1466:the original
1461:
1452:
1440:. Retrieved
1436:
1427:
1415:. Retrieved
1411:
1402:
1390:. Retrieved
1386:the original
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1330:. Retrieved
1326:the original
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1297:. Retrieved
1293:the original
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1271:. Retrieved
1267:the original
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1241:. Retrieved
1237:the original
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1208:. Retrieved
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1182:. Retrieved
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1156:the original
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969:November 15,
967:. Retrieved
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579:New Zealand
571:Top Singles
567:
501:Rusty Bryant
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419:
411:(episode 54)
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1357:Musicvf.com
650:Australia
484:Candy Carol
460:Hanky Panky
446:nightclub,
387:Deep Throat
270:Tommy James
197:"Adrienne"
186:Tommy James
178:Tommy James
172:Producer(s)
163:Tommy James
43:Tommy James
1536:1970 songs
1510:Categories
1472:October 3,
1442:October 3,
1417:October 3,
1392:October 3,
1362:October 3,
1332:2016-10-03
1299:January 2,
1273:January 2,
1243:January 2,
1210:January 2,
1184:January 3,
1162:January 3,
1131:January 3,
1106:January 2,
1102:. Allmusic
1054:January 3,
943:January 2,
909:January 2,
875:January 3,
849:January 2,
815:January 2,
793:January 2,
771:January 2,
737:January 2,
699:References
554:Australia
521:Steve Wynn
415:Mitsubishi
402:episode, "
342:Dave Marsh
322:magazine.
180:, Bob King
165:, Bob King
1263:Billboard
964:Songfacts
670:Hot 100
668:Billboard
623:Top 100
605:Billboard
590:Billboard
549:position
505:Barry Hay
464:Mony Mony
409:Cold Case
396:, in the
319:Billboard
306:Billboard
274:Shondells
268:musician
86:June 1971
1180:. TV.com
680:Cash Box
658:Canada
620:Cash Box
494:In 1998
466:", and "
327:bassline
313:Cash Box
114:Pop rock
98:Recorded
83:Released
1501:YouTube
594:Hot 100
565:Canada
332:cocaine
308:Hot 100
217:(1971)
208:(1971)
199:(1971)
88: (
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509:R.E.M.
438:Legacy
428:film,
367:R.E.M.
279:single
127:Length
73:B-side
61:A-side
39:Single
678:U.S.
666:U.S.
645:Rank
617:U.S.
603:U.S.
587:U.S.
144:Label
107:Genre
1474:2016
1444:2016
1419:2016
1394:2016
1364:2016
1301:2009
1275:2009
1245:2009
1212:2009
1186:2009
1164:2009
1133:2009
1108:2009
1079:ISBN
1056:2009
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995:ISBN
971:2016
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932:ISBN
911:2009
898:ISBN
877:2009
851:2009
838:ISBN
817:2009
795:2009
773:2009
760:ISBN
739:2009
726:ISBN
653:169
547:Peak
519:and
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266:rock
101:1971
90:1971
1499:on
684:12
673:54
661:32
582:19
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560:20
556:KMR
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