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 and the other without. 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. The song also reached No. 1 on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and entered the top 40 in Australia and Iceland. The song was included on VH1's countdown of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s" at number 52. A 20th anniversary 7-inch vinyl was released for the song in 2017.

Composition and music

"Fly" is an alternative rock, reggae, reggae fusion, and pop rock song, that incorporates elements of dancehall and ska.
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)'." 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?"

Track listings

Australian, European, and UK CD single
  1. "Fly" – 3:58
  2. "Tap, Twist, Snap" – 3:12
  3. "Fly" – 3:58
'''UK 7-inch single'''

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Canada Top Singles 39
US Hot 100 Airplay 16
US Adult Top 40 22
US Mainstream Top 40 31
US Modern Rock Tracks 99
US Rhythmic Top 40 61