Drifting Too Far From the Shore

Drifting Too Far From the Shore

written by Charles Ernest Moody

as recorded by Jerry Garcia with Old and In the Way

Out on the perilous deep
Where danger silently creeps
And storms so violently sweep
You're drifting too far from the shore

Drifting too far from the shore
You're drifting too far from the peaceful shore
Come to Jesus today, let him show you the way
You're drifting too far from the shore

Today the tempest rose [blows] high
And the clouds overshadow the sky
Sure death is hovering nigh
You're drifting too far from the shore

Why meet a terrible fate
Mercies abundantly wait
Turn back before it's too late
You're drifting too far from the shore

Charles Ernest Moody was born in Calhoun, Georgia, October 9, 1891. He grew up in a musical environment and as a youngster, made a very good deal when he traded a shotgun for his first fiddle. He joined up with Bill Chitwood, Bud Landress, and Phil Reeves, and formed the Georgia Yellow Hammers, a very popular string band. One of their biggest hits, "Picture on the Wall"  sold more than sixty thousand copies in 1928. In addition to playing guitar for the band, Moody developed a talent for song-writing for which he is still remembered.

After the Yellow Hammers disbanded, Moody was the choir director of the Calhoun First Methodist Church for many years. As a gospel songwriter, he is most widely known for soul-searchers such as "Kneel at the Cross" and "Drifting too Far From the Shore" (1924).

Moody died in 1977 at the age of 87.

The first known recording of Drifting was by the Carolina Gospel Singers in 1929 but it was the Monroe Brothers recording in 1936 that popularized the song.

Moody's pointed altar call has been recorded by many, including Emmy Lou Harris, Hank Williams, Porter Wagoner, Rose Maddox, the Stoney Point Quartet, the Blue Dogs, and Jay Buckey.

Jerry Garcia recorded this song on four separate albums; Breakdown*; (with Old and In the Way); Pure Jerry: The Best of the Rest (disc 3)**; (with the Jerry Garcia Band); Ragged But Right***(with the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band), and Pizza Tapes**** (Garcia/Grisman/Rice).

*Breakdown was recorded at the Boarding House in San Francisco, 1973. It includes: Vassar Clements (fiddle), Jerry Garcia (banjo-vocals), David Grisman (mandolin-vocals), John Kahn (acoustic bass), and Peter Rowan (guitar-vocals). The album was released Nov. 18, 1997. Incidentally, until dethroned by O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Breakdown was the best-selling Bluegrass album of all time.

**Pure Jerry is a series of years-after-the-fact recordings. The Best of the Rest (series volume 3) was recorded Oct. 31, 1987 and released 2004.

***Ragged but Right was recorded Oct/Dec 1987 and released 2010

****Pizza Tapes was recorded over two evenings in 1993 and released April 25, 2000. In this session is also an emotional rendering of Amazing Grace.