Drifting Too Far From The Shore

Lyrics: Charles E Moody
Music: Charles E Moody

Played by Jerry with Old And In The Way, the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and with David Grisman. Also more recently by Phil Lesh & Friends.

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

Chorus
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 high
And the clouds overshadow the sky
Sure death is hovering nigh
You're drifting too far from the shore

[chorus]

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

[chorus]
Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
      1 Oct 1973 Live At The Boarding House Old And In The Way (note 1)
      8 Oct 1973 Breakdown Old And In The Way (note 2)
      4 Nov 1973 Live At Sonoma State Old And In The Way
     28 Oct 1987 Pure Jerry 3: Lunt-Fontanne: Best Of The Rest Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band (note 3)
      5 Dec 1987 Ragged But Right Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
     4/5 Feb 1993 Pizza Tapes Garcia/Grisman/Rice
 
Other Recordings
     2020 Spirit The Garcia Project
Notes
(1) download only
(2) also included on Live At The Boarding House
(3) also released on On Broadway: Act One

Background
Charles E Moody (also known as Ernest Moody) was a member of the Georgia Yellow Hammers. He wrote this song in 1924. The first known recording was by the Carolina Gospel Singers in 1929 but it was the Monroe Brothers recording in 1936 that popularised the song. Moddy also wrote "Kneel At The Cross."

Note that the Bob Dylan song of the same title on the album "Knocked Out Loaded" is a different song.


Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For sheet music, see:
          Jerry Garcia Songbook (vocal line and chords)

 


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