Frontman Pat Monahan semi-speaks the in tuneful, rap-like cadence, then turns to smooth pop singing for the choruses. "Drive By" starts with a staccato guitar strum and a percussive thump that certainly recalls its predecessor, with a slight ethnic flavor that makes it recall a Bar Mitzvah reception. Critical reception īillboard gave the song a positive review stating: The song is in the key of C# Minor, and the chord structure is based on the IV–I–V–vi chord progression. Lead singer Pat Monahan sings in a characteristic "sing-talk vocal croon". The instrumentation consists of "buoyant acoustic riffs and a hook-laden melody". A husband of his coworker, who was a very large but kind man, came up to him and called him "Shy guy." Composition The "shy guy" in the lyrics came from his restaurant days, when he went to a party where he was scared to talk to anyone. When the song was released, Hefty sent him several boxes of garbage bags in gratitude for the shout-out. This made him associate Hefty bags with holding things that made him happy. He and his friends would sneak the owner's beer out of the fridge, hide it in trash bags in the dumpster, and then take it home and drink it when their shift was over. Monahan said the lyric, "Hefty bag to hold my love" was inspired by when he used to work at a restaurant in Erie, Pennsylvania. And so, 'Drive By' was all about realizing that I have to not worry about it and just let it be what it is." Because I think generally when you're looking for something big you're not gonna find it, and when you're not looking for that thing it's gonna probably show up and get you. Singer Pat Monahan said, "'Drive By' was about meeting my wife and quickly falling in love, and being really scared about that because I was like, Man, I am not sure if this is a good idea - that something like this would happen so quickly. Train also performed a parody entitled "Five By" with Elmo and Count von Count for an episode of Sesame Street.
#Drive 2011 song series#
Train performed the song on television series 90210 in the episode "Blood Is Thicker Than Mud", which aired on March 13, 2012.
Internationally, the song became a top ten hit in 13 countries. It was awarded a double platinum certification by the RIAA on July 23, 2012, for more than 2 million sales in the US. "Drive By" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's third (and final) top 10 hit in the US.
The song was written by lead singer Pat Monahan and Norwegian songwriting duo Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund, the same team responsible for Train's 2009 hit single " Hey, Soul Sister". It was released in the United States as the album's lead single on January 10, 2012, three months before the release of California 37. " Drive By" is a song by American roots rock band Train from their sixth studio album, California 37.