Right Down the Line

"Right Down the Line" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. Released as a single in the US in July 1978, it was the follow-up to his first major hit as a solo artist, "Baker Street", and reached No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100,^[3] No. 8 on Cash Box^[4] and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts.^[5]

"Right Down the Line"
Single by Gerry Rafferty
from the album City to City
B-side	"Waiting for the Day"
Released	27 July 1978 (US) 22 September 1978 (UK)[1]
Recorded	1977, Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, UK
Genre	Soft rock, reggae rock[2]
Length	4:28 (album version) 3:33 (single version)
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Gerry Rafferty
Producer(s)	Hugh Murphy, Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty singles chronology
"Baker Street" (1978) "Right Down the Line" (1978) "Home and Dry" (1978)

In Canada, the song reached No. 5 on both the Pop singles and Adult Contemporary charts.

Personnel

• Gerry Rafferty – vocals and rhythm guitar
• Hugh Burns – lead guitar
• Tommy Eyre – organ and piano
• Gary Taylor – bass
• BJ Cole – steel guitar
• Liam Genockey – drums
• Glen Le Fleur – tambourine and clave

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1978) Peak position Argentina[6] 3 Australia (KMR)[7] 93 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 5 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 33 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[10] 17 US Billboard Hot 100[3] 12 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[5] 1 US Cash Box Top 100[4] 8 US Record World 9 Chart (2022) Peak position US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[11] 16

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Rank Canada[12] 71 US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[13] 91 US Cash Box[14] 57 US Opus 92

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

• Ron Sexsmith covered the song on a BBC Scotland tribute to Gerry Rafferty.
• Bonnie Raitt covered the song in 2012, including it in her Slipstream album. The track reached #17 on the US Adult album alternative chart.^[16]
• Lucius covered the song on their 2018 release, Nudes.
• Sam Evian covered the song in 2019.
• Local Natives covered the song in 2021.
• Brendan Benson covered the song on his 2022 release, Low Key.
• Mills covered the song in 2022.