About The Song
“I’ll Fly Away” is a gospel standard written by Albert E. Brumley in 1929 and first published in 1932. The song has become one of the most frequently recorded hymns in American music, with thousands of versions across gospel, country, and folk traditions. Jim Reeves recorded it for his 1962 sacred album *We Thank Thee*, released by RCA Victor and produced by Chet Atkins.
The track appears as the third song on the album, alongside other well-known gospel numbers such as “Where We’ll Never Grow Old,” “Across the Bridge,” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” Reeves approached the material in the same smooth, restrained style that characterized his secular ballads of the period, giving the familiar hymn a calm and measured quality.
The lyric looks forward to the end of earthly life and the promise of a better home. The singer anticipates the day when shadows will fall away and he will leave the cares of this world behind, flying to a place of endless joy. The repeated refrain “I’ll fly away” carries both hope and quiet certainty. Reeves’ delivery keeps the focus on the words without adding dramatic flourishes.
By the early 1960s Reeves had already built a substantial catalogue of country and crossover hits. The *We Thank Thee* album reflected his ongoing interest in gospel material, a side of his work that ran parallel to the more commercial recordings. “I’ll Fly Away” fit naturally within that collection of hymns and sacred songs.
The album itself did not chart strongly in the United States at the time of release. After Reeves’ death in July 1964 it reached number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and later received a Silver certification in Britain. Tracks from the collection, including this one, continued to appear on later compilations of his inspirational recordings.
Within Reeves’ body of sacred work “I’ll Fly Away” stands as a clear example of the understated approach he brought to traditional gospel material. It shares the same controlled phrasing and sense of quiet conviction found in the other tracks on *We Thank Thee*, preserving one of the more reflective performances from the final years of his career.
Video
Lyric
Some glad morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away
When I die, hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away
When the shadows of this life had flown
I’ll fly away
Like a bird from prison bars has flown
I’ll fly Away
I’ll fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away
When I die, hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away
Just a few more weary days and then
I’ll fly away
To a land where joy shall never end
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away, oh glory
Yes, I’ll fly away
When I die, hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away