The song is a slow blues and features Charles Brown's smooth, soulful vocals and piano.

[5] After his stint with Ali, Brown joined the guitarist Johnny Moore and the bassist Eddie Williams.

[7] In contrast to jump blues, which was popular in dance halls, the style was suited to a more intimate musical setting.

[10] Otis recalled that Brown used a different approach for "Driftin' Blues": "he poured his heart into the record—not in the Nat Cole manner—but in that deep and soulful style that soon had many young R&B singers trying to sound like him".

[13] The song follows a twelve-bar blues chord progression and is performed at a moderately slow tempo (72 beats per minute) in the key of E (notated in 12/8 time).

[14] The instrumentation, including Moore's electric guitar solo, is understated and reflects the influence of post–World War II cool jazz.

[17] He also claimed that the group signed away their financial interest in the song for $800 and a vague promise of a share in future revenues by Philo Records.

[18] "Driftin' Blues" became a hit, spending twenty-three weeks on the Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart.

[20] In 1969, an updated version "came off as new, thanks to Earl Hooker's inspired slide work", according to biographer Sebastian Danchin.