As someone who was connected to an FM radio by an umbilical cord during that era, your Big Yachty Playlist nails it. Orleans played my college's spring festival in 1982, so I got the full treatment.
Thanks Dan! I always get sappy for this Lite-FM stuff when the temperature warms up. Consider this a primer for the upcoming unofficial start of summer!
I usually see Boz's "Lowdown" on lists like this, so it's nice to change it up. Underrated category. Fits seamlessly into another underrated category: lift rock, as in music played where you get onto the chairlift at ski mountains.
I had to go with "Lido Shuffle" here, mostly because there's so much nautical what-have-you in that one. And I'd be totally down for a lift rock mix, but I'm not really qualified to make one since I've been skiing exactly once in my life (and it was 30 years ago). That said..."Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush?
That's fair. "Biggest Part of Me" just feels a little breezier and sunnier to me. And I think we can both agree that two Ambrosia songs is probably one too many;-)
"He was a white man signed to TK Records, a label most closely associated with disco acts like KC and the Sunshine Band." In fact, KC himself, and his writing partner Richard Finch, were white men as well. TK may have primarily had a Black audience, but the creative team was like that at Stax- split across racial lines.
The similarity between the two incarnations of "I Keep Forgettin' " are really limited to the title and the first lyric ("I keep forgetting we're not in love anymore"); the Jackson and McDonald are actually very different in tone and rhythm. But that similarity was apparently enough for McDonald's label to have him share writing credit with Leiber and Stoller on subsequent issues.
This one gets my vote for the many explicit maritime references throughout. I guess I was just hesitant to lump CSNY in with the Lite-FM yacht rock crowd. Certainly though, this tune meets all the criteria for inclusion.
I have to differ with you here. Smooth jazz is most certainly the genre you're most likely to hear in an elevator. If anything, Yacht Rock is Dentist Office Waiting Room Music.
Hahaha. I noticed you didn’t include any Steely Dan in your mix. Smart man. Fagan and Becker’s ghost would have hunted you down and skinned you. Regardless of the fact that many of their tunes are the epitome of the “Yacht Rocky” state of mind if listened to by the….er…..undiscerning….so to speak.
They would, however, be sorely disappointed that FM (No Static At All) wasn’t included. It was their parody of exactly what you describe.
I admit, I am prejudiced to exclude them based on their well-known hostility toward the yacht rock label. But I also think their music kind of transcends it. As you point out, even their best examples of yacht rock come with some self-awareness and sarcasm. There's a certain earnestness to yacht rock that I think diverges from Steely Dan's attitude, even if you can make the case that they were the biggest influence on the entire "genre".
Some fantastic songs here. A few that I’d definitely add (didn’t see them on the bonus playlist):
• Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
• Bluer Than Blue - Michael Johnson
• Alone Again, Naturally - Gilbert O’ Sullivan
• I Go Crazy - Paul Davis
Mark--Yes! All great additions. As it happens, I've been obsessed of late with this moody cover of "Alone Again, Naturally". https://open.spotify.com/track/4zmJW5SgjcZx04xxJx5UBg?si=b9647cf4a8144044
Wow that’s lovely!!
Quite agreed!
And Steely Dan is forever grateful you excluded them from your list.
Perhaps, but I'm sure they'd be pretty snarky about it.
But really, they needed to be there.
I really don’t get why they are considered yacht rock by some. They don’t fit this list at all.
I’d add “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” by England Dan & John ford Coley.
100%. If the list was 50 songs long, that one would be a no-doubter.
As someone who was connected to an FM radio by an umbilical cord during that era, your Big Yachty Playlist nails it. Orleans played my college's spring festival in 1982, so I got the full treatment.
Thanks Dan! I always get sappy for this Lite-FM stuff when the temperature warms up. Consider this a primer for the upcoming unofficial start of summer!
I usually see Boz's "Lowdown" on lists like this, so it's nice to change it up. Underrated category. Fits seamlessly into another underrated category: lift rock, as in music played where you get onto the chairlift at ski mountains.
I had to go with "Lido Shuffle" here, mostly because there's so much nautical what-have-you in that one. And I'd be totally down for a lift rock mix, but I'm not really qualified to make one since I've been skiing exactly once in my life (and it was 30 years ago). That said..."Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush?
I'd have included How Much I Feel by Ambrosia
That's fair. "Biggest Part of Me" just feels a little breezier and sunnier to me. And I think we can both agree that two Ambrosia songs is probably one too many;-)
Thx for posting— shared with some more faves. ⚓️
Thea-Your list is awesome so I wanted to make sure to include it here below.
Love 'em all, but if push comes to shove, "He's So Shy" gets the biggest nod here. I always tell people, don't sleep on the Pointer Sisters.
Thanks for sharing!
Maria Muldaur: "Midnight at the Oasis"
Nicolette Larson: "Lotta Love," "google.com/search?hs=UY…" (with Michael McDonald).
Carly Simon: "You Belong to Me," "You're So Vain"
Patti Austin: "Baby Come to Me" (with James Ingram).
Dionne Warwick: "Déjà Vu”
Stevie Nicks: "Whenever I Call You Friend" (with Kenny Loggins)
Captain & Tennille: “Love Will Keep us Together,” “Muskrat Love,” “Do That To Me One More Time”
Olivia Newton John: “Xanadu,” “A Little More Love,” “Magic”
Chaka Kahn: “Through The Fire”
Pointer Sisters: “He’s So Shy”
Rickie Lee Jones: “Chuck E's In Love” Rickie Lee Jones
Carole King “Jazzman”
Linda Ronstadt: “You’re No Good”
Fleetwood Mac-Christine McVie “Over My Head”
Samantha Sang: "Emotion”
"He was a white man signed to TK Records, a label most closely associated with disco acts like KC and the Sunshine Band." In fact, KC himself, and his writing partner Richard Finch, were white men as well. TK may have primarily had a Black audience, but the creative team was like that at Stax- split across racial lines.
The similarity between the two incarnations of "I Keep Forgettin' " are really limited to the title and the first lyric ("I keep forgetting we're not in love anymore"); the Jackson and McDonald are actually very different in tone and rhythm. But that similarity was apparently enough for McDonald's label to have him share writing credit with Leiber and Stoller on subsequent issues.
David--Good call! TK was kind of like the disco version of Stax. And speaking of "I Keep Forgettin'--I did put together a little writeup on that a few months back. Enjoy! https://musicinfluence.substack.com/p/warren-gs-regulate-is-by-the-same?utm_source=publication-search
Suspicion by Eddie Rabbitt!
Oh yeah, man. Great call. That's some breezy, top-down FM gold, right there.
Good list….but the best yacht rock song is ‘You Can Do Magic’ by America…and I will die defending that!!!
Ok. You win! Great tune. No need to die!
Southern Cross by CSNY
This one gets my vote for the many explicit maritime references throughout. I guess I was just hesitant to lump CSNY in with the Lite-FM yacht rock crowd. Certainly though, this tune meets all the criteria for inclusion.
“make no mistake where you are…” 😎
This is it!
Sorry but Michael McDonald doesn't show up (lead or bg vocals (Christopher Cross, Steely Dan) until #15?
Yacht Rock is also known as “Elevator Music”.
🤮
I have to differ with you here. Smooth jazz is most certainly the genre you're most likely to hear in an elevator. If anything, Yacht Rock is Dentist Office Waiting Room Music.
Dark Star by CSN
Hahaha. I noticed you didn’t include any Steely Dan in your mix. Smart man. Fagan and Becker’s ghost would have hunted you down and skinned you. Regardless of the fact that many of their tunes are the epitome of the “Yacht Rocky” state of mind if listened to by the….er…..undiscerning….so to speak.
They would, however, be sorely disappointed that FM (No Static At All) wasn’t included. It was their parody of exactly what you describe.
I admit, I am prejudiced to exclude them based on their well-known hostility toward the yacht rock label. But I also think their music kind of transcends it. As you point out, even their best examples of yacht rock come with some self-awareness and sarcasm. There's a certain earnestness to yacht rock that I think diverges from Steely Dan's attitude, even if you can make the case that they were the biggest influence on the entire "genre".