I'm fan of all of these songs! Most were released when I was in high school and they were all huge hits. Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan are probably my favorite artists here that fit the "yacht rock" genre. Have you heard any of the recent releases from Young Gun Silver Fox? They beautifully emulate the sounds and vibes of it.
This is a great article. I was 13 when “Kiss You All Over” came out, and couldn’t quite tell you why at the time but I loved that song.
To me it feels a little incomplete without either Firefall or Orleans. (To be fair, I thought “Baby Come Back” was by one of those bands.) I’mma give a 👎🏼 to “Human Nature” at the expense of both of these bands. I also don’t necessarily think of Baker Street as “yacht rock,” but it would completely fit in at a YR show, if that makes sense.
In sum, thanks for the fun and surprisingly thought-provoking article!
Love this and I agree that Yacht Rock is a total vibe. The inclusion of Human Nature is absolutely perfect and the song could have been a 10 if Michael MacDonald had contributed BVs. Song to add - I Keep Forgetting' or is it just like that one extra cigarette you smoke at the end of a drunken night, a touch too bitter?
I’m curious David, why is that? Not hating or anything, all opinions are welcome in this community/comment section, but I’m interested in the other side of this conversation.
I could sing almost all of the songs instantly by memory except Steely Dan and Toto. I've never been much of a Steely Dan fan so that makes sense but I remain a Toto fan so I'm surprised by that. I'll go look in the mirror and do some yacht rock soul searching.
Agreed. But no Pablo? I danced at a bayside marina dock disco to Boz's Lowdown in Sausalito after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on a Friday night. A nobody, a cowhand on a Petaluma Dairy Farm by day taking a sailing class. The sloop owner handed me the tiller and the ropes and off into the sunset we went. I was shoveling shit the next morning. There are no days off on a farm. "Cows don't know it's Christmas." my boss used to say. Stephen Bishop's "On and On" would play on the crackly radio as I pushed each wheelbarrow full up the ramp and dumped the manure into the pit. And that song would keep me going, not fun on a rainy day. But there were many great moments too, too many to mention here but in my memoirs from the road for sure coming soon. New Kid in Town (that I was) and I Fooled Around and Fell in Love these were all instant "AM" classics in real time. I was a musician trying to get a foothold in the NoCal scene. I wrote and performed my song "Sailing on the Bay" and recorded it live at the storied Inn of the Beginning 78 the night before I rode to Austin to try my luck in the Cosmic Cowboy scene. Wildfire anyone? See a few chapters in my LostinAustinbook.substack.com if you're up for a real American adventure. I'm going to re-record my ode to the hardworking man on a mission looking for adventure in whatever comes his way this year. It was written from the heart about that most memorable of fateful days on the bay into the not so lonely night. My 1 contribution to the genre. Yes, it is a genre and a damn good one. America really started it but it's not the America we live in today. Horse With No Name and also Seals and Crofts had a hand in it too Diamond Girl / Summer Breeze. I've played all kinds of music mostly rock and roll real rock, folk rock, funk rock, hard rock, blues rock, punk rock, country rock, psychedelic rock, noise rock after the love is gone... Love Will Find a Way.
I'm all in bro, thanks once again for the heavy lifting.
"Brandy" and "What a Fool Believes" have looong been among my favorite tunes in this sphere. "Human Nature" by Michael is a classic no matter what you label it.
“yacht rock” is the dumbest thing ever…right after trump…
The music is great because they were gifted musicians who loved what they were doing. (They couldn’t fake it with a computer.) They had to do the work! And boy did it work!! 🥳
I love a ton of the music that gets tossed into the ‘yacht rock’ bucket, which is hardly surprising as my teen years coincided with the 70s.
But I can understand why many bristle at the term, as it seems to lump together a lot of music and artists of, let’s face it, varying degrees of talent.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that when the director of HBO’s Yacht Rock DOCKumentary reached out to Donald Fagan for an interview, Fagan told him to “go fuck yourself.” 😂
Anything from the Album CSN by Crosby, Stills & Nash
My Dad was / is the Commodore of the Yacht and would approve of most of these selections.
I'm fan of all of these songs! Most were released when I was in high school and they were all huge hits. Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers, and Steely Dan are probably my favorite artists here that fit the "yacht rock" genre. Have you heard any of the recent releases from Young Gun Silver Fox? They beautifully emulate the sounds and vibes of it.
I have not! Which is a crime because I adore yacht rock. Adding to my listening queue for this week. Thanks Dan!
Wasn't expecting Michael Jackson but that song fits. Also thanks for including Robbie Dupree!
Thanks for reading Christopher!
This is a great article. I was 13 when “Kiss You All Over” came out, and couldn’t quite tell you why at the time but I loved that song.
To me it feels a little incomplete without either Firefall or Orleans. (To be fair, I thought “Baby Come Back” was by one of those bands.) I’mma give a 👎🏼 to “Human Nature” at the expense of both of these bands. I also don’t necessarily think of Baker Street as “yacht rock,” but it would completely fit in at a YR show, if that makes sense.
In sum, thanks for the fun and surprisingly thought-provoking article!
Thanks Joe! Orelans were a supremely understated band, even at their peak. Appreciate your comment.
I also meant to say that featuring “Georgy Porgy” from Toto was an inspired choice.
If Baker St is yacht rock then the yacht must be the Marie
Celeste. Or the Bounty
That made me lol
Love this and I agree that Yacht Rock is a total vibe. The inclusion of Human Nature is absolutely perfect and the song could have been a 10 if Michael MacDonald had contributed BVs. Song to add - I Keep Forgetting' or is it just like that one extra cigarette you smoke at the end of a drunken night, a touch too bitter?
Thanks Jason! It made the long list but I cut it for more or less the reason you described.
not a fan of the term “yacht rock”…
I’m curious David, why is that? Not hating or anything, all opinions are welcome in this community/comment section, but I’m interested in the other side of this conversation.
The term, to me, is a bit demeaning and trivializing in it’s pigeonholing of some really great music
Guess you had to be there - I was 😎
I could sing almost all of the songs instantly by memory except Steely Dan and Toto. I've never been much of a Steely Dan fan so that makes sense but I remain a Toto fan so I'm surprised by that. I'll go look in the mirror and do some yacht rock soul searching.
Haha should we organize a Substack yacht rock karaoke night? Like this comment if you think we should!
Steal Away is my favorite on this list. Pretty sure if you look up "Yacht Rock," this song just starts playing.
Georgy Porgy is good, but the MC Lyte song that uses it as a sample is even better.
Yeah that MC Lyte song rips. Like many of her other tracks. Cheers Kev!
Agreed. But no Pablo? I danced at a bayside marina dock disco to Boz's Lowdown in Sausalito after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on a Friday night. A nobody, a cowhand on a Petaluma Dairy Farm by day taking a sailing class. The sloop owner handed me the tiller and the ropes and off into the sunset we went. I was shoveling shit the next morning. There are no days off on a farm. "Cows don't know it's Christmas." my boss used to say. Stephen Bishop's "On and On" would play on the crackly radio as I pushed each wheelbarrow full up the ramp and dumped the manure into the pit. And that song would keep me going, not fun on a rainy day. But there were many great moments too, too many to mention here but in my memoirs from the road for sure coming soon. New Kid in Town (that I was) and I Fooled Around and Fell in Love these were all instant "AM" classics in real time. I was a musician trying to get a foothold in the NoCal scene. I wrote and performed my song "Sailing on the Bay" and recorded it live at the storied Inn of the Beginning 78 the night before I rode to Austin to try my luck in the Cosmic Cowboy scene. Wildfire anyone? See a few chapters in my LostinAustinbook.substack.com if you're up for a real American adventure. I'm going to re-record my ode to the hardworking man on a mission looking for adventure in whatever comes his way this year. It was written from the heart about that most memorable of fateful days on the bay into the not so lonely night. My 1 contribution to the genre. Yes, it is a genre and a damn good one. America really started it but it's not the America we live in today. Horse With No Name and also Seals and Crofts had a hand in it too Diamond Girl / Summer Breeze. I've played all kinds of music mostly rock and roll real rock, folk rock, funk rock, hard rock, blues rock, punk rock, country rock, psychedelic rock, noise rock after the love is gone... Love Will Find a Way.
I'm all in bro, thanks once again for the heavy lifting.
And thanks to YOU for another phenomenal comment (I legit visualized the sailing class). NoCal is so beautiful, I always treasure my time up there.
Great list. One quibble: “This Is It” is probably a better representative of yacht rock than “Heart to Heart”.
"Brandy" and "What a Fool Believes" have looong been among my favorite tunes in this sphere. "Human Nature" by Michael is a classic no matter what you label it.
How about "Moonlight Feels Right" by Starbuck:
https://youtu.be/HYnQsvtfEsQ?feature=shared
“yacht rock” is the dumbest thing ever…right after trump…
The music is great because they were gifted musicians who loved what they were doing. (They couldn’t fake it with a computer.) They had to do the work! And boy did it work!! 🥳
It’s some of humanity’s greatest music!!
I love a ton of the music that gets tossed into the ‘yacht rock’ bucket, which is hardly surprising as my teen years coincided with the 70s.
But I can understand why many bristle at the term, as it seems to lump together a lot of music and artists of, let’s face it, varying degrees of talent.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that when the director of HBO’s Yacht Rock DOCKumentary reached out to Donald Fagan for an interview, Fagan told him to “go fuck yourself.” 😂