When I was nine years old, I had my first “paying” job in the newspaper business.
I was paid 50 cents to help my parents deliver the Atl anta Constitution on the weekends. Little did I know then that this experience of del ivering newspapers very, very early in the morning would teach me perhaps the most important thing in my adult life: What constitutes “Yacht Rock.”
See, during those days in the late ‘70s, our car radio was always tuned in to the station that played the Top 40 hits – songs that now anchor “Yacht Rock.”
To those uninitiated, Yacht Rock is a genre of music, mostly from the late ‘70s or early ‘80s – typified by artists like Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers and Christopher Cross, among others.
It’s the kind of music one would play on a yacht – not too hard or loud, not too sad or slow, smooth music that can play in the background while you’re sipping wine, talking with some guy wearing a captain’s hat, an ascot, and wearing no socks, off the coast of Catalina.
Yacht Rock is closely associated with “adult-oriented rock,” or “AM Gold,” although not all songs considered AOR or AM Gold are Yacht Rock. Nor is it exactly “easy-listening” elevator music, either.
I bring this up because there seems to be some confusion as to what Yacht Rock is. Recently, my wife and I went to a “Yacht Rock” concert, where a cover band played only Yacht Rock songs for a bunch of old geezers, of which I’m officially a member.
Their song list was spot on, with one glaring exception – “Let’s Get Physical,” by Olivia Newton-John. That’s not Yacht Rock.
Afterward, I went to a Spotify “Yacht Rock” playlist, and was horrified to see some of the songs and artists classified as “Yacht Rock.”
Let’s clear that up, right here and now. As the self-proclaimed arbiter of All Things Yacht Rock, here is what is and isn’t Yacht Rock.
Not Yacht Rock:
The Pointer Sisters “Sussudio” The Outfield Rockwell (“Somebody’s Watching Me”) John Cougar Mellencamp Huey Lewis & The News Billy Joel Bad Company “Ghostbusters” Spandau Ballet “Caribbean Queen” Eddie Rabbitt “Heartlight” Men at Work These were all on the aforementioned Yacht Rock playlist, but they aren’t Yacht Rock.
Since you asked, here are acceptable Yacht Rock artists:
Christopher Cross Toto Non-soundtrack Kenny Loggins Steely Dan Walter Egan Pablo Cruise Boz Scaggs Ambrosia Gerry Rafferty Robbie Dupree Rupert Holmes Any song where Michael Mc-Donald sings backup Fleetwood Mac Most Doobie Brothers England Dan & John Ford Coley Hall & Oates (pre-1982) James Taylor Climax Blues Band That’s not the total list, of course. And not every, for instance, Climax Blues Band song, meets the Yacht Rock criteria. On the other hand, the Eagles have a few songs that qualify as certifiable Yacht Rock songs (“I Can’t Tell You Why,” “One of These Nights”), but most of their catalog doesn’t.
So, if you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain... if you’re not much into health food, but are into champagne... browse through this certified Yacht Rock list, and pick out your faves... make the songlist you’ve been looking for, listen easy, and escape.
• Len Robbins is the editor of The Clinch County News. He can be reached at lrobbins@clinchcounty news
