Forgotten Yacht Rock tracks

Ooh great thread.

Perkiomen — Hall & Oates

I always think of "Your Love Has Lifted Me (Higher and Higher)" by Rita Coolidge as a Yacht Rock Track that we don't hear enough.

Wow, R1, you sure posted an obscure one! I've never even heard of it.

"Follow You Home" by Heat

Cool Change by Little River Band

This

Benny Mardones - Into the Night

R5 already posted my favorite.

Here’s another good one: Dr. Hook’s “Sharing the Night Together.”

Stevie Woods - Steal the Night (from 1981)

Awww, Stevie Woods. Good one. I looked him up a few months ago and found out he died a while back.

Marty Balin - Hearts (1981) Gratuitous jail cell bikini brief scene at 2:40.

Sergio Mendes - Alibis

steely dan

hey nineteen

Another favorite- Is it You by guitarist Lee Ritenour (with vocals by Eric Tagg) from 1981. I remember there were three songs in the Top 40 at the same time in 1981 that were credited to their instrumentalists, not the vocalists, this one, Just the Two of Us by Grover Washington, Jr. (vocals by Bill Withers) and Ai No Corrida by Quincy Jones (vocals by Patti Austin and some guy). And then later in the year Jones had another single credited to himself with vocals by James Ingram, Just Once. I always thought it was super weird that that happened so many different times in a short time. (I was a little chart freak when I was a kid.)

From Oz

The Millington Sisters had formally in the all-female Rock group Fanny in the Early 70s. In 1977 they released their own project as Millington. 'Love Brought Us Together' was one of two great cuts on the album. Irene Cara on background vocals.

I'm so triggered by this thread.

Boy, I sure cannot hear Irene Cara in that Millington song. I can usually pick out her voice super easily, but they really buried her in the mix.

R4, I have never heard of Heat, but I really dug that track. Was Bill Champlin singing on that? It sounded a lot like him.

R18, I was under the impression that Irene's was the most prominent voice heard in the background singing parts. They're actually so out front in the mix that you may have assumed that you were hearing the lead vocalist.

She has similar background step outs on the other single, 'Ladies On The Stage'.

Interesting. It doesn't sound like Irene at all. And I know it's 1977, but if you ever listen to Turn the Beat Around (which is 1975) you can hear Irene loud and clear and she sounds like the Irene we all know.

I will take another listen.

Before I hop off of the Millington train, I should mention that in 1981 June Millington had a fantastic Soft Rock/Sleaze single with the song 'When Wrong Is Right'.

Soulful Brit Rocker, Jess Roden had a few excellent cuts on his 1980 LP "Stonechaser". One of which is the original version of "Prime Time Love', a song recorded a few years later by The Carpenters on one of their last albums. The personally find The Carpenters' version too tame. The Jess Roden version has a harder R&B edge IMO.

Luther Vandross' background vocals cut like a knife through the production.

I was going to post a solo David Pack song from the mid-80s, and before I did, I searched to see what he's been up to lately and I'm sorry I did. He is super involved with massive homophobe Pastor Rick Warren, which really pissed me off. Yet Pack also produced a bunch of events for APLA and other AIDS benefits in the 90s. So maybe he's turned into a disgusting conservative in his old age.

Moral of story- if you enjoy someone's music, do NOT look them up.

My other favorite cut from Jess Roden's 1980 "Stonechaser" LP, 'Brand New Start'. A gorgeous ballad. Luther Vandross on backing vocals again.

Steal Away

(and speaking of stealing, sounds like that intro riff was heavily inspired by What A Fool Believes)

Breezin' (instrumental version)

R13, Hey Nineteen was one of Steely Dan's biggest hits.

Yes, I love DL music threads.

Anyone else getting “to continue type the letters below” when clicking on the links to the music? I can’t get past it as they don’t provide a place to type in. I saw this on another site I visit. Majorly annoying.

when did the term "soft rock" become "yacht rock"?

Yacht Rock has had something of a revival with millenials and zoomers thanks to a satirical webseries in 2016.

R31 "The term "yacht rock" did not exist contemporaneously with the music the term describes,[6] from about 1975 to 1984.[7][8] It refers to "adult-oriented rock"[6] or "West Coast Sound",[4][3] which became identified with yacht rock in 2005, when the term was coined in J. D. Ryznar et al.'s online video series of the same name.[9][10][11] Understood as a pejorative term,[6] "yacht rock" referred, in part, to a stereotypical yuppie yacht owner enjoying smooth music while sailing. Many "yacht rockers" included nautical references in their lyrics, videos and album artwork, exemplified by Christopher Cross's anthemic track, "Sailing" (1979).[12] Long mocked for "its saccharine sincerity and garish fashion", the original stigma attached to the music has lessened since about 2015.[6][3]

In 2014, AllMusic's Matt Colier identified the "key defining rules of the genre":

"keep it smooth, even when it grooves, with more emphasis on the melody than on the beat" "keep the emotions light, even when the sentiment turns sad (as is so often the case in the world of the sensitive yacht-rocksman)" "always keep it catchy, no matter how modest or deeply buried in the tracklist the tune happens to be."[7]"

Lobo - Holdin' On For Dear Love

Jim Photoglo - Steal Away (not to be confused with the Robbie Dupree yacht rock classic - this one is a jazzy Boz Scaggs soundalike):

R32, thanks for the clarification

Ned Doheny - Whatcha Gonna Do for Me. Doheny was an associate of the Laurel canyon crew who had a number of his songs covered by R&B artists, including this song (Chaka), A Love of Your Own (Average White Band) and Get It up for Love (Chaka soundalike Tata Vega).

Don't Give it Up, by Fleetwood Mac adjacent Robbie Patton:

Atlanta Lady - Marty Balin

Almost Like Being in Love - Michael Johnson

Cool Night

Fallen - Lauren Wood

(This song was used in Pretty Woman, which may have led people at the time to think it was new, but in fact it originally appeared on Wood's 1981 album Cat Trick. Nicolette Larson also did a version the year prior.)

Cool Night is probably one of the more famous yacht rock tracks...

Most of this stuff is dreadful. Like a bad acid trip from the late 70s.

1977

Robbie Dupree - Hot Rod Hearts

Made when Michael McDonald was so busy, that they had to use a Michael McDonald sound-alike

Another one of Ambrosia's hits, but not as well remembered as the others - Holdin' On To Yesterday

[quote] AllMusic's Matt Colier identified the "key defining rules of the genre": "keep it smooth, even when it grooves, with more emphasis on the melody than on the beat" "keep the emotions light, even when the sentiment turns sad (as is so often the case in the world of the sensitive yacht-rocksman)" "always keep it catchy, no matter how modest or deeply buried in the tracklist the tune happens to be."

California vagina sailors!

Paul Davis' Cool Night is one of the pillars of Yatch Rock. He does have forgotten hit songs - Sweet Life

Airplay - Nothing You Can Do About It

Do Seals and Croft's count?

Player - This Time I'm In It For Love

Summer Breeze is the best remembered of Seals and Crofts. But they do have Forgotten Yatch Rock - You're The Love

Rainbow's End, the 2nd (and less successful, but much better) single from Mendes' 1983 comeback album. Vocals by Danny Sembello (brother of Michael).

Many of these are played on the Pandora yacht rock station though they have the same issue of the same songs in rotation which afflicts most radio these days.

[quote] Do Seals and Croft's count?

Oh, dear!

Michael Franks, occupying the shadowy terrain where smooth jazz, yacht rock, and (eventually) sophisti-pop meet. Complete with electric keyboards, tasty guitar licks, and vintage astrological references.

Alicia "Ak-Shon" Bridges had an excellent single on her 1979 "Play It As It Lays" LP entitled 'Rex The Robot' that got unfairly ignored. Part Soft Rock, part Sleaze and part Electro. It all adds up to a great single. I've always suspected that Miss Bridges was singing about a sex toy of some sort. You be the judge....

Toto - I'll Supply The Love

Much better than Pina Colada: Rupert Holmes - Him

Ambrosia owns this genre, I can still listen to "You're The Only Woman."

Lobo - Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love

R56, how does "Yacht Rock" differ from "Adult Contemporary" or "Smooth Jazz"?

Firefall - The Love That Got Away

Doesn't check every single Yacht Rock box, but the flutes and the faux-tropical feel makes it pure Yacht Rock for me.

I can definitely picture a bunch of rich drunk white nerds trying to dance to this on their Sunday harbor excursion on Chad's yacht. (Chad always golfs on Sundays, but he's nice enough to loan his boat to his buds!)

Adult Contemporary or Smooth Jazz tends to be more about music that could also be enjoyed live in a caberet.

Yacht Rock was largely heavily studio-produced music that would have been difficult to reproduce in concert during those times

I Believe by Chilliwack, the follow-up single to their 1981 hit My Girl.

This one was so much better, but was not a hit, stalling around the low 50s on the chart.

There is some overlap between AC and Yacht Rock. I'd classify Yacht Rock as a sub-genre of adult contemporary.

A song like "You Light Up My Life" is definitely adult contemporary, and definitely not Yacht Rock. Same with "Just When I Needed You Most". Yacht Rock usually requires at least some upbeat liveliness...not much, but at least a little.

Smooth jazz began as largely instrumental music. A very watered-down version of jazz, with all the dissonant, harsh notes and unconventional rhythms removed. With a few notable exceptions (Kenny G and George Benson come to mind), it's largely a genre with its own set of star performers who aren't very well-known outside of smooth jazz circles (i.e. Boney James, David Sanborn, Dave Koz, Peter White...). It eventually morphed into a slightly less saccharine version of Muzak, with instrumental versions of established hits being the main source of airplay and revenue for its performers. It's the stuff you play on Sunday morning when you have a hangover from Saturday night, or when you're studying or working and you don't want to be too distracted by music.

Definitely overlap, but I believe that Adult Contemporary sprung from Yatch Rock. Before Yacht Rock, Adult music was mostly easy listening or slow pop and certainly not contemporary

Most Jazz was not smooth before Yacht Rock

Fallin' In Love by Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. One of my personal favorites, I think it's just a gorgeous song.

Another favorite - Just Remember I Love You by Firefall.

OP what a great idea for a thread!

BTW, Paramount Plus recently did a three-part documentary called "Sometimes When We Touch: The Soft Rock Revolution." It's great.

Muriel is rejecting my Seattle Times link, but this is from a 2006 article: [italic]Finally, a name for that music: “Yacht Rock”[/italic]

[quote]Ryznar [whose first yacht-rock video is linked at r47] coined the term “Yacht Rock” after he noticed a series of connections and similarities between Steely Dan and groups like the Doobie Brothers and Toto. Such as:

[quote]All of them seemed to share members and collaborate frequently with each other and people like Kenny Loggins.

[quote]A lot of the music of the era featured albums with guys on boats on the cover and songs about sailing.

[quote]This music sounds really good on boats because it’s good for relaxing, sitting back and drinking.

[quote]And so “Yacht Rock” was born.

It seems that the term encompasses more now than it did at its inception, which is the video linked at R47.

Leon Ware - Slippin' Away

Former Motown writer/producer who tried his hand at a solo career (without success) during what would later be recognized as the heyday of Yacht Rock, around 1979-1982. Not much of a vocalist, but sonically he knew how to come up with a good Yacht groove.

This thread comes from somewhere back in my long ago.

The 4 guys who created the Yacht Rock YouTube series went on to host a podcast where they debated whether or not hundreds of songs qualified as Yacht Rock.

According to them, some of the songs posted here are definitely not:

Firefall - Just Remember I Love You

Toto - I'll Supply the Love

Chilliwack - I Believe

Rupert Holmes - Him

Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze

Paul Davis - Sweet Life

Marty Balin - Hearts

The ones posted that they do consider to be Yacht Rock are:

Jimmy Hall - I'm Happy That Love Has Found You

Heat - Follow You Home

Pablo Cruise - Love Will Find a Way

Stevie Woods - Steal the Night

Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen

Lee Ritenour - Is It You?

Jess Roden - Brand New Start

Robbie Dupree - Steal Away

Robbie Dupree - Hot Rod Hearts

Photoglo - Steal Away

Airplay - Nothing You Can Do About It (they consider this one a "Yacht Rock Essential")

Ambrosia - You're the Only Woman

Leon Ware - Slippin' Away

Make of that what you will...

Just Remember I Love You, Him and Summer Breeze are all on the list of Sirius XM's Yacht Rock station's Most Heard list

I was going to say- most of those songs they consider not yacht rock are played ad nauseam on SXM's Yacht Rock station, which is why I started this thread, to highlight some of the lesser known ones.

So many of the "forgotten" songs listed in this thread are played all the time on Sirius XM channels.

I feel like Bertie Higgins “Key Largo” should at least be honorable mention yacht rock even if it leans a little more easy listening.

My introduction to Utah was getting really excited when I saw on my school schedule that PE was a full hour.

I was expecting epic dodgeball games, but what I got was 15 minutes about low-fat dieting and 45 of Jazzercise-style cardio. Every session ended with stretching to Key Largo.

Signed,

I was listening to the Yacht Rock station yesterday morning on SiriusXM and they had an ad for a new station, Yacht Rock Deep Cuts, but it's only available on the app, which I never use. But this may make me change my mind. I'll report back what they consider Yacht Rock "deep cuts."

Take Me Back to Chicago, Chicago with Chaka Kahn.

What a misogynistic thread. One of the greatest yacht rock songs of all time came courtesy of a female.... none other than DL Icon Carly Simon.

I listened to the Deep TRacks Yacht Rock station this morning and jotted down the song titles.

Toto- We Made It

Steely Dan- Razor Boy

The Doobie Brothers- Need a Lady

Poco- Barbados

Fleetwood Mac- I Know I’m Not Wrong

Kenny Loggins- Give it Half a Chance

Ambrosia- Time Waits for No One

Dionne Warwick/Johnny Mathis- Got You Where I Want You

America- Clarice

Christopher Cross- Talking in My Sleep

Boz Scaggs- Simone

Seals & Crofts- If and Any Love

I would say that maybe 40% of these fall under the heading of Yacht Rock. The rest are just 70s album cuts from artists who have done some yacht rock-like music. This station really should be more like the things we've all been posting on here, songs that were minor hits, not album cuts, but have been forgotten. I turned if off after a while because I was bored.

I'm going to walk this one into the party. Take note, r81.

ONJ's Magic is the most played on the main YR station, so we should give some more love to the ladies

Early 80s bands with soft rock appeal?

Some more female bands should be considered for that honor -

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, back to the Sausage Party: Orleans - Love Takes Time

I wonder if any of 80s debut artist kd lang songs would be considered in that category =

Has any early 80s Police/Sting songs been considered?

Belinda Carlisle's "Circle In The Sand" seems like a late 80s yacht rock tune -

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Imaginary Lover

Thank you, R92. It's about time we got back to the topic at hand.

Pure Prairie League - Let Me Love You Tonight

SXM is just playing garden-variety soft rock, some of it actually Yacht Rock and a lot of it not, and calling it all Yacht Rock because it's a more marketable brand these days with which to sell advertising than "soft rock".

The average satellite radio listener doesn't really care, they just want to hear the same 50 to 100 songs they like played over and over again, whether or not they actually fit the category.

I tend to respect the judgement of the four original Yacht Rock YouTube/podcast guys over the SXM focus-group-inspired programmers. They are a bit too stringent in their criteria, but that stems from the fact that they are true music nerds, so they tend to focus on details that the average fan/listener doesn't know or care about (such as year of release, participating writers, producers and musicians, and whether something was recorded on the West Coast or not).

Since a lot of DL'ers seem obsessed with Karen Carpenter, here's the only Carpenters song to which the guys gave the Yacht Rock thumbs up:

(Want You) Back in My Life

Life's too short to try to determine the difference between Yacht Rock and Soft Rock

Stephen Bishop - Save It For A Rainy Day. Someone else can check if having Eric Clapton on guitar and Chaka Khan on background vocals disqualifies this from being Yatch Rock

R96 The Yacht Rock guys agree. They rated it a 59 out of 100 on the Yachtski scale, which makes it certified Yacht Rock.

Some of you guys are just naming famous yacht rock songs now. The OP was asking for deeper FORGOTTEN tracks, not the obvious stuff. We all know those songs.

"You Belong to Me" - Carly Simon, co-written with Michael McDonald. David Sanborn on sax throughout.

R98 seems like one of the few paying attention to the OP's request.

Here's one that charted in the lower rungs of the Top 40 in 1981, Fool in Love With You by Jim Photoglo. He'd had a hit the year before with a song called We Were Meant to Be Lovers. I never knew there was a video for this because, even though they were desperate for product early on, I don't think MTV ever played this (though I could be wrong).

Is there a cooler name than Photoglo?

Whatever cool that name might have given him was tossed out the door the day that video aired.

At this point there seems to need to be a reminder that there is a difference between "Haven't Heard In Awhile" Forgotten and "Best Left Forgotten" Forgotten

I'm just gonna throw some personal favorites into the fold, that I think fit this format.

Singer-Songwriter, David Lasley performing what I think is the the original version of his composition 'You Bring Me Joy'. This song was first recorded commercially (with lackluster results) by Norman Connors in 1980. But Mr. Lasley released his own version in 1981 on his obscure "Demos" LP. So I'll assume that this version is the actual demo and predates the Norman Connors one. Regardless, I consider this the definitive version of this song and feel it would fit nicely into a Yacht Rock format.

Amii Stewart of 'Knock On Wood' fame recorded a solid self-titled LP in 1983 and had some success. Unfortunately, it was only released in Italy! Regardless, on said album was a bright, uptempo Pop-Rock number named 'Nobody But Me' that I've always enjoyed. I think it fits.

Singer Cheryl Lynn had several Disco/Club and R&B Hits but is best known for the song 'Got To Be Real'. In 1984 she had an excellent ballad in the song 'At Last You're Mine', which was written by a pre-fame Michael Bolton.

'At Last You're Mine' was included on the faux-"Flashdance" flick "Heavenly Bodies". The story goes that when the movie flopped, Columbia Records pulled all promotion on everything included on the film's soundtrack. That's unfortunate because 'At Last You're Mine' is TOP NOTCH 1980s Adult Contemporary/Soft Rock (and now Yacht Rock) that could have & should have been a major hit! Every bit as impressive as Chaka Khan's 'Through The Fire' or Patti LaBelle & 'Michael McDonald's 'On My Own'.

Justice for 'At Last You're Mine'!

Much more recent Yacht Rock throwback: Funk artist Thundercat - 'Show You The Way (featuring Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins)'

[quote] At this point there seems to need to be a reminder that there is a difference between "Haven't Heard In Awhile" Forgotten and "Best Left Forgotten" Forgotten

R104, care to elaborate about what in here falls under the "Best Left Forgotten" category?

An interesting tidbit about Jim Photoglo is that, just a few years after his two top 40 hits, he was pretty much forgotten. His recording career never took off, and his label dumped him.

With no immediate prospects, he made the decision to apply for a brand new syndicated TV talent competition show called "Star Search".

Unfortunately for him, the flamboyant Sam Harris was becoming something of a national sensation via the show. He was in the middle of his 13-week winning streak, easily dispatching every opponent with his over-the-top Patti Labelle-esque performances. Photoglo, with his bland appearance and lack of stage presence, singing an original composition nobody had heard before, became the latest victim of the Sam Harris juggernaut.

No mention was made on the show of his prior, brief brush with success. Most people watching didn't realize he'd actually been a rising pop star only a few years earlier.

He eventually re-emerged as a fairly successful country songwriter, composing big hits for the likes of Alabama and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Sam Harris, meanwhile, flopped spectacularly as a recording artist, proving in the end to be even less successful than the man he so easily vanquished, Jim Photoglo.

Frankie and the Knockouts - Sweetheart

Good one, R111.

And it's Franke. Not Frankie. Franke.

God, I loved Franke & The Knockouts. Sweetheart was an ridiculously amazing pop song, and their follow up, Without You, was pretty damn good, too.

That Thundercat song above is really good, and total Yacht Rock, even if Loggins & McDonald weren't part of it. What was even better was hearing that both of them still sound fantastic.

I had the Yacht Rock channel on in the car yesterday and they played Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, and I immediately said- Nope, wrong, not Yacht Rock at all. Goddamn program directors.

A SXM station closely related to Yacht Rock is the 70s Love station, plays music from the same timeframe, but just love songs.

Lead Me On should get some love.

Here is a good one that I cannot believe I was never aware of, Smoke From a Distant Fire by the Sanford Townsend Band. I just discovered it about 10 years ago, but 1977 was the first year when I really started knowing song names and listening to the radio for hours on end as a kid. This was a Top 10 hit and I have no memory of it. (And I remember Telephone Man by Meri Wilson!) I don't know how this one escaped me.

[quote]And it's Franke. Not Frankie. Franke.

Thanks, all these years, I never realized it was "Franke"! I blame Casey Kasem, lol

I don't know if this qualifies as Yacht Rock, but Take Me To Heart by Quarterflash. I like this one better than their best-known song, Harden My Heart.

Take Me to Heart was a great song, even though it was derivative of Quarterflash's last album. However, their 2nd album, Take Another Picture, had some other really great cuts on it. The title track is fucking awesome, and Shane (which I think is about a male prostitute) should have been a hit.

Their third album, Back into Blue, was also pretty good, but by late 1985, they hadn't really kept up with changing sounds and were never going to compete with what sounded to many like leftovers thrice warmed over. It's too bad, because Rindy Ross had a terrific voice and the band was tight.

Here's Shane, which I don't think quite makes it as Yacht Rock, but maybe others will disagree.

R115 "Smoke From a Distant Fire" is one of the all-time great Yacht Rock tracks. Can't believe you didn't know it back then. I certainly did...but I didn't know about Meri Wilson's "Telephone Man" until decades later, so there you go.

The Sanford-Townsend Band have one other song that is even more Yacht Rock than their big hit. It's from that same album, and it's called "Oriental Gate". Not as immediately catchy as "Smoke", but it has a co-lead vocal by one of the Kings of Yacht Rock himself, Mr. Kenny Loggins. (Sanford and Townsend co-wrote "Peacemaker" with Loggins, which was recorded by Loggins and Messina and released as a single, so he was returning the favor.)

For a while I really fell into a Yacht Rock rabbit hole. Specifically with SOMA FM's Left Coast 70s.

I love a lot of the artists I discovered there - Ned Doheny, mentioned upthread, was one. Another was Jimmie Spheeris, and also Terence Boylan - lots of others too.

[quote] "Smoke From a Distant Fire" is one of the all-time great Yacht Rock tracks. Can't believe you didn't know it back then. I certainly did...but I didn't know about Meri Wilson's "Telephone Man" until decades later, so there you go.

I know. It totally doesn't track. By the Fall of 1977, I was in front of the radio for hours at night, every night. I would lay on the floor in the den in front of our huge console stereo/record player with my head between the speakers and jump up to change the dial to a different station during commercials. The net year, my parents bought me my own stereo with record player and 8-track tape player for my birthday so I could be in my bedroom to listen to music and not drive them crazy when they wanted to watch TV.

I would say it could possibly be a regional thing (I grew up in Southern Florida), but Smoke was a Top 10 hit. One of the many stations I listened to (and we even had two dedicated MOR stations) had to have programmed it at some point when it got that popular. We were in a decent sized market that serviced Miami up through close to West Palm Beach.

SOMA FM Left Coast 70s. More deep cuts, as OP requested.

r83 You're So Vain might have actually created yacht rock.

Quarterflash was a great band. Really well-crafted and catchy songs.

Thanks for that link to SomaFM! Was not aware of them, but listening right now. Jackson Browne.

R124 They were, or are.

But they don't have a SINGLE connection to Yacht Rock.

The Sanford/Townsend Band is not to be confused with the Larsen-Feiten Band, who likewise had one hit that is considered a Yacht Rock essential...

Larsen-Feiten Band - "Who'll Be the Fool Tonight"

Now the Larsen Feiten Band I remember! But that was 3 years later and I had just started listening to American Top 40 every Saturday and writing them all down in a notebook, so anything that hit the Top 40 I knew.

And lest we forget the Neilsen Pearson Band with If You Should Sail, another delicious forgotten yacht rock track.

Then you must know the other one-hit Yacht Rock band from around the same time period whose name is comprised of the two surnames of its members...

Nielsen-Pearson - If You Should Sail

Oops, sorry R129

Great minds think alike...

hahahaha, i beat you by seconds, R130!

I feel like there was one more double surname band around that time (Fall of 1980). I'm going to scan the chart and see if I can find it.

Oh, wait, I think it was the Clarke Duke Project, which was late Spring 1981.

Does anyone remember Amy Holland's song How Do I Survive, from 1980? She was nominated for Best New Artist that year. Loved the song, but until last year, I had no idea it was a cover of a song by a group called The Bliss Band. I like their version almost as much. And it's definitely more yacht rock than hers.

Very interesting, R134. I had no idea Amy Holland's version was a cover. Hers is a bit more uptempo, almost borderline disco, but I still give her the nod over this original version. How can you not, she's the wife of Mr. Yacht Rock himself, Michael Friggin' McDonald, and his vocals are all over her version. That alone makes it about as Yacht as Yacht Rock gets.

Oh for sure, I like Amy's better. But it also might be because I grew up with it and am more used to it.

The Stepkids - The Lottery

Sounds Steely Dan-ish, video defies description.

Frank Stalone - Love Is LIke A Light

people keep mentioning the short playlists on siriusxm and radio today. its real. They basically rent songs for unlimited usage for a period (either a month or a few months). When they started cutting costs, playlists got shorter. they figured the average listener is only tuned into a specific station for 10-20 mins, why pay for extra songs and variety?. but go on a long car drive you'll start hearing repeats.

I just discovered that Amy Holland song recently. Heard it on an old American Top 40 (one of our stations plays old AT40s on Sunday mornings) and immediately recognized the hand (and ear, and voice) of Michael McDonald in that song - and then learned Amy is his wife.

Terence Boylan is an interesting story. Was in a band with his brother - Appletree Theatre....almost unheard of but their album may have played a role in influencing the psychedelic period of the Beatles.

His brother John would go on to be a producer of just about everyone. Terence had a solo album in the late 60s/early 70s and then had two yacht rock albums....and then became a professor (!)

The beautiful Jimmie Spheeris, who died way too young.

Ned Doheny

I thought this was a man singing about another man for a minute until I learned that "Jaymes" was a woman. (The daughter of someone famous, I'm forgetting who)

Dane Donohue, produced by the Boylan brothers

Here's something to blow your fucking minds:

Jaye P Morgan - yes, THAT Jaye P Morgan - singing the song "Can't Hide Love" (soon recorded by Earth Wind and Fire) on a forgotten record notable for being the first produced by a guy few had heard of at the time named....David Foster.

r143 I love that album cover.

Toto and Cheryl Lynn - Georgy Porgy

Boz Scaggs- Georgia

Love this group:

OMG r146 that was surprisingly excellent. Jaye P. Morgan, who fucking knew?

Thank you for posting that, I don't think I ever would've found that on my own.

R151 You're welcome - the whole album is pretty amazing. She does this track too (also sung by Maria Muldair) as well as "Closet Man" which would be on a Dusty album a few years later.

The production and arrangement on this album is pretty damn flawless.

I've gone down a Quarterflash K-hole the past half day and have really been enjoying it. They didn't have much, but most of it was terrific. And both their 1982 soundtrack songs were really good, the title track to the film Night Shift, and this one from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which i think skirts the edge of forgotten yacht rock.

Thanks r152. I'm going to check out her other songs because Can't Hide Love was so good. Jaye P. Morgan of all people!

r153 they really were good. I'm digging "Shane" that was linked upthread. I can see how the song could be interpreted as being about a male prostitute.

I'm sorry, I don't want to piss on anyone's enthusiasm, but I must again say Quarterflash is not anywhere remotely connected to Yacht Rock. Nor are the Go-Go's or Belinda Carlisle.

Those three (among others) are squarely in the first wave of American new wave. They may indeed be more mellow but their sound is more indicative of the first wave of American New Wave.

Yacht rock is far more "adult contemporary" with splashes of smooth jazz, and it's almost always a singer songwriter and a male singer songwriter at that.

There's a side tangent of yacht rock which is - I dunno, smooth jazz and R&B mixed in. This would be an example. Some yacht rock stations might play this, but it really didn't have a particular genre. Herb Alpert's "Rise" would also probably be on this little side street.

Jeff Lorber - Your Love Has Got Me Baby

Brilliant but somewhat forgotten single by The Manhattan Transfer from their 1983 "Bodies And Soul" LP.

R156, there is no way that you can call Quarterflash new wave. And the songs by Quarterflash that have been posted on here (if you bothered to read the posts and listen to the songs) were categorized as being on the very edge of yacht rock and are much softer than Harden My Heart and Find Another Fool.

I agree that The Go-Go's are not at all yacht rock (though some later Belinda Carlisle singles could be deemed so if Yacht Rock went that late).

R160 I'm not arguing about this. It's simply not debatable. I'm sorry you're so deeply and completely misinformed. Enjoy the music.

I couldn't actually give a fuck about your opinion. And that's what it is. An opinion.

You thinking Quarterflash is Yacht Rock is one of THE DUMBEST FUCKING THINGS anyone on this site has EVER said.

I worked in radio....my "expertise" is not "I lip-synched to Belinda Carlisle songs in my bedroom" unlike yours.

Proof you don't read. I didn't say Quarterflash was Yacht Rock. I said it wasn't new wave. And answering phones for real DJs isn't working in radio.

Unfortunately R162 is OP.....and has ruined an otherwise interesting discussion.

Oh no, you outed me! Whatever will I do? Nice deflection when your argument tanked. Bye, now.

Girls......GIRLS! You're BOTH ugly! Now shake each other's hand and stop this nonsense at once! There. And let's get back to the music....

Now why would you listen to Ambrosia on AM radio when FM was readily available?

Lots of rules about Yacht Rock have been thrown around here, but the NUMBER ONE rule is that it is for relaxing. Needed here more than ever.

Oh God of Yacht Rock David Foster, we pray to thee for some divine intervention.

Ask and you shall recieve - Dwayne Ford - Lovin' And Losin' You

R169, great track and thank you for reminding me that a large chunk of the music associated with David Foster falls under the Yacht Rock genre.

The first "forgetten" song that came to mind is Mr. Foster's original recording of his composition 'Through The Fire'. He first recorded the song himself in 1983 (on a Japan only LP release) as an instrumental entitled 'Chaka'. The song was given that name because he had written it specifically for Chaka Khan and intended for her to record it on her next LP release. Which she did in Late 1984.

Additional Tidbit........David Foster rejected Chaka Khan's original recording of the song for some unknown reason. So she went back into the studio with her producer Arif Mardin and recorded the version we all know; which ultimately made it on to her "I Feel For You" LP. That original recording remains in the Warner Brothers vaults unreleased.

Another song that Chaka covered on that album was the horrendous "Stronger Than Before" which was a marginal yacht rock track written and SUNG by Carole Bayer Sager from her 1981 album. The track actually hit the lower rungs of the Top 40. The song itself is not bad, but Carole couldn't sing for shit, no matter how much multi-tracking they stuck on her vocals. Chaka did as good of a job with it as possible. Here's the original.

Chaka's version, to compare.

R171, 'Stronger Than Before' isn't a bad tune but you're right, Carole Bayer Sager can't sing for shit. Horrible voice! And truth be told, I've never cared for Chaka Khan's recording of the song either. The problem for me wasn't Chaka's singing, it was Arif Mardin's goofy, 1980s electro production. Horrible arrangement.

From the Carole Bayer Sager recording in 1981 up to 1984, 'Stronger Than Before'was recorded competently by several people. Dionne Warwick and Marie Osmond to name a few. But the one who I think finally blew it out the water was Joyce Kennedy from the Rock group Mother's Finest. Her version was produced by Jeffrey Osborne in 1984 and may predate Chaka Khan's by a few months. Ms. Kennedy sang the hell out of it and Jeffery Osbourne gave her a solid and straight-forward Pop-Rock-R&B arrangement to work with.

Holy shit, I love Joyce Kennedy! I never heard that version. Thank you.

And yes, upon re-listening to Chaka's version, I have to say the arrangement is shit. If they could have Chaka sing Carole's arrangement, that might work.

R173, I have to say you've blown my mind. I had no idea where Joyce Kennedy came from. I simply thought she was a mid-'80s R&B vocalist who never really made it. I know her from two songs, the track on The Breakfast Club soundtrack (which is fucking amazing), and her duet with Jeffery Osborne. Back in the mid-80s there really wasn't any way to research someone like we can now. Perhaps if she'd had more success more would have been written about her at the time, and her past would have been mentioned.

Anyway, I looked up Mother's Finest and I'm in shock. I had no idea. I am now listening to their first album and am loving it. Thank you. I love discovering new old music!

Speaking of Chaka Khan, here's Move Me No Mountain

And here's Miss Warwick's version of Move Me No Mountain.

R175, I'm glad I could help you discover a great band like Mother's Finest. Joyce was a fantastic singer and the band's music ran the gamut from straight ahead Rock, Funk, R&B and even 1980s "Hall & Oates" style Pop on one of their 80s projects.

My personal favorites by them are the Soul ballad 'Love Changes', the Funk-Rocker 'Baby Love', the 70s slow rocker 'Give You All The Love' and the kick ass 80s rockers 'All The Way' & 'Evolution'. But the gem that I think fits the Yacht Rock genre is the easy, laid-back, California sounding 'Thank You For The Love' from 1977. Good shit!

Joyce pursued her solo career during a 5 or 6 year hiatus for Mother's Finest as a band in the 80s. I have no idea why her solo career didn't take off and establish her as an R&B Diva to be reckoned with? The voice was obviously there and she had Jeffery Osbourne & Leon Sylvers as her producers, who were at the top of their game back then on the R&B scene. The only thing I can think of is that the problem must have been not having enough good songs and a lack of support on A&M Records' part. Regardless, it's a shame.

R175 & R176, just for good measure, here's (what I think is) the original 'Move Me No Mountain' by Love Unlimited. Admittedly, this particular version is too funky to fit the Yacht Rock genre. Dionne Warwick's version is my personal favorite of the three.

Joyce Kennedy & Mother's Finest also did hard rock. I always loved this track.

R176, although Chaka Khan is known for her funky songs and high powered R&B vocals, she recorded her share of soothing MOR material that could be considered as falling under the Yacht Rock genre.

Case in point is her 1981 remake of The McCrary's 'Any Old Sunday'.

This is such a great thread, I've discovered Yacht Rock songs I'd never heard before.

The McCrarys' original 1980 version of 'Any Old Sunday'.

This family has some relation to Darius "Eddie Winslow" McCrary of Family Matters fame. One member may be his mother. Don't quote me.

You guys must be rich white folks

Another Chaka Khan tube that could be considered Yacht Rock. 1980's 'Get Ready, Get Set'.

Yes, R180! I mentioned 'All The Way' and 'Evolution' at R178 but I love that whole 1980 "Iron Age" project! Although the band had great cuts elsewhere, IMO "Iron Age" is their best LP.

Calling all Yacht Rock Police! I've always enjoyed the cut 'Bitch To The Boys' by Shakatak from their 1982 "Night Birds" project. Would this fall under the Yacht Rock umbrella in some capacity or is it too funky & Jazz-Fusion? I'm honestly stumped on this one.

Shakatak always felt like smooth jazz to me more than anything. Not 100%, but if I had to pigeonhole them into a genre, that would be the one.

The Two Kings Of Yacht Rock - Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins - duet on What A Fool Believes.

Yes I know, What A Fool Believes is not forgotten - it's arguably the biggest Yacht Rock song of all time - but I just had to include this great performance.

^^And I have to say I'm really digging Kenny's long, wavy, luxurious hair here.

George Michael's cover of What A Fool Believes.

I could see the Shakatak riding the edge of Yacht Rock for sure. it's certainly more Yacht Rock than, say, Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.

Sorry, forgot the link...

As the "Yacht Rock" movement/genre/format has gained steam over the last several years, another fairly new sub-genre named "City Pop" has gained momentum in different areas as well. "City Pop" is essentially Late 1970s thru 1980s Japanese R&B, Funk and Jazz-Fusion (a combo of Jazz, Funk and R&B). It's obvious that Japan was heavily influenced by our own American R&B, Funk & Jazz-Fusion. And because of Japan's advancements in electronics and recording during the 70s & 80s, production values were always top notch.

I think this kickass song 'Telephone Number' by Japanese Soul singer Junko Ohashi would fit perfectly on any "City Pop" AND "Yacht Rock" playlist. The best way I can describe it is a variation on Boz Scaggs' 'JoJo' with better vocals. LOL

And pay no attention to the LP cover art that says "Magical" featuring the doomed. NYC twin towers. "Magical" was merely a 1984 compilation LP of Ms. Ohashi's hits. This song was originally an album cut on her 1981 "Tea For Tears" LP.

No offense, R194, take it to another thread.

R195, no thanks. I'm taking EVERY BIT OF OFFENSE that you rudely intended for me to have. A quick check would have shown you that I've made EVERY attempt with my posts here to stay on topic. I even explained with my post at R194 that the Junko Ohashi song could possibly fit both a "City Pop" AND an adventurous "Yacht Rock" playlist. The song was heavily influenced by Boz Scaggs' 'JoJo' after all. If you disagreed with me, you could have done so politely or merely ignored me. The way I did when I saw posts that OBVIOUSLY contradicted what the OP asked for.

I've been respectful and remained on topic without causing any disruption. If you'd like me to keep it that way I'd suggest you tread lightly.

Get off your fucking high horse, cunt.

Now I get it, Sassy Bitch at R195 / R197. You're a troll who's grapefruit sized anal beads broke in your ass earlier today and now you're in a fucking Yacht Rock topic on DataLounge looking for attention of any sort to pass the time.

You Musical Illiterate, you were just singing my praises 10 posts up when I introduced you to Mother's Finest and now you're having a psychotic breakdown because I posted one tune you didn't like. This is THE LAST attention you'll get from me, you stupid bitch. Goodbye and thank you Ignore Button!

Jesus Christ, you're insane.

Yacht AF. And I never heard of it before today, when I encountered it in a Garrett Neff IG story. He directed it at his dogs on his birthday.

R200, have you heard the soundtrack to The Bodyguard? They did a cover of this song by a studio group called SOUL SYSTEM. I remember hearing it for the first time 30 years ago, not knowing it was a cover, and loving it. I think it's actually better than Withers' version, and I don't usually say that kind of thing.

Some may quibble, but I have "Lake Shore Drive" on my Yacht Rock playlist on Spotify.

the theme from "Makin' It" sat at the intersection of yacht rock and disco

This is not strictly "forgotten", but it rarely seems to be included in the Yacht Rock family.

But it's pure Yacht Rock.

"Wham Bam" by Silver

"Makin' It"?! That's so purely disco it was used as the theme song for a "Saturday Night Fever"-esque sitcom!

disagree

Ugh, that George Michael "What a Fool Believes" cover should stay forgotten; too fast, too "pounding", not at all "smooth", Michael's performance too belty.

THIS is yacht rock, you silly queens --

Another great forgotten one.

That ain’t yacht rock.

Baby Come Back still gets played but this one I had forgotten about

Awesome Yacht Rock playlist on Youtube. 207 songs!

The Logical Song - Supertramp

[quote] I think it's actually better than Withers' version, and I don't usually say that kind of thing.

BLASPHEMY. Lovely Day is iconic Bill Withers.

R204, when I was a kid we had a K-tel tape called Rainbow ('The soft sounds of today's rock'). Every song was quintessential yacht rock and Half the Way was on it. I've always considered it to be of the genre.

[quote] BLASPHEMY. Lovely Day is iconic Bill Withers.

Don't get me wrong, I think Bill Withers was a unique and amazing vocalist. It may be a combination of my having heard the Soul System version first, and the song lending itself more to a chill dance arrangement than the more languid pace of Withers' version.

I think that awful mid-80s cover of Lean on Me was blasphemy!

The movie The Virgin Suicides reminded me of this one: