Yacht Rock: Top 100 Songs

Yacht Rock: Top 100 Songs

“Yacht rock” is a somewhat loose term referring to the polished, adult-oriented, soft rock from the mid-‘70s through the early ‘80s. The term didn’t exist during that actual era, only coming about later as a derogatory term of the kind of smooth music one might stereotypically assume yuppie yacht owners are listening to while sailing. All Music Guide’s Matt Colier said the music tends to be catchy, focus more on melody than beat, and keeps the emotions light even if the sentiment turns sad. WK 30 lists were aggregated to create this list. All those songs which made 4 or more lists are included below. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 22 lists: 1. The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes” (1978) 2. Kenny Loggins “This Is It” (1979) 21 lists: 3. Christopher Cross “Sailing” (1979) 4. Christopher Cross “Ride Like the Wind” (1979) 20 lists: 5. Player “Baby Come Back” (1977) 6. Seals & Croft “Summer Breeze” (1972) 19 lists: 7. Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” (1978) 18 lists: 8. Rupert Holmes “Escape (The Pina Coloda Song)” (1979) 9. Toto “Rosanna” (1982) 17 lists: 10. Boz Scaggs “Lowdown” (1976) 11. Ambrosia “Biggest Part of Me” (1980) 12. Michael McDonald “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” (1982) 13. Steely Dan “Peg” (1977) 16 lists: 14. Toto “Africa” (1982) 15 lists: 15. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I'd Really Love to See You Tonight” (1976) 16. Looking Glass “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” (1972) 17. Steely Dan “Hey Nineteen” (1980) 14 lists: 18. Atlanta Rhythm Section “So Into You” (1977) 19. Robbie Dupree “Steal Away” (1980) 13 lists: 20. Little River Band “Reminiscing” (1978) 21. Ace “How Long” (1974) 22. Jay Ferguson “Thunder Island” (1977) 23. Bobby Caldwell “What You Won’t Do for Love” (1978) 12 lists: 24. Pablo Cruise “Love Will Find a Way” (1978) 11 lists: 25. Little River Band “Cool Change” (1979) 26. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Kiss on My List” (1980) 27. Eagles “I Can’t Tell You Why” (1979) 10 lists: 28. Bertie Higgins “Key Largo” (1981) 29. James Ingram & Michael McDonald “Yah Mo B There” (1983) 30. Starbuck “Moonlight Feels Right” (1976) 9 lists: 31. Lionel Richie “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983) 32. Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” (1977) 33. 10cc “I’m Not in Love” (1975) 34. Al Stewart “Year of the Cat” (1976) 35. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Sara Smile” (1975) 36. Orleans “Still the One” (1976) 37. Firefall “You Are the Woman” (1976) 38. Bob Welch “Sentimental Lady” (1977) 39. Paul Davis “Cool Night” (1981) 40. America “You Can Do Magic” (1982) 41. Kenny Loggins “Heart to Heart” (1982) 42. Boz Scaggs “Lido Shuffle” (1976) 8 lists: 43. Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr. “Just the Two of Us” (1981) 44. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Rich Girl” (1976) 45. Al Stewart “Time Passages” (1978) 46. Ambrosia “How Much I Feel” (1978) 47. Nicolette Larson “Lotta Love” (1978) 48. Steely Dan “FM (No Static at All)” (1978) 49. Steely Dan “Deacon Blues” (1977) 50. Orleans “Dance with Me” (1975) 51. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Southern Cross’ (1982) 52. Jackson Browne “Somebody’s Baby” (1982) 53. Michael McDonald “Sweet Freedom” (1986) 7 lists: 54. America “Ventura Highway” (19720 55. The Alan Parsons Project “Eye in the Sky” (1982) 56. Poco “Crazy Love” (1978) 57. Kenny Loggins with Stevie Nicks “Whenever I Call You Friend” (1978) 58. Chicago “Saturday in the Park” (1972) 60. The Doobie Brothers “Minute by Minute” (1978) 61. Dr. Hook “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman” (1978) 62. George Benson “Give Me the Night” (1980) 63. Ambrosia “You’re the Only Woman” (1980) 64. Climax Blues Band “Couldn’t Get It Right” (1976) 65. George Benson “Breezin’” (1976) 66. The Sanford/Townsend Band “Smoke from a Distant Fire” (1977) 6 lists: 67. Olivia Newton-John “Magic” (1980) 68. Christopher Cross “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1981) 69. Fleetwood Mac “You Make Loving Fun” (1977) 70. Air Supply “Lost in Love” (1980) 71. Earth, Wind & Fire “After the Love Has Gone” (1979) 72. Michael Jackson “Human Nature” (1982) 73. Gerry Rafferty “Right Down the Line” (1978) 74. Gino Vannelli “I Just Wanna Stop” (1978) 75. Steely Dan “Do It Again” (1972) 76. Blues Image “Ride Captain Ride” (1970) 77. Donald Fagen “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)” (1982) 78. Chuck Mangione “Feels So Good” (1978) 79. Seals & Croft “Diamond Girl” (1973) 80. Al Jarreau “Mornin’” (1983) 5 lists: 81. America “A Horse with No Name” (1971) 82. Daryl Hall & John Oates “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (1981) 83. Exile “Kiss You All Over” (1978) 84. Todd Rundgren “I Saw the Light” (1972) 85. Elvis Bishop “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” (1976) 86. Bread “Make It with You” (1970) 87. Dave Mason “We Just Disagree” (1977) 88. Bill Withers “Lovely Day” (1977) 89. Dr. Hook “Sexy Eyes’ (1979) 90. Paul Davis “I Go Crazy” (1977) 91. Firefall “Just Remember I Love You” (1977) 92. Walter Egan “Magnet and Steel” (1978) 93. Christopher Cross “All Right” (1983) 94. Pablo Cruise “Whatcha Gonna Do?” (1977) 95. Andrew Gold “Lonely Boy” (1977) 96. Boz Scaggs “JoJo” (1980) 97. Steely Dan “Dirty Work” (1972) 98. The Beach Boys “Sail on Sailor” (1973) 4 lists: 99. Smokey Robinson “Being with You” (1981) 100. Gary Wright “Dream Weaver” (1975) 101. America “Sister Golden Hair” (1975) 102. Herb Alpert “Rise” (1979) 103. Billy Ocean “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)” (1984) 104. Toto “Hold the Line” (1978) 105. Benny Mardones “Into the Night” (1980) 106. Gino Vannelli “Living Inside Myself” (1981) 107. George Benson “Turn Your Love Around” (1981) 108. Bread “Baby I’m A Want You” (1971) 109. The Doobie Brothers “It Keeps You Runnin’” (1976) 110. Christopher Cross “Never Be the Same” (1979) 111. Carly Simon “You Belong to Me” (1978) 112. Michael McDonald “I Gotta Try” (1982) 113. Herb Alpert “Route 101” (1982) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Wikipedia.org: “Yacht Rock” First posted 12/5/2022.

Carole Bayer Sager: Top 40 Songs

First posted 12/15/2019.

Songwriter Carole Bayer was born 70 years ago on this day in 3/8/1947 in Brooklyn, NY. She was married to record-producer Andrew Sager from 1970 to 1978 and has also been romantically linked to songwriters Marvin Hamlisch and Burt Bacharach (married 1985 to 1991). She won an Academy Award (“Arthur’s Theme” by Christopher Cross) and Grammy Award (“That’s What Friends Are For,” Dionne & Friends). For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

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Top 40 Songs

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Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. In the event of songs which have been recorded more than once, only the top-ranked song is included in the list. Songs which hit #1 on the following charts have been noted: Billboard Hot 100 pop charts (US), Cashbox (CB), Hit Records (HR), Radio & Records (RR), Billboard R&B chart (RB), Billboard country chart (CW), United Kingdom pop chart (UK), Canadian pop chart (CN), and Australian pop chart (AU).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. That's What Friends Are For (Dionne Warwick with Elton John, Gladys Knight, & Stevie Wonder, 1985) #1 US, AC, RB, CN, AU

DMDB Top 5%:

2. Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) (Christopher Cross, 1981) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, AC
3. A Groovy Kind of Love (Phil Collins, 1988) #1 US, CB, RR, AC, UK, CN
4. On My Own (Patti LaBelle with Michael McDonald, 1986) #1 US, CB, RR, RB, CN
5. Nobody Does It Better (Carly Simon, 1977) #1 RR, AC
6. When I Need You (Leo Sayer, 1977) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, AC, UK, CN
7. A Groovy Kind of Love (The Mindbenders, 1966) #1 CB, HR

DMDB Top 10%:

8. Heartlight (Neil Diamond, 1982) #1 AC
9. Don’t Cry Out Loud (Melissa Manchester, 1978)

DMDB Top 20%:

10. It’s My Turn (Diana Ross, 1980)
11. Love Power (Dionne Warwick with Jeffrey Osborne, 1987) #1 AC

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

12. Midnight Blue (Melissa Manchester, 1975) #1 AC
13. You’re Moving Out Today (Carole Bayer Sager, 1977) #1 AU
14. You’re the Only One (Dolly Parton, 1979) #1 CW
15. Making Love (Roberta Flack, 1982)
16. Heartbeaker (Dolly Parton, 1978) #1 CW
17. Try It on My Own (Whitney Houston, 2002)
18. You’re Moving Out Today (Bette Midler, 1977)
19. Fly Away (Peter Allen, 1981)
20. Ever Changing Times (Aretha Franklin with Michael McDonald, 1991)

21. Looking Through Your Eyes (LeAnn Rimes, 1998)
22. I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love (Rita Coolidge, 1979)
23. On the Way to the Sky (Neil Diamond, 1981)
24. Front Page Story (Neil Diamond, 1982)
25. Turn Around (Neil Diamond, 1984)
26. Through the Eyes of Love (Melissa Manchester, 1979)
27. The Prayer (Andrea Bocelli with Celine Dion, 1998)
28. Break It to Me Gently (Aretha Franklin, 1977)
29. Some Changes Are for Good (Dionne Warwick, 1981)
30. Over You (Natalie Cole with Ray Parker, Jr.; 1988)

31. Love Always (El DeBarge, 1986)
32. A Chance for Heaven (Christopher Cross, 1984)
33. Stronger Than Before (Carole Bayer Sager, 1981)
34. Finder of Lost Loves (Dionne Warwick with Glenn Jones, 1985)
35. Take Good Care of You and Me (Dionne Warwick with Jeffrey Osborne, 1989)
36. That’s What Friends Are For (Rod Stewart, 1982)
37. I Never Loved You Anyway (The Corrs, 1997)
38. Night Shift (Quarterflash, 1991)
39. Someone Else’s Eyes (Aretha Franklin, 1991)
40. It’s the Falling in Love (Michael Jackson with Patti Austin, 1979)

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Awards:

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Alan Parsons On Air released

On Air Alan Parsons

Released: September 24, 1996 Peak: 12 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: progressive rock lite

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Blue Blue Sky [1:32] v: Eric Stewart Too Close to the Sun (Bairnson/Elliott/Parsons) [5:06] v: Neil Lockwood Blown by the Wind [5:25] v: Eric Stewart Cloudbreak (instrumental) (Bairnson/Elliott/Parsons) [4:39] I Can't Look Down [4:38] v: Neil Lockwood Brother Up in Heaven [3:54] v: Neil Lockwood (1996 single, --) Fall Free (Bairnson/Elliott/Parsons) [4:33] v: Steve Overland (1997 single, --) Apollo (instrumental) (Bairnson/Elliott/Parsons) [5:59] speech by John F. Kennedy (1997 single, --) So Far Away [4:04] v: Christopher Cross (1996 single, --) One Day to Fly (Elliott/English) [6:16] v: Graham Dye Blue Blue Sky – Reprise [4:29] v: Eric Stewart Unless otherwise noted, songs are written by Ian Bairnson. The ‘v’ after the song listing indicates who provides lead vocals. Total Running Time: 50:50 The Players: Alan Parsons (engineering, mixing, keyboards) Andrew Powell (orchestral arranger and conductor) Ian Bairnson (guitar, bass synthesizer, bass guitar) Stuart Elliott (drums, bongos, keyboards and drum programming) Richard Cottle (saxophone, keyboards) Eric Stewart, Neil Lockwood, Steve Overland, Christopher Cross, Graham Dye (vocals) John Giblin (bass) Christopher Warren-Green (orchestra leader) Gary Sanctuary (keyboards)

Rating: 3.209 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings) Quotable: “Parsons probably isn't going to win over any new fans with this one, but anyone who has liked them in the past will probably enjoy On Air” – Steve Marshall, TheNightOwl.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: On his second post-project release, Alan Parsons hands over writing duties to longtime Project guitarist Ian Bairnson, who pens or co-pens all but one track on the album. Bairnson was supposedly “spurred on following the ‘friendly fire’ death of [his] cousin in Iraq.” DV The album’s “concept deals with the fascination of flight and the yearning people have to become one with the sky.” AMG Unlike most Project albums, a quick perusal of the song titles makes the theme obvious. When you listen to the music, you also hear a “light, breezy feel that carries each song, simulating an effortless flight through the clouds.” AMG However, “as beautiful and imagery-filled as this idea is, its potential never…get[s] off the ground. Most of the songs…lack the intensity…necessary to establish any concern for the main idea. Instead, they consist of metaphorical lyrics that go off on strange tangents, misconstrued and long-drawn-out stanzas that seem empty, and a slight pretentiousness…usually absent from this band's material. AMG Basically, the album’s ”sound is smooth and gentle but has difficulty in holding interest.” AMG After listening to the album you may find yourself easing back in your chair and letting out a relaxed sigh, but nothing will leave you tapping your fingers on the arm of the chair. As always, Parsons maintains “complete mastery of the recording studio,” DV and now that he is with a smaller label, Parsons has more control over the work. ”From the opening notes of Blue Blue Sky, man looks up and dreams of being able to break the bonds with earth.” DV As the track segues into Too Close to the Sun, a jet roars across your speakers. The sound is so realistic that at high volumes, you'll swear it's flying right over the room. NO ”Parsons captures all the power of the jet's flyby and sonic boom. The…myth of Icarus is put to music…featuring a powerful lead vocal from Neil Lockwood.” DV ”From the development of balloons which are, for the most part, out of human control (Blown by the Wind) to dealing with people's fear of flying (Can't Look Down), Parsons and crew choose not to dwell on a history of aviation…but rather focus on the poetry of developments and modern-day situations.” DV ”Interspersed is Cloudbreak, one of two instrumentals…and proof positive that Parsons and crew have lost nothing over the course of 20 years of creating music.” DV It “is superb, and ranks up with the best” NO of Parsons’ instrumentals. “The highlight…is Brother Up in Heaven, Bairnson’s tribute to his cousin. Unlike some of the other songs, the theme here is less on flight and more on dealing with the loss of a loved one and the process of grieving. Sample lyric: ‘I still see his shadow / His laugh lingers on / When I dream, we’re all back together / When I wake, he’s gone.’” DV "Fall Free is one of the CD’s better cuts, and it lightens the mood a bit after ‘Brother Up in Heaven.’” NO ”Now that humans have made it into the realm of soaring with the birds, Parsons looks at the natural progression of our thinking - thinking which led us into space. The instrumental Apollo "features excerpts from a speech by John F. Kennedy and is almost techno at times. The crunching power chords toward the end of the song bear a strong resemblance to ‘Where's the Walrus?’ from the [1986 Project album] Stereotomy.” NO ”Both instrumentals…are appealing, and capture the essence of the album more so than any of the vocally inhabited songs.” AMG ’Apollo’ “serves as a mood-setting piece that brings things up to speed, leading the way to So Far Away, another track that speaks of the dangers one faces when they defy gravity. Christopher Cross takes over the role of lead…and voices it perfectly (with all due respect to Britons, I don't think anyone but an American could have sang a lyric about the Challenger disaster.” DV This song and ‘Too Close to the Sun’ “are the album's finer points, but even these songs fall short of the domineering style that once surrounded the Alan Parsons Project.” AMG ”Most of the songs contain well-established harmonies and a fair amount of guitar and keyboard mingling, but it's the lack of depth and assertiveness that holds this album back.” AMG ”But while boundaries continue to be broken and experiments in flight occasionally still fail, man still finds himself dreaming about the next levels of flight, bringing the listener to One Day to Fly. Not surprisingly, the song captures the dream that…we all wish we could fly without the man-made gadgets and high-technology.” DV The album closes with a reprise of the opening song. “The way the album returns to Blue Blue Sky, featuring some beautiful guitar work from Bairnson, is a very smart move.” DV In the end, “Parsons probably isn't going to win over any new fans with this one, but anyone who has liked them in the past will probably enjoy On Air.” NO “This disc takes a few listens to really appreciate, but that's usually the sign of a good CD.” NO

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Alan Parsons AMG All Music Guide review by Mike DeGagne NO TheNightOwl.com review by Steve Marshall DV DailyVault.com review by Christopher Thelen WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 4/4/2008; last updated 7/20/2022.