I'm Your Captain - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah Yeah

Hey, Captain Courageous!  

I had to admit, that was a pretty cool photo of Ted Turner you posted in FH the other day!

Can you imagine living his lifestyle?!   

 

Like having your own Yacht or Sailboat ... or even a number of them and sailing out on Lake Michigan under a Clear, Blue Sky whenever you wanted!

Just Imagine that!

Yeah! Like this!

 

 

That is SO you!!

Without all the money, of course!

Or Jane Fonda!

CB  ( which stands for your "Cabin Boy!" )

 

With my luck, I'd probably set sail and end up on Gilligan's Island.

 

(Although life with Ginger and Mary-Ann ... or even Jo Stafford and April Stevens, for that matter ... wouldn't be all that bad ... 

 

except maybe for that Mr. Magoo character!) 

 

But all that dreaming just takes me to the topic of Yacht Rock ... a term or genre that I'm not especially fond of (nor are most of the artists now classified this way, from what I understand!)

 

Still, there's no denying its impact.  (Frannie loves it ... listens to it all the time ... which can be a bit frustrating for an old rocker like me ... I just need a little more "bite" in my music, I guess ...

 

Or a playlist that's bigger than just the same fifty songs, played over and over again and again and again.)

 

With that being said, I did some checking and found a number of online lists ranking the Best Yacht Rock Songs ... and, after compiling a consensus of those lists (along with my own listening experience), I came up with a list of The Top 50 Most Essential and Definitive Yacht Rock Songs.  (Topping our list, if only for his own distinctive style, is Michael McDonald, both with and away from The Doobie Brothers ... followed closely by Christopher Cross (with whom he has also successfully collaborated.)

 

Here for your listening enjoyment is our Top 50 List!

 

(As usual, there are a number of former favorites of mine to be found here that I now find myself quickly turning off due to complete oversaturation ... yes, once again, radio has ruined the experience of listening to and enjoying these songs simply because they've beat them into our heads to such an annoying degree.  The artists may claim to hate the "Yacht Rock" connotation ... but they sure must be enjoying the increased airplay and royalties that go along with it.) 

 

Your thoughts on this list (?!?!?)

 

Let the debates begin!  (kk)

 

The Top 50 Essential Yacht Rock Favorites

 

 1.  What a Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers (1978)

2.  Ride Like the Wind – Christopher Cross (1979)

3.  Biggest Part of Me – Ambrosia (1980)

4.  Africa – Toto (1982)

5.  Baby Come Back – Player (1977)

6.  Sailing – Christopher Cross (1979)

7.  Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan (1980)

8.  Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) – Looking Glass (1972)

9.  Lowdown – Boz Scaggs (1976)

10. Peg – Steely Dan (1977)

 

11. Rich Girl – Daryl Hall and John Oates (1977)

 12. Summer Breeze – Seals and Crofts (1972)

 13. Rosanna – Toto (1982)

 14. Escape (The Piña Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes (1979)

 15. You're the Only Woman (You And I) – Ambrosia (1980)

 16. Lido Shuffle – Boz Scaggs (1977)

 17. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac (1977)

 18. Reminiscing – Little River Band (1978)

 19. Hold the Line – Toto (1978)

 20. I’d Really Love To See You Tonight – England Dan and John Ford Coley (1976)

21. Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty (1978)

22. How Long – Ace (1975)

 23. Diamond Girl – Seals and Crofts (1973)

 24. Sara Smile – Daryl Hall and John Oates (1976)

 25. Love Will Find A Way - Pablo Cruise (1978) 

 26. Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne (1982)

 27. Hello It’s Me – Todd Rundgren (1973)

 28. Right Down the Line – Gerry Rafferty (1978)

 29. We Just Disagree – Dave Mason (1977)

 30. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) – Michael McDonald (1982)

 31. Minute by Minute – The Doobie Brothers (1978)

 32. Steal Away – Robbie Dupree (1980)

 33. Smoke from a Distant Fire – Sanford-Townsend Band (1977)

 34. This Is It – Kenny Loggins (1979)

 35. Georgy Porgy – Toto (1978)

 36. Sentimental Lady – Bob Welch (1977)

 37. I Go Crazy – Paul Davis (1977)

 38. What You Won’t Do For Love – Bobby Caldwell (1979)

 39. Jackie Blue – The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (1975)

 40. Just The Two Of Us – Grover Washington, Jr. with Bill Withers (1981)

 41. Cool Night – Paul Davis (1981)

 42. Dirty Work – Steely Dan (1972)

 43. Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Elvin Bishop (1976)

 44. Lonely Boy – Andrew Gold (1977)

 45. Still The One – Orleans (1976)

 46. You Are The Woman – Firefall (1976)

 47. I Can't Tell You Why – Eagles (1979) 

 48. Year of the Cat – Al Stewart (1976) 

 49. So Into You – The Atlanta Rhythm Section (1977)

 50. Save It For A Rainy Day – Stephen Bishop (1977)