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The 20 greatest yacht rock songs ever, ranked

27 July 2022, 17:50

By Tom Eames

We can picture it now: lounging on a swish boat as it bobs along the water, sipping cocktails and improving our tan. Oh, and it's the 1980s.

There's only one style of music that goes with this image: Yacht rock.

What is Yacht Rock?

Also known as the West Coast Sound or adult-oriented rock, it's a style of soft rock from between the late 1970s and early 1980s that featured elements of smooth soul, smooth jazz, R&B, funk, rock and disco.

• The 40 greatest disco songs ever, ranked
• The 10 greatest and smoothest ever sax solos, ranked

Although its name has been used in a negative way, to us it's an amazing genre that makes us feel like we're in an episode of Miami Vice wearing shoulder pads and massive sunglasses.

Here are the very best songs that could be placed in this genre:

Player - 'Baby Come Back'

Player - Baby Come Back

Not the reggae classic of the same name, this 1977 track was Player's biggest hit.

After Player disbanded, singer Peter Beckett joined Australia's Little River Band, and he also wrote 'Twist of Fate' for Olivia Newton-John and 'After All This Time' for Kenny Rogers.

Steely Dan - 'FM'

It's tough just choosing one Steely Dan song for this list, but we've gone for this banger.

Used as the theme tune for the 1978 movie of the same name, the song is jazz-rock track, though its lyrics took a disapproving look at the genre as a whole, which was in total contrast to the film's celebration of it. Still, sounds great guys!

Bobby Goldsboro - 'Summer (The First Time)'

Bobby Goldsboro - Summer (The First Time)

A bit of a questionable subject matter, this ballad was about a 17-year-old boy’s first sexual experience with a 31-year-old woman at the beach.

But using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement, this song just screams yacht rock and all that is great about it.

Kenny Loggins - 'Heart to Heart'

Kenny Loggins - Heart To Heart (Official Music Video)

If Michael McDonald is the king of yacht rock, then Kenny Loggins is his trusted advisor and heir to the throne.

This track was co-written with Michael, and also features him on backing vocals. The song is about how most relationships do not stand the test of time, yet some are able to do so.

Airplay - 'Nothing You Can Do About It'

Nothin' You Can Do About It

You might not remember US band Airplay, but they did have their moment on the yacht.

Consisting of David Foster (who also co-wrote the Kenny Loggins song above), Jay Graydon and the brilliantly-named Tommy Funderburk, this tune was a cover of a Manhattan Transfer song, and was a minor hit in 1981.

Boz Scaggs - 'Lowdown'

Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (Official Audio)

We've moved slightly into smooth jazz territory with this track, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The song was co-written by David Paich, who would go on to form Toto along with the song's keyboardist David Paich, session bassist David Hungate, and drummer Jeff Porcaro.

Steve Winwood - 'Valerie'

Steve Winwood - Valerie (Official Video)

This song is probably as far as you can get into pop rock without totally leaving the yacht rock dock.

Legendary singer-songwriter Winwood recorded this gong about a man reminiscing about a lost love he hopes to find again someday.

Eric Prydz later sampled it in 2004 for the house number one track ‘Call on Me’, and presented it to Winwood, who was so impressed he re-recorded the vocals to better fit the track.

Toto - 'Rosanna'

Toto - Rosanna (Official HD Video)

We almost picked 'Africa' , but we reckon this tune just about pips it in the yacht rock game.

Written by David Paich, he has said that the song is based on numerous girls he had known.

As a joke, the band members initially played along with the common assumption that the song was based on actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time and coincidentally had the same name.

Chicago - 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry'

Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry (Official Music Video)

Chicago began moving away from their horn-driven soft rock sound with their early 1980s output, including this synthesizer-filled power ballad.

• The 10 greatest Chicago songs, ranked

The album version segued into a more traditional Chicago upbeat track titled ‘Get Away’, but most radio stations at the time opted to fade out the song before it kicked in. Three members of Toto played on the track. Those guys are yacht rock kings!

Michael Jackson - 'Human Nature'

Michael Jackson - Human Nature (Audio)

A few non-rock artists almost made this list ( George Michael 's 'Careless Whisper' and Spandau Ballet 's 'True' are almost examples, but not quite), yet a big chunk of Thriller heavily relied on the yacht rock sound.

Michael Jackson proved just how popular the genre could get with several songs on the album, but 'Human Nature' is the finest example.

The Doobie Brothers - 'What a Fool Believes'

The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes (Official Music Video)

Possibly THE ultimate yacht rock song on the rock end of the spectrum, and it's that man Michael McDonald.

Written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, this was one of the few non-disco hits in America in the first eight months of 1979.

The song tells the story of a man who is reunited with an old love interest and attempts to rekindle a romantic relationship with her before discovering that one never really existed.

Michael Jackson once claimed he contributed at least one backing track to the original recording, but was not credited for having done so. This was later denied by the band.

Christopher Cross - 'Sailing'

Christopher Cross - Sailing (Official Audio)

We're not putting this in here just because it's called 'Sailing', it's also one of the ultimate examples of the genre.

Christopher Cross reached number one in the US in 1980, and VH1 later named it the most "softsational soft rock" song of all time.

Don Henley - 'The Boys of Summer'

The Boys Of Summer DON HENLEY(1984) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Mike Campbell wrote the music to this track while working on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents album, but later gave it to Eagles singer Don Henley, who wrote the lyrics.

The song is about the passing of youth and entering middle age, and of a past relationship. It was covered twice in the early 2000s: as a trance track by DJ Sammy in 2002, and as a pop punk hit by The Ataris in 2003.

England Dan and John Cord Foley - 'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight'

England Dan & John Ford Coley - I'd Really Love To See You Tonight.avi

A big hit for this duo in 1976, it showcases the very best of the sock rock/AOR/yacht rock sound that the 1970s could offer.

Dan Seals is the younger brother of Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts fame. Which leads to...

Seals & Crofts - 'Summer Breeze'

Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft #1 Hit(1972)

Before The Isley Brothers recorded a slick cover, 'Summer Breeze' was an irresistible folk pop song by Seals & Crofts.

While mostly a folk song, its summer vibes and gorgeous melody make for a perfect yacht rock number.

Christopher Cross - 'Ride Like the Wind'

Ride Like The Wind Promo Video 1980 Christopher Cross

If Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins are in charge of the yacht rock ship, then Christopher Cross has to be captain, right? Cabin boy? Something anyway.

The singer was arguably the biggest success story of the relatively short-lived yacht rock era, and this one still sounds incredible.

Eagles - 'I Can't Tell You Why'

The eagles - I can't tell you why (AUDIO VINYL)

Many Eagles tunes could be classed as yacht rock, but we reckon their finest example comes from this track from their The Long Run album in 1979.

Don Henley described the song as "straight Al Green", and that Glenn Frey, an R&B fan, was responsible for the R&B feel of the song. Frey said to co-writer Timothy B Schmit: "You could sing like Smokey Robinson . Let’s not do a Richie Furay, Poco-sounding song. Let’s do an R&B song."

Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'

Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (Official Video)

Gerry Rafferty probably didn't realise he was creating one of the greatest yacht rock songs of all time when he wrote this, but boy did he.

• The Story of... 'Baker Street'

With the right blend of rock and pop and the use of the iconic saxophone solo, you can't not call this yacht rock at its finest.

Michael McDonald - 'Sweet Freedom'

Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom (1986)

If you wanted to name the king of yacht rock, you'd have to pick Michael McDonald . He could sing the phone book and it would sound silky smooth.

Possibly his greatest solo tune, it was used in the movie  Running Scared , and its music video featured actors Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.

Hall & Oates - 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)'

Daryl Hall & John Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) (Official Video)

This duo knew how to make catchy hit after catchy hit. This R&B-tinged pop tune was co-written with Sara Allen (also the influence for their song 'Sara Smile').

• Hall and Oates' 10 best songs, ranked

John Oates has said that the song is actually about the music business. "That song is really about not being pushed around by big labels, managers, and agents and being told what to do, and being true to yourself creatively."

Not only was the song sampled in De La Soul's 'Say No Go' and Simply Red 's 'Home', but Michael Jackson also admitted that he lifted the bass line for 'Billie Jean'!

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Le destin tragique de Mike Lynch, milliardaire fantasque qui a péri dans le naufrage de son yacht

Lundi 19 août, au large de la Sicile, un phénomène rare a eu des conséquences tragiques. Au dessus de la Méditerranée, dont la température a parfois dépassé les 30 degrés au cours du mois d'août, une masse d'air froide a plongé vers la surface de l'eau, provoquant la formation d'une violente tornade. Pendant quelques minutes, une colonnes d'eau tourbillonnante s'est déplacée à une vitesse irréelle, emportant tout sur son passage.

Trois jours plus tard, après de longues maraudes en pleine mer, les plongeurs secouristes italiens repêchaient plusieurs dépouilles, dont le corps inerte d'un homme de 59 ans. La nouvelle tombe quelques heures plus tard : il s'agit bien de celle de Mike Lynch , l'un des plus riches businessmen du Royaume-Uni. Une fortune évaluée à plusieurs centaines de millions de livres sterling. La nouvelle sidérait les Anglais. Depuis le milieu des années 1990, le visage glabre du redoutable génie de la tech faisait partie du paysage, tantôt pitché en « Bill Gates version British », tantôt moqué par les tabloïds.

Surveiller et punir

Mike Lynch avait fait son entrée sur la scène publique en 1996. Cette année-là, depuis un incubateur situé dans l'université de Cambridge, Mike et ses ingénieurs dévoilaient l'entreprise Autonomy. Ils venaient de développer une technologie révolutionnaire de reconnaissance d'empreintes digitales par ordinateur. La petite firme anglaise avait des années d'avance sur la Silicon Valley. Avec l'essor des technologies de surveillance et des data personnelles, voilà une avancée qui pourraient intéresser les forces de police et autres spécialistes de la sécurité.

Au tournant des années 2000, Mike Lynch devint un homme aussi riche qu'incontournable. Pour le reste du monde, il incarne la « Silicon Fen », nom donné aux entreprises de la tech liées à Cambridge. Peu à peu, l'empire Lynch se constitue : il devient membre du conseil d'administration de la BBC, s'achète une popularité auprès des supporters de Tottenham Hotspur en devenant le sponsor maillot. Et s'implique directement en politique, en fervent conservateur, au côté de David Cameron dont il devient le conseiller IA.

La personnalité du businessman irlandais divise le pays. Passionné de musique, Mike Lynch a lancé sa première entreprise dans les années 1980 grâce à un prêt de 2 000 livres sterling consenti par le manager d'un groupe de rock, pour fabriquer des instruments. Il aime aussi le cinéma. Un peu trop même. Fan de James Bond , il fait baptiser les salles de réunions de son entreprise du nom des membres de l'organisation Spectre. Il n'est lui même pas complètement gentil : en affaires, en tout cas, Mike Lynch est redoutable et s'embarrasse peu du code du travail. Le succès d'Autonomy se construit sur une politique de vente agressive. Chaque année, l'entreprise vire 5% de ses représentants de commerce les moins bons. Et les meilleurs ? « Traités comme des rockstars », affirme le Guardian .

À bord de son yacht à 40 millions, baptisé Bayesian en référence aux problèmes mathématiques qui ont fait sa fortune, le magnat fêtait la fin d'une période sombre de sa vie. Ce 19 août, il était accompagné de ses proches, mais aussi de deux éminents avocats, Jonathan Bloomer , Christopher Morvillo et leurs épouses. Les deux associés de Clifford Chance, l'un des plus grands cabinets d'avocats, fêtaient avec leur client la fin d'un procès rocambolesque.

En 2011, Lynch s'était en effet séparé de son bébé Autonomy pour un montant record de 11 milliards de dollars, au profit de l'entreprise Hewlett-Packard. Mais HP a affirmé que M. Lynch et son associé, Stephen Chamberlain , les avaient trompés sur la santé financière d'Autonomy, ce qui a entraîné des pertes financières massives pour HP. Le procès s'était déroulé devant le tribunal fédéral de San Francisco où Autonomy avait aussi des bureaux. Mike Lynch devait répondre de quinze chefs d'accusation, dont escroquerie en ligne ou conspiration. Mais ses brillants avocats l'ont tiré d'affaire. Le jury l'a déclaré non coupable en mars 2024 de tous les chefs d'accusation. Le milliardaire, toujours menacé par de nouveaux rebondissements et de nouvelles actions menées par HP, venait d'échapper à une lourde peine de prison. Pour ses avocats, c'était l'affaire d'une vie : l'affaire « a couvert un tiers de ma carrière », déclarait Christopher Morvillo, à l'issue du verdict, au podcast For the Defense. « Elle a été une constante dans ma vie au cours des douze dernières années. »

La dernière apparition de Mike Lynch dans la presse britannique date du mois de juin. Quelques semaines avant de partir en vacances en Italie, il avait organisé une grande fête dans sa maison de campagne, près du village de Pettistree, à l'est de Cambridge. Une énorme bâtisse du XVIe siècle, estimée à 7 millions d'euros. Les invités de cette garden-party ressemblaient finalement à la personne qu'était Mike Lynch : on on y trouvait des villageois du coin, des amis de la finance et du monde des affaires et bien sûr, des politiques, dont Lord Deben, membre du parti conservateur, et Thérèse Coffey, ancienne vice-Première ministre. Une invitée a déclaré au DailyMail que Lynch avait souvent l'habitude d'organiser des garden parties pour les habitants et les amis à son domicile. « C'est un homme sympathique, estimait-elle, qui a manifestement beaucoup de succès. Il passe beaucoup de temps à l'extérieur, mais il connaît les gens du village. »

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