There is only one way to describe the incredible song and lyrics of Baby Come Back from Player. Pure Gold. When this song hit the charts in 1977, it not only established Player as the newest member of the 70’s soft rock era, it brought us a song that would span the decades in the category of absolute smooth music. This song keeps coming back, generation after generation. Ask your kids, they will know this one. You can’t help singing the falsetto portions while in the car and you know all the words. Pure Gold.

The song hit the charts in later 1977 and by January 1978 it was the #1 hit on the US Billboard charts and the Canadian charts. The group had one more Yacht Rock classic, This Time I’m in it For Love (which deserves it’s own review at some point) but almost nothing else. The song speaks to the pain that someone feels after a breakup with their love. It speaks to people and touches them lyrically. Who needs more than a #1 smash hit that spans the decades and will live forever?

The group split up by 1982 and never was to be seen again, and they haven’t been touring the casinos of the US keeping the dream alive. The song keeps “coming back” in the form of commercials and in movies in dramatic relationship moments. You may recall it being used in the first Transformer movie and in a classic Swiffer Wetjet commercial. Listen to it in it’s original studio form and try to not sing the chorus.

Comment along and let me know what your favourite Yacht Rock song is. Agree or disagree but either way we will rewind some great soft rock.

Marco

This song was truly made for the Yacht Rock high seas. Bertie Higgins hit the scene and dropped an instant classic upon us and one that once you hear it, you can forget the lyrics. On top of the fact that Bertie has no idea that he was the man in 1981 rolling around with his high collar, bare chested, gold chained machoism. Not only did he write great Yacht Rock songs, he lived them. Soak this in:

The song revolves around the setting for the 1948 film Casablanca filmed in Key Largo and his previous failed romance in the same area. He says that the songs was a plea for her to return to him and his report was that it was successful. The song hit #8 on the US Billboard charts in 1981 and was #3 in the Canadian charts. It was ranked one of the greatest “One-hit Wonders” of the 1980’s even though his other hit Just Another Day in Paradise also hit #10 on the US charts the following year.

Fun fact: Bertie became fast friends with Burt Reynolds who loved his music (and likely his swagger) and groomed him for screen writing movies. They remained lifelong friends.He has become a well covered artist with many popular artists including Tina Turner adopting his songs into their concert repertoire. The greatest compliment of all is that you can’t think of a another song that rings the names “just like Bogie and Bacall….” into a song. Listen to it in it’s original form and don’t be afraid to admit you love it. Here’s looking’ at you kid…

If you just love Bertie Higgins or his hit Key Largo, let us know. We are looking for classic Yacht Rock songs to rewind for your enjoyment.

Enjoy Key Largo.

Marco

 

 

The next episode of Yacht Rock Rewindables brings us another of my absolute favourites. There are Yacht Rock songs and then there are songs that stop you in your tracks. Robbie Dupree’s singular hit, Steal Away is one of those songs to me.

One of my favourite topics is around the Greatest one hit Yacht Rock wonders. Here’s where I place them:

1. Steal Away – Robbie Dupree
2. Magnet and Steel – Walter Egan
3. Who’ll be the Fool Tonight – Larsen-Feiten Band
4. Chevy Van – Sammy Johns
5. Who’s Right Who’s Wrong – Pages

Somewhere along the path, they will all end up rewinded here but today let’s hit Steal Away.

Dupree’s one Billboard hit reached #6 on the US charts and #14 on the Canadian charts in 1980. The song represents a proposition from him towards a girl. He asks her to steal away into the night after he catches a glance at her. Of interest, Dupree did not have a recording contract when he made the song. He sent in a demo tape of 5 songs and a studio liked what they heard and offered him a contract. That was a big improvement from his job of hauling carpet around Los Angeles.

The song was ranked #64 in the top 100 one-hit wonders of the 80’s. It upbeat melody helps it bolt along and resonates with you after it’s done. He continues to roam the country playing his song with Yacht Rock Revue and it continues to bring audiences to the show. Enjoy the song the way it was played in the studio.

Let us know what you think here. Yacht Rock classic or not? We love to hear what you think and what you would like to hear us review in upcoming episodes.

Marco

I had some good feedback on other favourite Yacht Rock songs that people have adopted in the past years. I look forward to reviewing them all at some point. For today, I needed to get one of my personal favourites on the board. The rock group Ambrosia was formed in 1970 in Los Angeles and over the late 70’s and early 80’s they hit the Billboard charts hard with 5 top 40 hits and 2 that went into the top 5. These guys are one of my favourite Yacht Rock staple groups and expect to see other hits reviewed along the way. Today we rewind their smash hit Biggest Part of Me from April 1980 and played live on The Midnight Special in June of 1980.

Ambrosia hit it big with their 1980 album One Eighty and Biggest Part of Me was the 9th song on that album. This singled a 180 degree turn for the band from its previous style and set them off into the new decade of music. The sweet sounds come from the 4 man band made up from David Pack – vocalist, Joe Puerta – bassist, Christopher North – keyboardist and Burleigh Drummond – drummer. In the groups later years, Bruce Hornsby joined the band to add a second keyboardist and background vocals, before he started his own band called The Range.

The song rose on the US Billboard all the way to #3 in mid-1980 while it hit #18 on the Canadian charts. The song is about a guy who adores a woman in his life and is prepared to give her everything. What better way to create a syrupy Ballard than to tell his girl that he in incomplete without her and pledge himself to her onwards. David Pack wrote the framework for this song while waiting for his family to get ready for a vacation and hammered out most of the work in 10 minutes as inspiration hit him.

This song was a staple at early 80’s weddings and is still widely regarded as one of the classic Yacht Rock songs in any playlist. It’s one of my top 5 and I choose to enjoy it in its studio form here. Enjoy Biggest Part of Me in its studio form.

Those who know me, know about my sick addiction for the soft, sticky hits of the late 70’s and early 80’s renamed “Yacht Rock”. I always had a deep seeded love for this music but until JD Ryznar, Hunter Stair, Dave Lyons and Lane Farnham dubbed this genre of music as Yacht Rock, I had never pulled it all together. When this music is played together in a sequence on on a channel (like on SiriusXM) it becomes pure gold. Before we explore the genre, we need to establish what my parameters are for this music:

1. The music has to come from the years 1975-1983. There are a few exceptions to this rule but largely after 1983 the music became more pop and synthetic.
2. It must be smooth sounding. Easy to say but hard to do but there is no need for synthesizers and yelling.
3. The lyrics carry the song and tell the story. No exception to the rule.
4. The songs are catchy and have tempo but ultimately must feel like a song you could listen to while riding the waves.

There are scales that rate and rank these songs (like Yacht or Nyacht) and do a great job of it but ultimately you should just enjoy the music and learn to love the genre. In Yacht Rock Rewindables, we will hit on my favourites and look forward to your comments.

I Keep Forgettin’ – Michael McDonald 1982

Years later, the Doobie Brothers have become the quintessential 70’s groove music and after its lead singer went solo in the early 80’s he turned out this Yacht Rock gem. The song hit #4 on the US Billboard charts that year and #5 on the Canadian charts and was a bona fide chart topper.

The song is amazing, hits the right groove and epitomizes who Michael McDonald was to become. It’s a song that tells the story of a man who refuses to accept that his relationship is over and the pain that it causes him. He added the song to his solo debut album If That’s What it Takes and his sister Maureen sings background vocals on the song. Enjoy it in its true sound from You Tube:

Tell us what you think here and add your suggestions for more Yacht Rock songs to be added to this channel. Follow along at www.reppinthe403.com

Marco