You’ve left the harbor and your Yacht Rock party is starting to go next level. There’s a cool breeze over the ocean and you can hear the cool sounds of Styx in the background.
The bearded man in the captain’s hat now stands at the bow of the boat, arms extended, and shouts like he’s the king of the world. And guess what? He is. So let’s press forward with our Top 100 Yacht Rock songs countdown and see what lies ahead.
Did you miss out on the other editions of the TOP 100 YACHT ROCK SONGS? Read them all here!
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #91-100
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #81-90
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #71-80
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #61-70
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #51-60
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #41-50
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #31-40
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #21-30
Let’s continue our countdown of the Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs with #71-80:
80. “Hello It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
“Hello It’s Me” takes us through an awkward breakup phone call with a girl, except this time it’s the guy who still wants to be friends. What makes the breakup so awkward is that he actually wants to give the girl her “freedom” which makes it sound more like a hostage situation than a loving relationship.
But I guess if you’ve been dating someone who looked like Liv Tyler wearing David Bowie makeup then you’d probably consider yourself a hostage too.
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when the former owner of your boat calls and wants to take it for “one last voyage.”
BEST USE IN POP CULTURE
Paul Giamatti’s character in Duets “sings” “Hello It’s Me” in a karaoke bar. And yes, “sings” is in quotes for a reason.
BEST LYRIC
“You know that I’d be with you if I could.
I’ll come around to see you once in a while,
or if I ever need a reason to smile.
And spend the night if you think I should.”
Or in other words “Yeah, I think we should break up, but maybe still sleep together sometimes.”
79. “Steppin’ Out” – Joe Jackson
Want to meet one of the smoothest brothas in New York? Well, look no further than Joe Jackson, the piano-playi…
…WAIT, WHAAA? This guy isn’t black?! I haven’t been this deceived by a singer’s voice since Rick Astley.
I genuinely felt bad for the maid in the video. She was forced to work instead of enjoying a night on the town, while her boss hooks up with the man of her dreams despite wearing an inflatable Missy Elliot suit from the Supa Dupa Fly video.
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when you’ve snuck out your parent’s new boat at 2 am for a joy ride around the harbor.
BEST USE IN POP CULTURE
“Steppin’ Out” appeared in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, so it’s probably one of your 13-year old son’s favorite songs.
BEST LYRIC
“You,
Can dress in pink and blue just like a child.
And in a yellow taxi turn to me and smile.”
No seriously, guy who looks like James Bond – you chose the girl wearing the garbage bag over the one in the maid’s uniform. What is wrong with you?
78. “Come Sail Away” – Styx
Some say the lyrics to “Come Sail Away” are a reference to a Bible verse in Ezekiel that talks about “a large cloud” appearing to Ezekiel that “gives him instructions from God.” And apparently the instructions were to take off alone on the open sea. Bad advice, God.
Others believe the figure Ezekiel saw was not a messenger sent from God, but a UFO or a time machine from the future. So it looks like Styx’s fascination with space extends way beyond their Mr. Roboto song.
Listen to “Come Sail Away” by Styx:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when you’ve been lost at sea for several weeks and you finally spot dry land.
BEST USE IN POP CULTURE
Spoiled South Park brat Eric Cartman covered “Come Sail Away” for Chef Aid: The South Park Album, and it is awesome.
The song was also used in an episode where Eric tries to learn the identity of his real father, only to find out it’s his mother, who apparently is a…well, let’s just say “it’s complicated.”
BEST LYRIC
“I thought that they were angels, but to my surprise,
They climbed aboard their starship, and headed for the skies.”
Those were NOT angels. Those were pirates…who could fly.
77. “So Into You” – Atlanta Rhythm Section
Atlanta Rhythm Section was pretty dang popular in the Southern states back in the late 70s, but not so much nationwide. Maybe it’s because they chose to fly the Confederate flag at their concerts just like their way more popular Southern Rock counterparts Lynyrd Skynyrd did.
Perhaps if they carved out their own niche and stopped trying to copy other groups they could have been more successful. Like, how awesome would it have been for them to team up with Sugar Hill Gang and “put a stop to racism” or something? Then we never would have had to hear that awful Brad Paisley/LL Cool J song.
The song itself is about one-sided love that is unreturned, so it was probably written by their bass player.
Sorry bro, but if you had been born like 30 years later you would have DOMINATED World of Warcraft.
Listen to “So Into You” by Atlanta Rhythm Section:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when that girl you really like accepts your invitation for a two-week cruise…and brings her boyfriend with her.
BEST USE IN POP CULTURE
“So Into You” was included on the soundtrack to 2010’s The Fighter, starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. You would have thought the song would have more commercial success since Wahlberg’s character was dating an “MTV Girl.”
BEST LYRIC
“When you walked into the room,
There was voodoo in the vibes.”
If more relationships were built upon magic, the world would be a better place.
76. “Superstar” – The Carpenters
The song is about the perspective of an obsessive groupie who yearns for the attention of some rock star. It would be the modern-day equivalent of someone begging their favorite celebrity to follow them on Twitter. However, this girl thinks she has a special bond with him since they slept together. What she doesn’t realize is that same rock star most likely slept with about 50 other girls that same day.
Listen to “Superstar” by The Carpenters:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when you hire Yacht Rock Revue to play for your sister’s 21st birthday boat bash and she hooks up with all the band members.
BEST USE IN POP CULTURE
In the movie Tommy Boy, Chris Farley and David Spade cried their eyes out listening to “Superstar” before the hood of their car flips up into the windshield.
BEST LYRIC
“Loneliness is such a sad affair,
And I can hardly wait to BE with you again.”
In the original version of this song, it says “And I can hardly wait to SLEEP with you again,” but it was considered too lyrically risqué for The Carpenters’ image. When the Carpenters’ version became a hit, Bette Midler dissed Karen Carpenter and mocked her wholesome image. Midler had previously sung “Superstar” on The Tonight Show, so maybe a little jealousy happenin’ there.
75. “Cool Night” – Paul Davis
Did you know that Paul Davis survived a shooting in Nashville, Tennessee in 1986? He was leaving a hotel with a lady friend when he was mugged and shot him in the abdomen.
That sounds like a very UNcool night.
Listen to “Cool Night” by Paul Davis:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when the breeze is blowing, and all you can hear is the sound of crashing waves and seagulls as you watch the sunset.
BEST USES IN POP CULTURE
Apparently no one thought “Cool Night” was, well…cool enough, but here’s Paul Davis performing on Solid Gold.
BEST LYRIC
“It’s gonna be a cool night.
Just let me hold you by the firelight.
If it don’t feel right you can go.”
“Or you could stay, but I must warn you that when we leave you might get shot at.”
74. “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” – Chicago
You have a lot to live up to when you name your band after one of the largest cities in the United States, so one can understand the concern when Chicago replaced a primarily “rock” sound with “pianos and pop ballads” on “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.” That might be worse than losing at home to the Packers.
But that wasn’t the only thing Chicago got rid of. This song also marked the departure of using Roman numerals in their album titles.
Way to go, Cetera, you just pissed off the entire Roman Empire.
Listen to “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” by Chicago:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…just after you drove too close and thrashed the side of your neighbor’s boat.
BEST USES IN POP CULTURE
“Hard to Say I’m Sorry” was featured in the 1982 movie Summer Lovers, the story of an American couple who engage in a threesome relationship with some French chick they met in the Greek Islands. Because, truthfully it is quite hard to say you’re “sorry” if everyone is consenting, I guess.
Peter Gallagher was “OC” way before he was even on The OC.
BEST LYRIC
“After all that’s been said and done,
You’re just a part of me I can’t let go.”
…says the guy in the threesome.
73. “Time Passages” – Al Stewart
Hey, Al Stewart…your thoughts?
“I have never really cared for this song. I know it was a big hit and all that, but I didn’t realize truly how bad a song it was until one day I was in an elevator. About 30 seconds went by, and I finally began to recognize it and said to myself, ‘This sounds pretty horrible.’ Then, horror of horrors, I heard my voice come on, it was actually ‘Time Passages!’ So I’m thinking, ‘What have I done? This is terrible!’ “
Thank you. Carry on.
Listen to “Time Passages” by Al Stewart:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…once you’ve docked on that same deserted island you grew up on.
BEST USES IN POP CULTURE
Maybe if Al Stewart had a better attitude about this song, then “Time Passages” could have been used in a Cheerios commercial or something. Instead, we’re forced to watch him sing it live – lisp and all.
BEST LYRIC
“Well I’m not the kind to live in the past.
The years run too short and the days too fast.”
Which is probably why Al still has performed the song for the past 35 years.
72. “What You Won’t Do For Love” – Bobby Caldwell
When “What You Won’t Do For Love” was released on R&B radio, Bobby Caldwell’s record company did their best to hide Caldwell’s true identity so as to not alienate his predominantly black audience. However, this became a huge problem when Caldwell began making live performances on stage, but luckily it only made him more popular.
“Hey, that dude sound black!” said the audience.
So congratulations, Bobby Caldwell. You are now the most known artist known for being white and yet sounding black (Sorry, Joe Jackson). Even more astonishing was his popularity in Japan, but then again David Hasselhoff is like a god in Germany, so there’s that.
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when you let your girlfriend steer despite her crashing her past three boats into the shore.
BEST USES IN POP CULTURE
Rapper 2Pac sampled this song in “Do For Love,” but the video – a mix of 80s Saturday morning cartoon animation and claymation – is something to behold.
BEST LYRIC
“My friends wonder what is wrong with me.
Well I’m in a daze from your love, you see.”
[cough] [cough] whipped [cough]
71. “Waiting For A Girl Like You” – Foreigner
You’re not going to get any political or social commentary songs from Foreigner, but you will get TONS of songs dealing with relationships and emotions. If you needed a power ballad in the 80s, then look no further.
Legend has it that lead singer Lou Gramm saw a beautiful, mysterious woman who appeared in the control room when he was recording “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and gave him the inspiration he needed to get into “super power ballad” mode. He later wrote that “this ephemeral beauty vanished, and he has never discerned her identity.”
“Yes, of course I was talking about you,” said Gramm to his first wife, Roseanne.
Listen to “Waiting For A Girl Like You” by Foreigner:
BEST TIME TO LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR YACHT IS…
…when you’re sailing at night and think you see a beautiful, mysterious woman in the distance on the shore, waving to you and calling your name.
BEST USES IN POP CULTURE
“Waiting For A Girl Like You” was featured in the Broadway musical (and movie) Rock of Ages when Drew and Sherrie start to fall in love.
And then they break up and she becomes a stripper.
BEST LYRIC
“Sometimes I don’t know what I will find.
I only know it’s a matter of time.”
It doesn’t matter who you fall in love with, it just matters that it’s soon.
Check out past editions of the TOP 100 YACHT ROCK SONGS OF ALL-TIME:
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #91-100
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #81-90
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #71-80
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #61-70
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #51-60
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #41-50
Top 100 Yacht Rock Songs – #31-40
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Atlanta Rhythm Section had the Ga. flag on some album covers. Roy Orbisons “Candymen” became “Classics 5” with “Spooky” and several other chart busters. They evolved into A.R.S. , who didn’t conform to a stereotype southern rock group. More hit singles than any southern group. There closer to Tom Petty than the Allmans. Songwriter Buddy Buie broke some records of his own. Paul Goddard lived in a time when we didn’t care what he looked like. They may have been more popular if they had compromised little more. Barry Bailey was my hero.