Yacht-Pop

Although the only artist we can think of squarely in this category is Nick Drake. Any other suggestions of what to listen to while cruising through the canals and locks of the British waterways?

(houseboat folk: i'd say the incredible string band. or the holy modal rounders?)

Maybe they're both a bit too weird... I was thinking of folk with a jazzy element and/or smooth string-laden production. Perhaps Davy Graham? I could see playing Angi and Ballad of a Sad Young Man on my houseboat...

Though in (Iffley Lock) reality (before they all got evicted) such people listen to Beverley Craven and Van Morrison.

Chicago - Colour My World
Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind
James Taylor - Fire and Rain
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Mr. Bojangles
Brewer and Shipley - One Toke Over the Line
Elton John - Daniel
Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes
Jim Croce - Time In a Bottle
Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze
Todd Rundgren - Hello It's Me
Albert Hammond - It Never Rains in Southern California
Carly Simon - You're So Vain
Chicago - Just You 'N' Me
Jim Croce - I'll Have to Say I Love You
Chicago - (I've Been) Searchin' So Long
Chicago - Call on Me
Chicago - Wishing You Were Here
Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown
Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun
Al Stewart - Year of the Cat
Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue
Sammy Johns - Chevy Van
Boz Scaggs - Low Down
Dr. Hook - When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman
Gary Wright - Dream Weaver
Seals and Crofts - Get Closer
Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight
10cc - The Things We Do For Love
Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good
Paul Davis - I Go Crazy
Al Stewart - Time Passages
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line
Kenny Loggins - Whenever I Call You Friend
Little River Band - Reminiscing
Player - Baby Come Back
Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
Herb Alpert - Rise
Quincy Jones & James Ingram - One Hundred Ways
Robbie Dupree - Steal Away
Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
Al Jarreau - We're in This Love Together
Paul Davis - Cool Night
Al Jarreau - Mornin'

S'like Time-Life's doctor's office collection. Hell, that Carley Simon track opens with a line about a yacht.

Here's the old playlist:
Lady Love - Jon Lucien
Help Me - Joni Mitchell
You Make Me Dance - Grover Washington Jr.
Angela (theme from Taxi) - Bob James
Hello Like Before - Bill Withers
Half Forgotten Daydreams - John Cameron
Baby (1971) - Os Mutantes
Honolulu City Lights - Keola & Kapono Beamer
Mystic Voyage - Roy Ayers
Mystic Brew - Ronnie Foster
Pretty Bird - Terea
Haunted House - Lee Oskar
How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
Are You Going With Me? - Pat Methany Group

The three of these are so utterly, totally, OTM I'm amazed none of them have shown up in the Yacht Rock shows to date, not even as incidental or transitional music. Not so sure on Albert Hammond though - I think he kind of loses the smooth on the chorus. It's a great song, but from a sailor's point of view it's too much rock, not enough yacht.

Jackie Blue is the only song that should be removed from my list.

Particularly memorable was Pretty Bird, which I rather admired for its determination to get every last possible lyric from the 'bird in a cage' metaphor. I also dug the fantastically un-spooky Haunted House. "You remind me of a haunted house I once was in" - is that some kind of Peter Venkman pick-up line?

I drew the lina at How Deep Is Your Love, however!

I admit I haven't heard the entirety of "Jackie Blue" in a long time. All I can picture in my ears is the "ooh-hooo, Jackie Blue..." stuff which is smooth as can be. Now that I think about it though, there might be some wailin' guitar stuff going on - sort of a Moody Blues/BOC thing? Yeah, I guess it's out. But "It Never Rains"...just has too much of a stomp and a shout-along-chorusness to it. It also sounds much more like a 60s piece of work to me.

Their nexus was Mojo Goldberg's boathouse at the marina in Hilton Head.

This concept is going to need some more articulation. I'm not entirely sure I imagine Southern Yacht Rock as a genre rallying around a Jewish music mogul on the coast - although I don't mean to assign anti-semitism to any specific bands. Hilton Head may be the wrong angle too - I picture these bands forming at marinas on Rural Electrification lakes further inland - Lake Lanier, maybe? Pontoon boats, Bud Lite, and country-fried sensibilities, but still a humble, sweet joy for the peace that can only be found out on the water. Oh, the fiberglass can do miracles...

Houseboat Rock maybe could be the name...rock to bass fish to

The specter of Buffett loomsover the whole genre. Thematically, he's got the goods, but too much of his music is too raucous. The man was very seldom smooth. "Come Monday" is pretty much in the sweet spot, though.

Maybe he could be the Loggins-like turncoat/agent of temptation.