It’s hard not to smile while listening to yacht rock. It’s a genre defined by Merriam-Webster as “a type of rock music from the 1970s/1980s that is usually mellow, polished, and jazz-influenced”. Fortunately, it’s a style that still remains popular today. Interestingly, the term “yacht rock” didn’t actually occur until decades later, in 2005. Still, the 1970s have plenty of feel-good yacht rock songs, including these three classics.
“Saturday In The Park” by Chicago
In 1972, Chicago released “Saturday In The Park”. On their Chicago V record, “Saturday In The Park” is written by band member Robert Lamm.
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“Saturday In The Park” says, “Saturday in the park / I think it was the Fourth of July / Saturday in the park / I think it was the Fourth of July / People dancing, people laughing / A man selling ice cream / Singing Italian songs.”
Lamm based “Saturday In The Park” on real-life events. He wrote the song after looking at footage of film that he took in Central Park over the period of a few years.
“I shot this film,” Lamm explains. “Somewhere down the line, I edited it into some kind of a narrative. And as I watched the film, I jotted down some ideas based on what I was seeing and had experienced. And it was really kind of that peace and love thing that happened in Central Park and in many parks all over the world. Perhaps on a Saturday, where people just relax and enjoy each other’s presence, and the activities we observe and the feelings we get from feeling a part of a day like that.”
“Still The One” by Orelans
On Waking And Dreaming, Orleans’ fourth studio album, is “Still The One”. Their most successful single, The Top 5 hit was written by John Hall and Johanna Hall.
The breezy song says, “You’re still the one / I want to talk to in bed / Still the one / That turns my head / We’re still having fun / And you’re still the one.”
“Summer Breeze” by Seals & Crofts
There may not be a better yacht rock song than “Summer Breeze”. The duo, made up of Jim Seals and Dash Croft, made “Summer Breeze” the title track of their 1972 sophomore record.
Their first Top 5 single, “Summer Breeze” is one of Seals & Crofts’ biggest hits. The song says, “See the curtains hangin’ in the window / In the evening on a Friday night. A little light a-shinin’ through the window / Lets me know everything’s all right / Summer breeze makes me feel fine / Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind / Summer breeze makes me feel fine / Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind.”
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