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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 153:  Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show - When You’re in Love With a Beautiful Woman

Reaching #6 on the US pop charts, and #5 on the adult contemporary charts, Dr. Hook’s 1979 hit was released on two of their albums.  First, on 1978’s Pleasure and Pain, and then again, after it became a hit, on 1979’s A Little Bit More.  The song was produced by their longtime producer Ron Haffkine and written by Even Stevens, who also wrote songs for Kenny Rogers and Eddie Rabbit.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 152: Beach Boys - Sail On, Sailor

In 1973, the Beach Boys contributed this tune to the growing number of sailing-themed pop songs.  It wasn’t their first though, as you’ll surely remember their classic 1966 hit, “Sloop John B.”  This song didn’t fare quite as well on the charts, only reaching #79 upon it’s initial release in the US.  It was released again as a single in 1975 and fared a bit better, reaching #49 on the US pop charts.  The song was a last minute addition to their album Holland, after Warner Brothers felt the originally submitted version of the album was missing a single.  The song was written by Brian Wilson, Ray Kennedy, Tandyn Almer, Jack Rieley, and Van Dyke Parks, although Wilson’s actual involvement in the track has been questioned.  Wilson also was not involved in the recording of the song, which features new band member Blondie Chaplin on lead vocals.  Brian’s younger brother Carl produced the song.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 151: Atlanta Rhythm Section - Do It Or Die

The first single from their sixth album, Underdog, “Do It Or Die” reached #19 on the US pop charts and #11 on the adult contemporary charts.  This was the first ARS album to feature new drummer Roy Yeager, who replaced Robert Nix in 1978.  Buddy Buie produced the 1979 single and co-wrote it alongside band members J.R. Cobb and Ronnie Hammond.  The album was again recorded in Doraville, Georgia at Studio One.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 150: Spandau Ballet - True

New Romantic band Spandau Ballet had their biggest hit in the US when this slice of blue-eyed soul hit #4 in 1983. The title track of their third studio album, the song was written by band leader Gary Kemp and produced by the duo of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain who also produced albums for Bananarama, Diana Ross and Wang Chung.  This was one of only 3 US Top 40 hits for the band, though they had a nearly decade long string of hits in the UK.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 149: Lionel Richie - Stuck On You

Lionel donned a cowboy hat for the cover of this fourth single from his Can’t Slow Downalbum.  The country-tinged pop song reached #1 on the adult contemporary charts, #3 on the pop charts, and #24 on the country charts here in the US.  Lionel wrote the song and produced it alongside long-time collaborator James Anthony Carmichael who also worked with Diana Ross, the Jackson 5 and more.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 148: Huey Lewis & The News - If This Is It

The fourth single from their #1 album Sports, “If This Is It” reached #6 on the US pop charts and #5 on the adult contemporary charts in 1984.  The song was written by Huey and guitarist Johnny Colla.  Sportswas the band’s third album and biggest selling to date, being certified 7x platinum.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 147: Toto - I’ll Be Over You

The band Toto scored another hit in late 1986 when their single “I’ll Be Over You” hit #11 on the US pop charts and #1 on the adult contemporary chart.  Michael McDonald sings back up on the track and also appears in the music video.  The song was written by band member Steve Lukather and Randy Goodrum, who has also written songs for Chicago, Steve Perry and England Dan and John Ford Coley.  The song is taken from Toto’s gold-selling album Fahrenheit, the band’s sixth studio album.

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366 Days of Yacht Rock

Day 146: Pablo Cruise - A Place in the Sun

The title track from Pablo Cruise’s 1977 album A Place In The Sunbarely missed the top 40, peaking at #42 on the US pop charts that same year.  The song was written by band members Bud Cockrell and Corey Lerios and produced by Bill Schnee, who also worked with Boz Scaggs and Huey Lewis & The News.  Later in 1977 Bud Cockrell would leave the band to start a music partnership with his wife Pattie Santos.  He passed away in 2010.