February 4, 2011 Playlist

Yacht Rock!
The Godfathers of Yacht Rock
"Crosby Stills & Nash" by Crosby Stills & Nash (1969)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Crosby Stills & Nash  "Crosby Stills & Nash"  1969 (USA/UK)
This month's special is a tongue-in-cheek salute to "yacht rock" -- the smooth aquatic-themed sounds that dominated radio during the 1970's.  I would argue that the origination point of this trend was the debut album by Crosby Stills & Nash, which is among the most influential cornerstone albums of its era.  Adopted as icons by "the Woodstock Nation", CSN led the movement away from "heavy rock" towards a smoother, more adult-oriented sound.  Though immensely popular, the group also generated an immediate backlash based on the (probably accurate) perception that they were spoiled millionaire hypocrites only playing at being revolutionaries, as this interesting piece from Rolling Stone magazine from 1970 shows.  And more specifically on the "yacht" theme -- Crosby, Stills and Paul Kantner from the Jefferson Airplane wrote the utopian hippie anthem "Wooden Ships" while sailing on Crosby's yacht (though the most famous version is the one on this LP, the Jefferson Airplane version was actually released first.)  This song, which equates sailboating with being "free and easy", launched the era of seaborne escapist pop songs.  And every CSN album since has included at least one song about sailing . . .
The centerpiece of this album is Stills' "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", an acoustic epic featuring the group's famous three-part harmonies.  The other hit single from this album is Nash's "Marrakesh Express" (performed here by the duo of Crosby & Nash -- which lasted longer and recorded more albums than the full trio or the quartet version including Neil Young.)  Next, here's CSN playing the song that started the yacht rock revolution, "Wooden Ships", as well as providing the name for contemporary San Francisco band Wooden Shjips.  Some of the smooth acts that set sail in CSN's wake include soundalikes America and boating balladeer Christopher Cross.  The smooth pop scene also inspired an amusing web series called Yacht Rock, though it places the focus on Michael McDonald from The Doobie Brothers and makes Hall & Oates (!?) into the primary rivals of the yacht gang.
 
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
Wooden Shjips Aquarian Time Dos 2009 USA
Jefferson Airplane Wooden Ships (by David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Paul Kantner) Volunteers 1969 USA
The Ides Of March Wooden Ships (CSN/Jefferson Airplane)
  / Dharma For One (Jethro Tull)
Vehicle 1970 USA
Crosby Stills & Nash Wooden Ships (by David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Paul Kantner) Crosby Stills & Nash
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969 USA/UK
 
 
Crosby Stills & Nash Pre-Road Downs (by Graham Nash) Crosby Stills & Nash
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969 USA/UK
Crosby Stills & Nash Lady Of The Island (by Graham Nash) Crosby Stills & Nash
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969 USA/UK
Crosby Stills Nash & Young The Lee Shore (by David Crosby - live) Four Way Street 1971 USA/UK
/Canada
The Stills-Young Band Midnight On The Bay (by Neil Young) Long May You Run 1976 USA/Canada
The Stills-Young Band Black Coral (by Stephen Stills) Long May You Run 1976 USA/Canada
The Stills-Young Band Ocean Girl (by Neil Young) Long May You Run 1976 USA/Canada
 
 
Grand Funk Railroad I'm Your Captain (Closer To Home) Closer To Home 1970 USA
Hot Tuna Sea Child Burgers 1972 USA
Jimi Hendrix Pali Gap Rainbow Bridge rec. 1970, rel. 1971 USA
Flo & Eddie Nikki Hoi The Phlorescent Leech & Eddie 1972 USA
 
 
The Beatles Yellow Submarine Revolver 1966 UK
KISS Torpedo Girl Unmasked 1980 USA
Skintones All Hail Poseidon Rock Scene Problem 2003 USA
The B-52's Rock Lobster The B-52's 1979 USA
The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1983 . . . (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) Electric Ladyland 1968 USA/UK
   
 
Donovan Atlantis Barabajagal 1969 UK (Scotland)
Parliament Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop) The Motor Booty Affair 1978 USA
The Isley Brothers Voyage To Atlantis Go For Your Guns 1977 USA
   
 
Nektar A Tab In The Ocean A Tab In The Ocean 1972 UK/Germany
Robert Wyatt Sea Song Rock Bottom 1974 UK
   
 
Neil Young Sail Away Rust Never Sleeps 1979 Canada
David Crosby & Graham Nash . . . To The Last Whale
  a. Critical Mass
  b. Wind On The Water
Wind On The Water 1975 USA/UK
The Blues Magoos Sea Breeze Express Gulf Coast Bound 1970 USA
   
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