Yacht Rock Friday, Week 4

Here's the latest in our series of smooth summertime hits!

We’re in the fourth week of Yacht Rock Fridays, and here are three more hits that are perfect for summer.

“Baby Come Back,” Player

I’ve called this song the best Hall & Oates song that Hall & Oates didn’t write or record. It was the only big hit for British-American band Player, but it topped the charts and has had enough staying power to be popular 45 years later.

What is it about this song that makes it such a classic? Is it the vocals? The production? I think it’s one of those cases where the sum is greater than the parts. Just enjoy it!

“What a Fool Believes” the Doobie Brothers

There probably hasn’t been a band that underwent such a drastic change in their sound and stayed successful like the Doobie Brothers did. The Brothers morphed from a more straightforward rock sound to a smoother, more soulful style with the addition of keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter Michael McDonald.

On the surface, “What a Fool Believes” is simply a perfect pop tune, but if you really give the lyrics a listen, it’s a devastating story song in which you wind up feeling sorry for both of the people involved.

Don’t want to dig too deep into the lyrics? It’s bouncy and fun enough for surface-level listening.

“Breezin’,” George Benson

We’ll close this week out on an instrumental note. For the longest time I thought this was Love Unlimited Orchestra because it seems to mine the same territory as Barry White’s lush music.

Instead, jazz guitarist George Benson takes us on a smooth musical journey. Just close your eyes and go along with him.

Photo by Gentrit Murati on Unsplash