15 Comments
User's avatar
Oma Blaise Ford's avatar

I love everything about this, particularly the encouragement to drop the guilt from so-called guilty pleasures. And even if I don't consciously identify as a Yacht Rock fan, so many of these songs do in fact resonate. I was driving to work this morning and just COULD NOT listen to a certain unqualified government poser on the news and so mashed the radio buttons until a station with music clicked in, and who crooned out of the speaker but Al Jarreau trying to tell us we're in this love together. And damn if Loggins doesn't still make me wanna do a weird knee bend dance when "Footloose"* comes on (side note: recently rewatched this movie with my teen, and it's both cool and societally horrifying that the story is still completely relevant today — UGH). Also, give me all the Henley Boys of Summer, and that Lucius cover of "Right Down the Line" is the SH*T. Thank you for this joyfully permissive musical interlude!

*The interwebs tell me that "Footloose" is in fact yacht rock, even if it isn't soft. No idea where the lines lay on this genre, but whatever.

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

The line is wherever you draw it, dear Oma!

Expand full comment
Kym Motley's avatar

Love this! The playlist is a soundtrack to my childhood. So many fond memories listening to Steely Dan and the other artists on the Dockumentary. :-)

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

Same here, Kym, same here. 🪩

Expand full comment
DamVoff's avatar

The Dan!!

Expand full comment
Elizabeth G. Howard's avatar

Yes! Also can I get a shout out to Air Supply, Makin Love Outta Nothin at All? I can’t help myself!!

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

You can sing yourself hoarse with that one!

Expand full comment
Julie Stone's avatar

Sold!!! I’ll be watching this ASAP!! Thanks for this- it was a gem!!

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

Babe, let’s go skating

Expand full comment
Julie Stone's avatar

I cannot think of a better way to spend an afternoon!!

Expand full comment
Elizabeth G. Howard's avatar

Also did you see the CBS Sunday Morning story about the 11 yo who loves Michael McDonald music? Ofc she’s from Iowa

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/michael-mcdonald-11-year-old-superfan-pop-idol-des-moines-iowa/

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

I did not!

Expand full comment
Jennifer Wilson's avatar

“Is your best friend Christopher Cross?” “Well, he’s one of my best friends.”

Expand full comment
Wini Moranville's avatar

OMG. As I was reading this, I thought, “playlist, please!” And there it was. Thank you. Going on a long road trip soon. This will rock. Well, yacht-ly, at least.

Also, this: “Memories so ordinary, I wonder why my mind holds on to them.”

Yes. Sometimes I think about the 10 most beautiful moments in my life, and they’re always quite ordinary. Like: Waking up to a boy’s arms around me after I fell asleep on the bus on a high school band trip. Never a boyfriend, just that kind of boy. Things like that.

This is just wonderful.

Expand full comment
Amy A.'s avatar

Great article and review of this film. I didn’t know about it and actually now am curious to see it. And psyched for the playlist!

🌻

Expand full comment