CoronaVinyl Day 58 (Yacht Rock): One Eighty by Ambrosia

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The term "yacht rock" didn't really originate until 2005, thanks to a web series named Yacht Rock that following the fictionalized lives of '70s and '80s soft rock stars.  It was originally used condescendingly -- as kind of a knock on the kind of music soft yuppies might listen to on their yachts -- but it has since gained acceptance as a term to describe adult-oriented rock (not to be confused with album-oriented rock) of the mid '70s to the mid '80s.  Basically, it was catchy, polished, relatively cheesy, sometimes jazzy or R&B-influenced soft rock.  The electric piano and a smooth sax solo were practically requirements.  Harmonies -- especially in the chorus -- are common, as are soulful falsettos.  The desire to make a banana daiquiri and bask in the sun wearing SPF 4 suntan lotion while lounging on a boat off the southern California coast is ever-present.

Ambrosia -- or "The Brozhe" if you're into the whole brevity thing -- started out as a prog rock band, but after a few albums, the band shifted their sound to more of a soft rock and soul/R&B-influence sound.  1980's One Eighty -- the band's fourth studio album -- overtly recognized the band's shift.  While there are a few songs on the album that are more rock-oriented ("Ready," "Rock N'A Hard Place," and "No Big Deal") or proggy ("Kamikaze"), this is certainly a yacht rock album.  Songs like "Livin' On My Own," "Shape I'm In," "Cryin' In the Rain," and two of the band's biggest hits -- "You're The Only Woman" and "Biggest Part of Me," which hit #3 and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively -- showcase the band's new direction.

Rather than going with my favorite song from each side of the album, I tried to choose the most "yacht rocky" song for each side.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "You're The Only Woman"
The electric piano intro let's you know that, girl, you're not only special, but you're the only one for me.  And then those harmonies in the chorus seal the deal.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Biggest Part of Me"
It doesn't get much more yacht rock than this one, from the funky bass to the harmonies to the sentimental lyrics to the falsetto to the passionate sax solos.  If she doesn't want to make sweet love on your shag rug after listening to this, she's not the one.