Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Music & sailing

*REVISED*
(incorporating the feedback in the comments, as of 10/5/2010)
(We're way over 10 now!  Thanks!)

I was reading a book recently where a thread that ran thru the story was this:  The protagonist had received a gift of 100 downloads from iTunes.  The dilemma then was to pick those 100 songs.   The obvious solution of just buying more tunes was set aside in favor of the larger objective of picking the 100 greatest rock 'n roll songs of all time.  For me, this thread was as entertaining as the primary story.

When I brought this up with Jane, we wondered aloud if we could pick the top 10 popular songs which involved sailing.    (OK, yes, there was wine involved.)

We couldn't originally come up with 10.  But with your help, our list now looks like this:
  • Sloop John B - The Beach Boys
  • Southern Cross - Crosby, Stills and Nash
  • Wooden Ships - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
  • Sailing - Christopher Cross
  • Come Sail Away - Styx
  • Closer to Home - Grand Funk Railroad 
  • I am sailing - Rod Stewart 
  • Vahevla - Loggins and Messina
  • Sail On, Sail On, Sailor - Beachboys 
  • Brandy -  Looking Glass

Broadening the criteria to include anything vaguely marine-related (not counting surfing), we  add these:
  • Ferry Cross the Mersey - Gerry & The Pacemakers
  • Riders on the Storm - The Doors
  • Horse With No Name - America
  • Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
  • Orinoco Flow - Enya
  • Edmond Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
  • Banana Boat - Harry Belafonte 
  • Boat on the River - Styx

You've been great!  We are now way over 10!  Keep 'em coming!
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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sailing:

Closer to Home ( I'm your Captain ) - GFR

Maritime:

Edmond Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
Banana Boat - Harry Belafonte

Lotte said...

"I am sailing" (Rod Stewart)

Anonymous said...

Sail On, Sail On, Sailor - Beachboys

RLW said...

Vahevla by Loggins and Messina strikes a chord and then there is that Buffet guy...

Robert Salnick said...

Everybody: Thanks for the songs! If I am vcounting right, we are up to 8 sailing songs, and way over 10 maritime-related (not counting that Buffet guy...)

bob

Anonymous said...

How about 'Row Row Row your boat"...

Courtney

Robert Salnick said...

Courtney: Well, in some circles I guess that qualifies as "popular music"...

Anonymous said...

In the circle of new mothers who have to sing every song in their repetoire louder than their child can scream, its VERY popular music!

Anonymous said...

Boat on the River - Styx

Anonymous said...

How about "Brandy" by Looking Glass - I don't remember ever hearing it before but lately they've been playing it a lot on the local oldies station we listen to at work.

Here are the first couple of verses:

There's a port on a western bay
And it serves a hundred ships a day
Lonely sailors pass the time away
And talk about their homes

And there's a girl, in this harbor town
And she works, laying whiskey down
They say "Brandy, fetch another round"
She serves them whiskey and wine

The sailors say "Brandy, you're a fine girl
What a good wife you would be
Yeah your eyes could steal a sailor
From the sea."

Robert Salnick said...

Rowan: Great catch! And that is a great song too. Thanks for the lyrics - the song is now running thru my head...

Added to the list.

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