25 Best Songs for the Ultimate Boat Party Playlist
Table of Contents
Last Updated on June 6, 2024 by Boatsetter Team
Boating songs really bring out the best in everyone. There is nothing like having some relaxing music in the background or even blasting from the speakers of your boat rental . Some songs on this list are true classics, while others might be new to your ears. We’re pretty sure your crew will learn the lyrics fast. Here are 25 of the best songs for your boat party playlist.
- Kokomo – The Beach Boys
- Sailing – Christopher Cross
- It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet
- Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet
- Boats – Kenny Chesney
- Banana Boat – Harry Belaforte
- Sloop John B – The Beach Boys
- Rock the Boat – Hues Corporation
- The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
- No Shoes, No Shirts, No Problems – Kenny Chesney
- How Deep Is Your Love – The Bee Gees
- Sunshine and Summertime – Faith Hill
- Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys
- Soak Up the Sun – Sheryl Crow
- Son of a Son of a Sailor – Jimmy Buffet
- And, It Stoned Me – Van Morrison
- Drive – Alan Jackson
- Southern Cross – Crosby, Stills, & Nash
- Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
- The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Gordon Lightfoot
- Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
- Come Sail Away – Synx
- Kenny Chesney, Uncle Kracker – When The Sun Goes Down
- David Gray – Sail Away
- Rod Steward – Sailing
Let’s crank the volume up and dive into these songs together.
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1. “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys
You don’t really have to be anywhere near the Florida Keys to enjoy this tune, but it sure helps if you are. Listen to the enticing Caribbean steel drums and lie under the clear sky on your comfortable deck . Forget all your problems and simply enjoy some afternoon delights, cocktails, and the waterview.
2. “Sailing” by Christopher Cross
“And if the wind is right you can sail away and find serenity… oh, the canvas can do miracles/Just you wait and see/Believe me.” This popular and peaceful song from 1980 will certainly take you away from all of your worries and really set the scene for your next sailing vacation.
3. “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
Country star Alan Jackson and living legend Jimmy Buffett give you all kinds of reasons to start an early day of drinking. We think you will find that on a boat, it is so much harder to feel any kind of guilt about pouring “something tall and strong”, whenever in the day the mood strikes you.
4. “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett
Another cracking tune by Buffett, this is the song that inspired his massive empire and an entire lifestyle of beach-related fun. Sailors young and old will forever be glad to spend time searching for that lost shaker of salt.
5. “Boats” by Kenny Chesney
Following in the sandy footsteps of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney is a newer country artist with a lot of summery songs that can go well with boats, including this really relaxing tune about “vessels of freedom.”
6. “Banana Boat (Day-O)” by Harry Belafonte
Way back in 1956, famous Jamaican-American singer Harry Belafonte put out this well-known song about the lives of dockworkers, and by now, almost everyone knows how to sing “day-o!”
7. “Sloop John B” by The Beach Boys
This one was originally a traditional West Indies folk song called “The John B. Sails” that the Beach Boys revised in 1966. The song is about John B., an old sponger boat whose crew often got drunk when they came into port . Not surprisingly, the boat crashed and sunk off the coast of the Bahamas in about 1900.
8. “Rock The Boat” by Hues Corporation
This 1974 disco hit “Rock The Boat” is sometimes considered the first disco song to top the Billboard Top 100 charts. The catchy song compares some of the ups and downs of being in a relationship to time spent on a boat.
9. “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
Recorded in 1968, this classic dedicated to the dock is ideal for a sunset sailing cruise. Listen closely to the song, and you’ll hear the soothing waves in the background while you are “wasting time.”
READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About Sandbar Parties
10. “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” by Kenny Chesney
Chesney’s clever play on the popular “no shirt, no shoes, no service” saying might become one of the anthems of your next boat trip. Just don’t take his advice when you pull into port, or you may not get served after all.
11. “How Deep Is Your Love” by The Bee Gees
This soothing and relaxing melody will leave you with long-lasting memories of the blue sky, the water, and a bunch of white sails flapping away in the distance “on a summer breeze”.
12. “Sunshine and Summertime” by Faith Hill
When this song comes on the playlist, you’ll probably think all about the barefoot ladies and people getting crazy on the boulevard. Just pull out your colas and ice-cold beers for a big boat party on the water .
13. “Surfin’ USA” by the Beach Boys
A popular throwback song that every American can get behind when they can’t wait till June, this famous hit has been the very epitome of summer since the Beach Boys released it in 1963. If you’re going on a boat trip in California , put this tune on while you sail around Alcatraz, beneath the Golden Gate Bridge , and go about.
14. “Soak Up The Sun” by Sheryl Crow
Another thing to soak up is some sun. When there is not a cloud in the sky, just rub on some tropical sunscreen and turn up the volume on this hit from 2002. And if the boating lifestyle doesn’t get everyone in your crew to lay back and relax, sing louder when Sheryl Crow tells “everyone to lighten up.”
15. “Son of a Son of a Sailor” by Jimmy Buffett
Boating skills are often passed down from generation to generation, and Jimmy Buffett sings about that in this catchy song from 1978. Some of the best lines are at the end of the song, with “the sea’s in my veins, my tradition remains.”
16. “And It Stoned Me,” by Van Morrison
This is about two young guys on their way to the county fair. It starts raining, but it doesn’t bother them. They wait it out happily but don’t want it to rain all day. They hitch a ride to the creek for some fishing and swimming, then head home and meet their neighbor for some moonshine.
17. “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” by Alan Jackson
If you are taking a trip to a “little lake across the Alabama line ”, put on Alan Jackson’s 2002 story of a boat “built out of love.” For Jackson, the boat is a “piece of my childhood that’ll never be forgotten.”
18. “Southern Cross” by Crosby, Stills & Nash
According to Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1982, their many years of sailing under the Southern Cross became a really helpful way to get over some of their most difficult relationship problems.
19. “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison
Simply listen to Van Morrison’s amazing melodies and evocative lyrics to feel like you’re in a movie about boating . Lie back, smell the sea, feel the sky, and let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic.
20. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot
If you are looking to learn a bit of history while enjoying your music, this song might be just perfect for you on the water. It recounts the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald freighter, a large ship that came to a watery end during a powerful storm in November 1975.
21. “Yellow Submarine” by The Beatles
This famous song does not actually try to tell a specific story, and some of the lyrics are hard to understand, but the blue skies, a sea of green, and a yellow submarine make this tune the closest thing to a Beatles boating song there is.
22. “Come Sail Away” by Styx
Styx band member Dennis DeYoung wrote the song feeling a little depressed about lower than expected album sales. Over the years, it has reached immense popularity, getting featured on adult cartoons like South Park and Family Guy!
23. Kenny Chesney, Uncle Kracker – When The Sun Goes Down
24. David Gray – Sail Away
25. Rod Steward – Sailing
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Songs about boats
Here are some other great boating songs that will help you keep a great mood while boating. Listen to these songs on a boat and make sure the party keeps on going.
26. Little Big Town – Pontoon
27. Ed Sheeran – Boat
28. Chris Janson – “Buy Me A Boat”
29. Blackjack Billy – The Booze Cruise
30. Luke Bryan – Huntin’, Fishin’, And Lovin’ Every Day
31. Crosby, Stills & Nash – Southern Cross
32. Drunken Sailer – Irish Rovers
33. Where the Boat Leaves From – Zac Brown Band
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The 20 greatest yacht rock songs ever, ranked
27 July 2022, 17:50
By Tom Eames
We can picture it now: lounging on a swish boat as it bobs along the water, sipping cocktails and improving our tan. Oh, and it's the 1980s.
There's only one style of music that goes with this image: Yacht rock.
What is Yacht Rock?
Also known as the West Coast Sound or adult-oriented rock, it's a style of soft rock from between the late 1970s and early 1980s that featured elements of smooth soul, smooth jazz, R&B, funk, rock and disco.
- The 40 greatest disco songs ever, ranked
- The 10 greatest and smoothest ever sax solos, ranked
Although its name has been used in a negative way, to us it's an amazing genre that makes us feel like we're in an episode of Miami Vice wearing shoulder pads and massive sunglasses.
Here are the very best songs that could be placed in this genre:
Player - 'Baby Come Back'
Player - Baby Come Back
Not the reggae classic of the same name, this 1977 track was Player's biggest hit.
After Player disbanded, singer Peter Beckett joined Australia's Little River Band, and he also wrote 'Twist of Fate' for Olivia Newton-John and 'After All This Time' for Kenny Rogers.
Steely Dan - 'FM'
It's tough just choosing one Steely Dan song for this list, but we've gone for this banger.
Used as the theme tune for the 1978 movie of the same name, the song is jazz-rock track, though its lyrics took a disapproving look at the genre as a whole, which was in total contrast to the film's celebration of it. Still, sounds great guys!
Bobby Goldsboro - 'Summer (The First Time)'
Bobby Goldsboro - Summer (The First Time)
A bit of a questionable subject matter, this ballad was about a 17-year-old boy’s first sexual experience with a 31-year-old woman at the beach.
But using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement, this song just screams yacht rock and all that is great about it.
Kenny Loggins - 'Heart to Heart'
Kenny Loggins - Heart To Heart (Official Music Video)
If Michael McDonald is the king of yacht rock, then Kenny Loggins is his trusted advisor and heir to the throne.
This track was co-written with Michael, and also features him on backing vocals. The song is about how most relationships do not stand the test of time, yet some are able to do so.
Airplay - 'Nothing You Can Do About It'
Nothin' You Can Do About It
You might not remember US band Airplay, but they did have their moment on the yacht.
Consisting of David Foster (who also co-wrote the Kenny Loggins song above), Jay Graydon and the brilliantly-named Tommy Funderburk, this tune was a cover of a Manhattan Transfer song, and was a minor hit in 1981.
Boz Scaggs - 'Lowdown'
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (Official Audio)
We've moved slightly into smooth jazz territory with this track, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The song was co-written by David Paich, who would go on to form Toto along with the song's keyboardist David Paich, session bassist David Hungate, and drummer Jeff Porcaro.
Steve Winwood - 'Valerie'
Steve Winwood - Valerie (Official Video)
This song is probably as far as you can get into pop rock without totally leaving the yacht rock dock.
Legendary singer-songwriter Winwood recorded this gong about a man reminiscing about a lost love he hopes to find again someday.
Eric Prydz later sampled it in 2004 for the house number one track ‘Call on Me’, and presented it to Winwood, who was so impressed he re-recorded the vocals to better fit the track.
Toto - 'Rosanna'
Toto - Rosanna (Official HD Video)
We almost picked 'Africa' , but we reckon this tune just about pips it in the yacht rock game.
Written by David Paich, he has said that the song is based on numerous girls he had known.
As a joke, the band members initially played along with the common assumption that the song was based on actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time and coincidentally had the same name.
Chicago - 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry'
Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry (Official Music Video)
Chicago began moving away from their horn-driven soft rock sound with their early 1980s output, including this synthesizer-filled power ballad.
- The 10 greatest Chicago songs, ranked
The album version segued into a more traditional Chicago upbeat track titled ‘Get Away’, but most radio stations at the time opted to fade out the song before it kicked in. Three members of Toto played on the track. Those guys are yacht rock kings!
Michael Jackson - 'Human Nature'
Michael Jackson - Human Nature (Audio)
A few non-rock artists almost made this list ( George Michael 's 'Careless Whisper' and Spandau Ballet 's 'True' are almost examples, but not quite), yet a big chunk of Thriller heavily relied on the yacht rock sound.
Michael Jackson proved just how popular the genre could get with several songs on the album, but 'Human Nature' is the finest example.
The Doobie Brothers - 'What a Fool Believes'
The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes (Official Music Video)
Possibly THE ultimate yacht rock song on the rock end of the spectrum, and it's that man Michael McDonald.
Written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, this was one of the few non-disco hits in America in the first eight months of 1979.
The song tells the story of a man who is reunited with an old love interest and attempts to rekindle a romantic relationship with her before discovering that one never really existed.
Michael Jackson once claimed he contributed at least one backing track to the original recording, but was not credited for having done so. This was later denied by the band.
Christopher Cross - 'Sailing'
Christopher Cross - Sailing (Official Audio)
We're not putting this in here just because it's called 'Sailing', it's also one of the ultimate examples of the genre.
Christopher Cross reached number one in the US in 1980, and VH1 later named it the most "softsational soft rock" song of all time.
Don Henley - 'The Boys of Summer'
The Boys Of Summer DON HENLEY(1984) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Mike Campbell wrote the music to this track while working on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents album, but later gave it to Eagles singer Don Henley, who wrote the lyrics.
The song is about the passing of youth and entering middle age, and of a past relationship. It was covered twice in the early 2000s: as a trance track by DJ Sammy in 2002, and as a pop punk hit by The Ataris in 2003.
England Dan and John Cord Foley - 'I'd Really Love to See You Tonight'
England Dan & John Ford Coley - I'd Really Love To See You Tonight.avi
A big hit for this duo in 1976, it showcases the very best of the sock rock/AOR/yacht rock sound that the 1970s could offer.
Dan Seals is the younger brother of Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts fame. Which leads to...
Seals & Crofts - 'Summer Breeze'
Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft #1 Hit(1972)
Before The Isley Brothers recorded a slick cover, 'Summer Breeze' was an irresistible folk pop song by Seals & Crofts.
While mostly a folk song, its summer vibes and gorgeous melody make for a perfect yacht rock number.
Christopher Cross - 'Ride Like the Wind'
Ride Like The Wind Promo Video 1980 Christopher Cross
If Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins are in charge of the yacht rock ship, then Christopher Cross has to be captain, right? Cabin boy? Something anyway.
The singer was arguably the biggest success story of the relatively short-lived yacht rock era, and this one still sounds incredible.
Eagles - 'I Can't Tell You Why'
The eagles - I can't tell you why (AUDIO VINYL)
Many Eagles tunes could be classed as yacht rock, but we reckon their finest example comes from this track from their The Long Run album in 1979.
Don Henley described the song as "straight Al Green", and that Glenn Frey, an R&B fan, was responsible for the R&B feel of the song. Frey said to co-writer Timothy B Schmit: "You could sing like Smokey Robinson . Let’s not do a Richie Furay, Poco-sounding song. Let’s do an R&B song."
Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (Official Video)
Gerry Rafferty probably didn't realise he was creating one of the greatest yacht rock songs of all time when he wrote this, but boy did he.
- The Story of... 'Baker Street'
With the right blend of rock and pop and the use of the iconic saxophone solo, you can't not call this yacht rock at its finest.
Michael McDonald - 'Sweet Freedom'
Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom (1986)
If you wanted to name the king of yacht rock, you'd have to pick Michael McDonald . He could sing the phone book and it would sound silky smooth.
Possibly his greatest solo tune, it was used in the movie Running Scared , and its music video featured actors Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.
Hall & Oates - 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)'
Daryl Hall & John Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) (Official Video)
This duo knew how to make catchy hit after catchy hit. This R&B-tinged pop tune was co-written with Sara Allen (also the influence for their song 'Sara Smile').
- Hall and Oates' 10 best songs, ranked
John Oates has said that the song is actually about the music business. "That song is really about not being pushed around by big labels, managers, and agents and being told what to do, and being true to yourself creatively."
Not only was the song sampled in De La Soul's 'Say No Go' and Simply Red 's 'Home', but Michael Jackson also admitted that he lifted the bass line for 'Billie Jean'!
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