30. Weezer — Rosanna (Toto cover)
In 2018, Weezer had their biggest hit in years with a faithful cover of a Toto song. That song was, of course, “Africa.” But lost in the viral mayhem was an earlier—and better—Toto cover they released just before. As a bit.
For months, a 14-year-old girl who loved Weezer ran a Twitter account called “weezer cover africa by toto”, hounding the band daily to do just that. Eventually, the band responded with a Toto cover…but not “Africa.” “Rosanna.” It was a funny troll, covering a different Toto song than the one requested. The girl responded, “After months of trolling them, @Weezer trolled me back.” Yes, eventually they acquiesced and covered the correct Toto song, to huge chart success. But their crunchy power-pop “Rosanna” cover stands above. — Ray Padgett
29. Terry, Blair and Anouchka — Love Will Keep Us Together (Captain and Tennille cover)
To fully get this one, I think you need to be in on the act, perhaps otherwise seeing this as just another not particularly great electro remake. It should help once you realize that the listless male vocal is the late Terry Hall, onetime frontman for the Specials and then the Fun Boy Three. And listless is what he does, never looking as if he is in the right song, let alone the right band. (Don’t start me on his videos.) I think this the most sparklesome tribute ever to the full fat cheese of Captain and Tensile, even rivaling them for the sheer weight of emmental. — Seuras Og
28. The Hindley Street Country Club — Biggest Part of Me (Ambrosia cover)
Ambrosia’s “Biggest Part of Me” was released in 1980 on the album Dumb Waiters. The soul-filled song has a saxophone solo, ostinatos, and a real groove. Who better to redo the well-loved tune than the group HSCC? HSCC (aka Hindley Street Country Club) is an Australian cover band that formed eight years ago. This impressive 11-member band is known for performing spellbinding covers live, and this 2023 performance is no different. It’s chill, groovy, and nostalgic. The three-part harmonies are locked in, and the sax solo in the middle is like a sip of fine liquor- complex, smooth, and with just a touch of sweetness. — Aleah Fitzwater
27. Bad Rabbits — Human Nature (Michael Jackson cover)
“Human Nature” by Michael Jackson is considered a Yacht Rock Essential by Yacht or Nyacht, and a quick listen reveals why. The song is almost a parody of smoothness with Jackson’s echoing vocals just above a whisper through most of the song backed by easy listening keyboards and various reversed instruments. (It also features multiple members of Toto, which boosts its yacht-rock cred.)
Boston funk group Bad Rabbits inject some much-needed life into the song. The most obvious change is the popping percussion—the drums are clean and high in the mix—and Fredua Boakye’s emotive and playful vocals. Boakye sends his vocals skyward, backed by keyboards that are more prog-rock than yacht-rock, and the song ends on great little rock freakout. It’s a great take on a Yacht Rock essential that gives the song another chance to make it to your summer playlist. — Mike Misch
26. Donny Osmond — Peg (Steely Dan cover)
In the ’70s, when Steely Dan was recording their classic albums, Donny Osmond occupied a very different sector of the music business. A teen heartthrob in every sense of the word, Osmond charmed his way into the hearts and minds of young girls everywhere with his sweet love ballads, big “Puppy Love” eyes and a million-dollar smile. As Osmond has aged, he’s brought his fans along with him, entertaining them in Las Vegas and through relentless touring. Osmond included this rendition of “Peg” on his 2017 live album and DVD One Night Only! Live in Birmingham. He performed it as a light, funky, song-and-dance number. During the production, he brought many exuberant fans up on stage to “smile for the camera” and take selfies, and ensure that those ladies never forget their first crush. — Curtis Zimmermann
25. Corky Hale — So Much In Love (Sheena Easton cover)
Sheena Easton had a remarkable career. In addition to her Bond theme and a Grammy nomination for her lauded work with Prince, she won an actual Grammy in the category of “Best Mexican-American Performance,” a unique achievement for someone from Bellshill. Her debut album, curated in conjunction with producer Christopher Neil, contains a certified Yacht Rock hit: “So Much In Love,” with the lush arrangements and toned down power vocals redolent of the genre.
Harpist Corky Hale collaborated musically with many greats over the years, and released work under her own name. Her 1985 cover of Easton’s song, with vocals by Platters lead singer Joe Coleman, is warm and jazz and soul-infused. It’s more sophisticated than the original, but could still be accommodated on a boat, if one could manhandle the harp on board. — Mike Tobyn
24. Fu Manchu — Takin’ It to the Streets (The Doobie Brothers cover)
Fu Manchu is one of the biggest names in stoner metal, and in 2020, after 30 years, they proved they haven’t lost a step on their Fu30, Pt. 1 EP. It included a cover of “Takin’ It To the Streets” that could not be more dissimilar from the Doobie Brothers’ version. Doom-laden chords, growled vocals, an air of menace overpowering any melodies. This is what Michael McDonald’s nightmares sound like, and I submit that that’s not a bad thing. – Patrick Robbins
23. The Four Freshmen — I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World) (Donald Fagen cover)
At college in the late ’60s, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (aka Steely Dan) bonded over their love of ’50s jazz. Throughout the ’70s, jazz elements gradually overtook the Steely Dan sound. Then came the ’80s and Fagen released The Nightfly, his solo debut. Even though the album returned to that late ’50s period, with lyrics exploring “New Frontier” optimism and cold war paranoia, The Nightfly backed away from the jazz idiom that defined late ’70s Steely Dan. Dropping aggressive instrumental improvisation, Fagen leaned heavily on smooth vocal arrangements, layered backgrounds, and nostalgic tones—a clear nod to the Four Freshmen and other post-war vocal groups.
The Four Freshman, to the uninitiated, seem diametrically opposed to the Becker/Fagen aesthetic. They were squeaky clean and buttoned up All-American. They never plugged in, turned on, or dropped out. But write them off at your own risk. They brought jazz elements into the close harmony vocal groups of the ’50s and very heavily influenced a teenage Brian Wilson, and made a mark on young Donald Fagen, too. Fagen’s “Maxine,” a centerpiece of The Nightfly album, is practically an homage to the Four Freshman.
The quartet returns the favor here on their cover of The Nightfly‘s opening track, “I.G.Y.” (They also cover “Maxine,” but “I.G.Y.” gets a higher reading on the yacht-o-meter.) — Tom McDonald
22. NSYNC — Sailing (Christopher Cross cover)
This cover brought a yacht rock classic to a whole new audience on NSYNC’s debut album. Their version remains faithful to the overall vibe of this song, but it really leans into the numbers game of a boy band delivery with its opening choral sighs and its oohs and ahs in the interludes between verses. In the battle for lead vocals, this is definitely a JC Chavez-forward song (sorry, JT fans), yet every member seems to get to chime in with a variety of vocal frills punctuating the main melody. Listen for the slightly techno-pixel-swirl-like sound that faintly appears throughout amongst the dreamy in-the-clouds sounds of the rest of the background music. — Sara Stoudt
21. Tico De Moraes — Kiss on My List (Hall & Oates cover)
Is this song the nadir of the Hall & Oates canon? I’m not saying, but those yacht guys must have picked up something about it for their list. De Moraes, a Brazilian singer and guitarist, with an extensive YouTube channel, has picked up on the Bossa cadence hidden within the plinky tinkle of the 1980 number one hit single. It is slower and a few liberties are taken with the lyric, so as to peel back the available run of emotions. You may be nodding out before you reach the guitar solo towards the end. Don’t–it is the making of the version. — Seuras Og
Thanks for this, but 3 minor quibbles: the original version of Love Will Keep Us Together was by Neil Sedaka, the original version of What a Fool Believes was by Kenny Loggins, and, most egregiously, you posted a photo of Loggins and Messina, along with Christopher Cross the ultimate yacht rock kings, but no Loggins and Messina songs (What a Fool Believes doesn’t count)! What, no Angry Eyes by the Pointer Sisters? And, since their versions of House at Pooh Corner and Danny’s Song were themselves covers (even though Kenny Loggins wrote them both) you might have chosen to use their versions, though Mary Travers did sing the former and Neko Case (!) and Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (!!) sang the latter. Still, great fun. Thanks.
Mmm, Joe, re LWKUT, whilst it was, of course, a Sedaka song first, no way could it have been deemed yacht, whereas the later C&T hit epitomised the genre, right down to the peaked hat worn by Daryl Dragon. Plus, I forgot to remember to nail my Cover credentials around the O Carol hitmaker, straining to meet my overshot deadline for inclusion. I can’t speak for the mighty Kenny and Jim, but it is good to see egregiously in your response.