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Let me introduce you to a countdown show that I now call the "yacht rock 30."
This was a weekly top 30 countdown hosted by Bob Leonard that I heard back in 1982. It was almost wall-to-wall "yacht rock" - plenty of Michael McDonald, Hall & Oates, and Toto - plus some "yacht R&B" like Jeffrey Osborne. I don't remember it having any of the Human League or Men At Work that was conquering the Hot 100, as those acts were probably considered too dangerous for poor Bob.
Another name for "yacht rock" is Horizon music. I call it that because the oldsters always listened to this music in our flailing Plymouth Horizon. For several years, that was about the upper limit of what most AM stations in Cincinnati would play.
In the early rock 'n' roll era, Cliff Richard was marketed as Britain's version of Elvis Presley. But by the time the "yacht rock 30" aired, Cliff was as yacht as anyone else. This made the lost hit featured in this entry eligible to appear on Bob's countdown. Halloween fell on a Sunday that year, and I have a vague memory of hearing Cliff's hit on the countdown that day.
It turned out that Cliff is very religious. Even the lyrics to "The Only Way Out" sound somewhat religious. This brings us to a funny story about Cliff. For years, British TV hosts shared one goal in life: They wanted to get Cliff Richard to say the F-word on TV. The idea of someone as religious as him cussing on TV was considered too funny for words. Finally, they got him to say it. The clip used to be on YouTube, but I can't find it anymore.
There are recent reports that Cliff appeared on The View and got in a profanity-laced argument with Joy Behar, but that seems to be just a myth. I don't watch The View, so I wouldn't know. I have a life. But if this didn't happen, where did the story come from?
But I ain't losin' sleep. And I ain't countin' sheep.
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