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Sailing (Christopher Cross song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Sailing
| cover = Christopher Cross - Sailing (single).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Christopher Cross
| album = Christopher Cross
| B-side = Poor Shirley
| released = June 15, 1980
| recorded = 1979
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:14
| label = Warner Bros.
| writer = Christopher Cross
| producer = Michael Omartian
| prev_title = Ride Like the Wind
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = Never Be the Same
| next_year = 1980
| misc =
}}
"'Sailing'" is a 1980 soft rock song written and recorded by American artist Christopher Cross. It was released in June 1980 as the second single from his eponymous debut album (1979). The song was a success in the United States, reaching number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart on August 30, 1980, where it stayed for one week.[https://www.billboard.com/artist/christopher-cross/chart-history/hsi/ Sailing - Chart History] Billboard. Retrieved 8 June 2020. The song also won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Arrangement of the Year, and helped Cross win the Best New Artist award.
VH1 named "Sailing" the most "softsational soft rock" song of all time.[http://www.stereogum.com/5507/40_most_softsational_softrock_songs/list/ VH1s 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs], Stereogum.com
The song was recorded in 1979, utilizing the 3M Digital Recording System, making it one of the first digitally recorded songs to chart. "The Christopher Cross LP, at number 32, uses the 3M digital technology" In his Grammy acceptance speech, Cross acknowledged "Sailing" as his favorite song on the album and that originally it was not meant to be a single. The song was later identified as an archetype of the style that later became known as yacht rock (Cross and similar artists referred to the style as the West Coast sound at the time).
Background
Cross has said in interviews that the song's inspiration was his friendship with an older friend from his high school, Al Glasscock, who would take him sailing as a teenager, just to get away from the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. Glasscock functioned as a surrogate older brother during a tough time for Cross emotionally. Although Cross lost touch with Glasscock, 'The Howard Stern Show' in April 1995 reunited Cross with Glasscock, after 28 years. Cross acknowledged on the show that his sailing trips with Glasscock had been the inspiration for the song. After that reunion, Cross sent Glasscock a copy of the platinum record he earned for selling more than five million copies of "Sailing."
Personnel
*Christopher Cross lead vocals, electric guitar, 12 string electric guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals, arrangements
*Andy Salmon bass
*Michael Omartian arrangements, acoustic piano
*Rob Meurer arrangements, electric piano, synthesizer
*Victor Feldman percussion
* Tommy Taylor drums
Charts
Year-end charts
Covers and samples
Since its debut, "Sailing" has been covered by artists including Avant, Lesley Gore, Barry Manilow (on his 2007 album 'The Greatest Songs of the Seventies'), Greenskeepers, NSYNC (on their 1997 album 'N Sync'), George Benson, Phajja, Patrick Yandall, and the duo of Moya Brennan, Allen & Allen, Cormac de Barra & Rodney Franklin. Cross performed the song with NSYNC at the 1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.
The song was sampled in the Puff Daddy song "Best Friend", from his 1999 album 'Forever'.
The song was also sampled in The 1975's song "Bagsy Not in Net", from their 2020 album 'Notes on a Conditional Form.'
Film and television appearances
*In 1980, Cross' version was featured on 'WKRP in Cincinnati' in season 3 episode 5, "Hotel Oceanview".
*The song was featured in a 2016 TV commercial for Hyundai.
*The song is featured briefly in the 2006 animated film 'Flushed Away'.
*The song is played in Season 12 of 'Family Guy': Finders Keepers.
*The song was featured in Season 4 of Cobra Kai.
*The song was featured in the 2012 film 'The Watch' and 2022 Michael Bay film 'Ambulance'.
See also
*List of 'Billboard' Hot 100 number-one singles of 1980
References
Buy Sailing (Christopher Cross song) now from Amazon
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