Mel’s Sailing Playlist, Annotated

The Burnetts (and Jeremy) spent some time exploring Syfnos (or, apparently, Sifnos, depending on whether or not the letter “y” has pissed you off lately) and are now anchored near Adamas, Milos.  Details and pics are coming, but on the way there Mel “rocked out” to her sailing playlist, even though she was motoring because there was no wind.  This list is a work in progress.  Many sailing-related songs were tried but did not make the cut, like “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”  Who wants to hear about a shipwreck?  Here’s what it looks like now.  Mel would be interested in what a twenty-something’s playlist looks like, because this definitely dates her:

1. Dream a Little Dream of Me – The Mamas and the Papas.  This starts the list off because this song for some reason would calm Mel down when she would start a night watch.  After crossing the Atlantic, she is less freaked out by night watches, but it stays because it is still a pretty song…
2. A Talk with George – Johnathan Coulton.  This song inspired Mel and Greg to be bad-asses with their own lives.
3. They Won’t – Ilo.  This was Mel’s victory cry when she would drive home from work, frustrated with all of the BS she had to put up with. Of course, she would replace the words, “I’m going to stand right here, I’m gonna rock right here” with, “I’m going to sail away, I’m gonna rock out there.”  Same thing, right?
4. If I Had a Boat – Lyle Lovett.  We could probably actually fit a horse on our boat…
5. Knee Deep – Zac Brown Band.  “Wrote a note, said, “Be back in a minute,” bought a boat and I sailed off in it.”   Did that.
6. Where the Boat Leaves From – Zac Brown Band.  This song is very inspirational as you pack up all of your belongings before you sail away, especially if you live about as “inland” as it gets in North America.
7. Southern Cross – Crosby, Stills & Nash.  If this is not on a sailing playlist, one walks the plank!
8. Sailing – Christopher Cross.  Because you have to have a song with tinkling bell noises in it.
9. Imagine – John Lennon.  All those tinkling bells in the previous song makes Mel philosophical…
10. Sail Away – Sister Hazel.  This is a very western-Caribbean kinda song.
11. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake.  Another song about self-empowerment. And navigation.  “I don’t know where I’m going…”
12. Come Sail Away – Styx.  Cannot hear this without thinking about South Park and laughing.
13. Caribbean Blue – Enya.  You knew this one was coming…
14. Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darrin.  A nice tune, but Mel does not like the ending.
15. The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding.  We do a lot of this now!
16. Changes in Latitude – Jimmy Buffett.  This list should have more Buffett, of course, but after the first six months Mel came down with TMB – Too Much Buffett.
17. Pearly Shells – Don Ho.  Just a pretty song about pretty things. Because we get a lot of pretty.
18. Midnight Special – Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Mel has no explanation for this. It just works.  Maybe it makes her think of tankers.  Yeah, that sounds believable.
19. Orinoco Flow – Enya.  I don’t know how she did it, but Enya made the mental image of our bows cutting through the waves with musical instruments.
20. Sail Away – David Gray.  This one is more for the, “Let’s go sailing. Cool?” than the “Let’s go sailing.  Oh, goodie!  Goodie!” crowd.
21. Rise and Shine – Juzzie Smith.  This is about how doing the morning watch is the only way Mel doesn’t dread being up to see the sunrise.
22. Peaceful Easy Feeling – Eagles.  This song fits when the wind and waves are behaving. When they aren’t, it helps with Mel’s attitude problem.
23. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong.  The world is more than 2/3 ocean. So it can’t be all that bad.
24. Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World – Isreal Kamakiwiwo’ole.  One of the best songs from one of the best singers of all time.
25. Happy – Pharrell Williams.  You’ve heard it a million times. But play it on a boat.  It’s cool once again!
26. La La – Juzzie Smith.  This song helps Mel not overthink things. Well, at least while it is playing…
27. Shade on Me – Three Plus.  Hawaiian reggae – what’s not to love?
28. Shine on You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd.  Stargazing song.
29. The Sound of Silence – Disturbed.  Even sailing with the motors off is a bit noisy. Which is why getting a metal band to do this song is AWESOME.
30. One Particular Harbor – Jimmy Buffett.  Oh geez, this guy again?
31. Sloop John B – Dicey Doh Singers.  Mel likes folk music. Greg skips this one.
32. Lovely Cruise (Live) — Jimmy Buffett.  What else do you end with?