Rock the Boat (The Hues Corporation song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Rock the Boat"
R&B
Length3:22 (album version)
3:06 (single version)
LabelRCA Records
Songwriter(s)Wally Holmes
Producer(s)John Florez
The Hues Corporation singles chronology
"Freedom for the Stallion"
(1973) 		"Rock the Boat"
(1974) 		"Rockin' Soul"
(1974)

"Rock the Boat" is a song by American

studio album Freedom for the Stallion (the single edit later appeared on certain editions of the band's 1974 second album Rockin' Soul).[1] It was released as the third single from the album in early 1974, to follow up Stallion's title song, which had peaked at number sixty-three on the Hot 100
, and "Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)" which did not chart.

Initially, "Rock the Boat" appeared as though it would also flop, as months went by without any radio airplay or sales activity. Not until the song became a disco favorite in New York did

gold record
. It is a heavy airplay favorite on oldie and adult contemporary stations today.

Composition and recording

Holmes wrote the song for the band's first album, and started the song with the line "Ever since our voyage of love began..". In an attempt to make it more punchy, producer John Florez suggested starting with the line "So I'd like to know where you got the notion."[2]

The song features a lead vocal by

Jazz Crusaders, Joe Sample on piano and Larry Carlton on guitar, as well as Jim Gordon on drums. Wally Holmes wrote and played the trumpet line.[2]

Producer John Florez did not like the lyrics for "Rock the Boat", calling them "trite", and it was originally made a B-side. After a riveting response from New York City's dance clubs, Florez remixed the song to boost the bass and rhythm instruments, and it was quickly re-released, becoming a smash.[2]

The Hues Corporation member St. Clair Lee claims "It was a song that you could do anything on. You could cuddle or you could get crazy if you wanted to. It was a love song without being a love song. But, it was a Disco hit and it happened because of the discos."[3]

The song features a

common time
.

Legacy

A dance to "Rock the Boat" is commonly performed at weddings and birthday parties, involving many people sitting down in a row and "rowing" a boat to the tune of the song.[citation needed] Particularly popular in Ireland, the dance attracted international attention after being featured on the second season of the TV series Derry Girls.[4] A similar dance is done in parts of the United Kingdom to "Oops Up Side Your Head".[5]

Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band has said that "Rock the Boat" played a partial role in inspiring the hit "Rock Your Baby".[6]

Charts

Forrest version

"Rock the Boat"
Single by Forrest
from the album One Lover
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1983
Recorded1982
GenrePost-disco
Length4:33
LabelAriola
Songwriter(s)Wally Holmes
Producer(s)Ben Liebrand, John Tilly
Forrest singles chronology
"Rock the Boat"
(1983) 		"Dancing with My Shadow"
(1983)

"Rock the Boat" was

UK Singles Chart in March 1983.[25]

A re-recording of the song was released in 1989, titled "Rock the Boat '89", produced by Marc Hartman and

Sven van Veen, with remixes by Martin Boer.[26]

Other versions

In 1990, British girl group Delage recorded their version, produced by the British production trio Stock Aitken Waterman. The single peaked at No. 63 on the UK Singles Chart.[27]

References

  1. ^ "The Hues Corporation - Rockin' Soul (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-61185-525-8
    .
  3. ^ "Gary James' Interview With St. Clair Lee of The Hues Corporation". Classicbands.com. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  4. ^ Beresford, Jack (August 16, 2019). "Derry Girls is teaching Netflix users all about Ireland's love of the 'Rock the Boat' dance". The Irish Post. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  5. ^ Flynn, Fiona (March 26, 2019). "Turns out, not everyone knows the 'Rock the Boat' dance from 'Derry Girls' last night". Entertainment.ie. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  6. ^ "Rock The Boat by The Hues Corporation". Songfacts. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  7. ^ "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 28 June 1975. p. 43.
  8. ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  9. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 13, 1974" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 27, 1974. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock the Boat". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  12. ^ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl.
  13. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  14. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "Hues Corporation Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 265.
  18. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 114.
  19. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 7/13/74". Tropicalglen.com. July 13, 1974. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  20. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  21. Single Top 100
    . Hung Medien. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  22. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". musicoutfitters.com.
  23. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1974". Tropicalglen.com. December 28, 1974. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  24. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  25. ^ "Forrest". Official Charts Company.
  26. ^ "Forrest - Rock The Boat '89". 1989 – via Discogs.
  27. ^ "DELAGE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song)&oldid=1185453141"