"Boat on the River" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Styx | ||||
from the album Cornerstone | ||||
B-side | "Borrowed Time" | |||
Released | March 16, 1980 | |||
Recorded | 1979 | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Length | 3:10 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Writer(s) | Tommy Shaw | |||
Producer | Styx | |||
Styx singles chronology | ||||
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"Boat on the River" is a 1980 song by Styx, from their album Cornerstone. It was released as a single, but did not chart in the band's native United States. However, it was popular in several German-speaking countries, becoming a top-five hit on the German, Austrian and Swiss charts (reaching number one on the latter.)[1]
The song features Tommy Shaw on lead vocals and mandolin, with Dennis DeYoung accompanying on accordion. In the video for the song, Chuck Panozzo, John Panozzo, and James Young play bowed double bass, tambourine/bass drum and acoustic guitar respectively.[2]
Allmusic reviewer Mike DeGagne praise both "Boat on the River" and fellow Cornerstone single "Lights" for their "silky harmonies and welcoming choruses", despite their poor chart performance in the U.S.[3]
The song has been covered by Seventh Avenue and Guano Apes.
7" Single
Chart (1980) | Peak position |
---|---|
German Singles Chart | 5 |
Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
Dutch Top 40 | 29 |
Preceded by "Weekend" by Earth and Fire |
Swiss number-one single April 27, 1980 - June 8, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc |