Clients headed for the Caribbean? Don’t let them leave without my classic, island-inspired playlist, guaranteed to make sure their trip starts sunny side up.
Sun is Shining – Bob Marley
What would a Caribbean playlist be without at least one Bob Marley song? This is one of my faves, and reminds me of days spent on Negril’s sands every time I hear it.
Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Although the eponymous island doesn’t exist, the soundtrack it’s included on is real enough: Port Antonio, Jamaica, was the setting for parts of the 1988 Tom Cruise movie, “Cocktail,” which spawned this hit.
Sailing – Christopher Cross
It may be cheesy, but this instantly recognizable classic is the perfect accompaniment to a sunset catamaran cruise past the Pitons.
Dreadlock Holiday – 10cc
Undeniably kitschy but oh-so-catchy, this tale of a tourist lost in Jamaica was inspired by band members’ experiences in Barbados, and hit number one on the U.K. charts back in 1978.
Hot, Hot, Hot – Arrow
Forget the 1987 Buster Poindexter version; Caribbean aficionados prefer the original party jam, released five years earlier by the Montserratian singer.
Escape – Rupert Holmes
Popularly known as “the Pina Colada song,” this bored lover’s 1979 ode to the Caribbean cocktail caused a worldwide rum shortage and a rush on pineapple. (Just kidding.)
Montego Bay – Amazulu
I first heard this tune in 1986, when Brit band Amazulu made it a top-20 hit on the U.K. charts. A Google search reveals that the song’s really all about getting high in Montego Bay. ‘Nuff said.
