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Cruise by Florida Georgia Line

Songfacts®:

• Georgia born and raised Tyler Hubbard and Florida native Brian Kelley both began playing guitar individually while they were in high school before meeting at Nashville's Belmont University. They began writing songs together between classes and soon found themselves playing local clubs, quickly building a fanbase. Hubbard and Kelley signed a publishing/production/management deal with Craig Wiseman's Big Loud Mountain record label in December 2011 and released their first five-song EP, It'z Just What We Do the following May. This breezy summer song is their first single from the collection.
• The song's success was predicted by Brian Kelley as soon as the pair started laying it down. "I remember first day in the studio when we were recording 'Cruise' and it was starting to come to life," said Tyler as the song climbed the Hot 100. "BK looked at me and he said, 'Dude, we're gonna sell a million copies of this song.' And I'm like, 'Dude, there's no way. It's not even possible.' And you know, that was a year ago when we were starting to work on it."
• When this tale of youthful attraction, music and Georgia back roads topped Billboard's Country Airplay chart, Florida Georgia Line became the first duo or group to reach #1 on the chart with a debut single since Zac Brown Band's " Chicken Fried " in December 2008.
• The song left the Hot 100 in February 2013, after peaking at #16. However, after a pop crossover remix with rapper Nelly was released a couple of months later, the song reappeared on the chart this time in the Top 10.
• This song found a home on pop radio playlists alongside far more kinetic fare by the likes of Icona Pop, Robin Thicke, and Maroon 5. Part of its appeal is its unabashedly Southern sentiments, as we hear about a beautiful girl who enjoys both The Marshall Tucker Band (" Can't You See ," " Heard It In A Love Song ") and Southern Comfort cocktails. Unlike most hits of the time, the song forgoes an intro and starts right in with the chorus, which is repeated three more times in the song. In the last verse, most of the musical backing is dropped, which adds provides a nice break near the end of the song and adds impact to that fourth chorus.
• Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line explained to Radio.com how the collaboration with Nelly came together. "We had some pop stations that were wanting a different version of 'Cruise' that we could send out, and he [Nelly] is a labelmate," he said. "We heard he was a fan of what we were doing and the song. We knew he wanted to do it, and literally a day or two later we had the track and we cranked it up on the bus." He added that the pair were blown away by Nelly's version. "I literally think that whole weekend we probably listened to it a couple hundred times," he admitted. "We're huge fans of him. I don't think we could have picked anybody better. It fits what we're doing, it fits what he's doing. He's a country boy at heart. We're thankful that he put his amazing talent on our song." This wasn't the first time that Nelly had dipped his toe into the Nashville sound. In 2004 he recorded a country-rap hybrid, " Over and Over ," with Tim McGraw, which peaked at #3 on the Hot 100.
• The song set the all-time record for the most weeks at #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart (over three different runs). It overtook three other titles that each led for 21 weeks - Eddy Arnold's "I'll Hold You in My Heart (1947-48), Hank Snow's "I'm Moving On" (1950-51) and Webb Pierce's "In the Jailhouse Now" (1955). The song finally abdicated the #1 crown after a run of 24 cumulative weeks, the last 19 occurring over consecutive frames. The record was eclipsed by Sam Hunt's smash single " Body Like a Back Road ," which spent its unprecedented 25th consecutive week atop the country chart on the tally dated August 12, 2017.
• The song climbed into the Hot 100's top five in its 34th week on the chart, setting a record for the slowest ascent to the region in the chart's history. It eclipsed the 30-week ascent to the top five of Lonestar's " Amazed " in 1999-2000. Imagine Dragons bested Florida Georgia Line's longevity record just three weeks later when " Radioactive " climbed into the Hot 100's top five for the first time in its 42nd week on the chart.
• This was the first song that Florida Georgia Line wrote with producer Joey Moi (Nickelback, Jake Owen ). The trio built on a tune that Hubbard and Kelley had already started with brothers Chase and Jesse Rice. "It was one of those days where everything was firing perfectly," Moi told Billboard magazine. "No one got hung up or was banging their head on the wall trying to find a word that rhymes with 'car.'"
• This won Single Of The Year at the 2013 CMA Awards. Florida Georgia Line also won Vocal Duo Of The Year at the same ceremony.
• The remixed version of the song took Single of the Year at the 2013 American Music Awards. "I've got to thank my boy Nelly," said Tyler Hubbard. "Thank you for making this song epic for us. It's a huge honor."
• NielsenSoundscan announced in early January 2014 that the song had overtaken Lady Antebellum's " Need You Now " to become the #1 best-selling digital Country single of all time.
• The story of the song started one afternoon in Jesse Rice's living room when he, Kelley and Chase Rice were in the middle of a writing session. They had been penning another song when Kelley started playing something very different. "All of a sudden Brian [Kelley] pops up and strums a chord and starts humming this melody," Chase Rice told Radio.com. "That ended up being the 'Cruise' melody, and we looked at each other, all of us three, and we were like, 'What the hell is that?' He was like, 'I don't know, but we should write it.' As we got more into it, we completely dropped the other song we were writing that day, and I'm glad we did." Kelley continued the story. "The first line of the chorus got thrown out," he recalled. "We wrote it really quick, got it back in the studio, tweaked some things and added some things. Our producer Joey Moi really challenged us to tighten it up and to try and make it the best song we could. He made an amazing track to go along with that. It doesn't sound like anything else that's on the radio."
• Bro-country is a term used in country music that refers to Nashville songs about young guys partying, drinking, admiring barely clad women and driving pickup trucks. The first use of 'bro-country' was by Jody Rosen of New York magazine in a August 11, 2013 article talking about this tune. "In short, 'Cruise' is bro-country: music by and of the tatted, gym-toned, party-hearty young American White dude," Rosen wrote. "It's a movement that has been gathering steam for several years now, and we may look back on 'Cruise' as a turning point, the moment when the balance of power tipped from an older generation of male country stars to the bros."
• Producer Joey Moi used the hair metal band Def Leppard as a sonic template for the tune. "I came from a world where we spend days in the studio, trying to make a song better," he told Billboard magazine. "In my brain, the template is Def Leppard. Everything with them was a monster hook and a giant chorus."
• This song came at a time when music-themed cruises were becoming popular, and accordingly, the duo set sail on the "This is How We Cruise" cruise on November 8, 2014. The four-day trip aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel Norwegian Pearl featured two live performances by the duo, which each guest getting a photo with the guys. The cruise was so popular they did it again the next year.
• Florida Georgia Line were a little-known duo when they recorded this song. Co-writer Chase Rice admitted to Taste of Country in a 2019 interview that he wasn't initially sold on Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley cutting "Cruise." "I wanted Luke Bryan or somebody big to cut it," he said. "And luckily they took it and made it what it was. Because at that time, nobody knew who they were. They know now."
• "Cruise" was the first-ever country single to earn Diamond certification (10 million units sold) from the RIAA.
• More songs from Florida Georgia Line
• More songs that start with the chorus
• More songs that were an artist's first hit
• More songs from 2012
• Lyrics to Cruise
• Florida Georgia Line Artistfacts

Comments: 1

• Camille from Toronto, Oh Every once in awhile, song lyrics come along that make you wonder why they hadn't already been written before. This is one of those songs. They just make perfect sense. Nelly's video of this is hot; I've never listened to his music before but love the mix of the Florida Georgia Line boys with Nelly. This one will always remind you of 2013/summer.

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Florida Georgia Line Cruise (Music Video and Lyrics)

December 20, 2023

photo: YouTube

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The Florida Georgia Line Cruise song was released in August 2012 as a single from their album “Here’s to the Good Times”.   “Cruise” is the best-selling country digital song of all time in the United States.  The song is considered in the “bro-country” and Pop Country genres of country music.  Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” was  certified by the RIAA for sales of 7 million copies on June 12, 2014 becoming the best-selling country digital song of all time in the United States.   The song was certified 11x Platinum by the RIAA on October 10, 2018.  This song reached #! on the Billboard Hot Country songs chart starting December 22, 2012 and set records at the time for the most consecutive weeks at #1.

Watch the official music video for “Cruise” and check out the lyrics below:

Florida Georgia Line Cruise Video

The song was written by group members Brian Kelly, Tyler Hubbard, Joey Moi, Chase Rice and Jesse Rice.

Florida Georgia Line Cruise Lyrics

Baby you a song You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise

Yeah, when I first saw that bikini top on her She’s poppin’ right out of the South Georgia water Thought, “Oh, good lord, she had them long tanned legs!” Couldn’t help myself so I walked up and said

Baby you a song You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise Down a back road blowin’ stop signs through the middle Every little farm town with you In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it So baby you a song You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise

She was sippin’ on Southern and singin’ Marshall Tucker We were falling in love in the sweet heart of summer She hopped right up into the cab of my truck and said, “Fire it up, let’s go get this thing stuck.”

When that summer sun fell to its knees I looked at her and she looked at me And I turned on those KC lights and drove all night ‘Cause it felt so right, her and I, man we felt so right

I put it in park and Grabbed my guitar And strummed a couple chords And sang from the heart Girl you sure got the beat in my chest bumpin’ Hell, I can’t get you out of my head

Baby you a song You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise Down a back road blowin’ stop signs through the middle Every little farm town with you

Baby you a song You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise Down a back road blowin’ stop signs through the middle Every little farm town with you In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it Come on

Come on, girl Get those windows down and cruise Aww, yeah.

Remember to “share” the Florida Georgia Line Cruise song with friends and family that like Country-Pop music.

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'Cruise': The Story Behind Florida Georgia Line's Smash Hit Single

The year was 2012 when a previously-unknown duo called Florida Georgia Line , made up of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley , took over country radio waves with their feel-good, debut single, "Cruise." The song and the duo soon caught fire, and it's a flame that has yet to run out. Not only did "Cruise" reach the No. 1 spot on the Country Airplay chart, but it spent 24 weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, an accomplishment that has only been surpassed by Sam Hunt's "Body Like A Back Road."

The original song and the remix with rapper Nelly have sold 7 million copies in the US, leading to "Cruise" becoming the best-selling country digital song of all time and earning Diamond status (11x Platinum). This one song shot Florida Georgia Line into instant country fame, and it also ushered in a brand new sound to the genre and launched the country music trend which would later be dubbed "bro-country." While the song brought countless accolades to the group, the origins of the smash hit single are really quite simple.

The Birth of 'Cruise' and Bro-Country

"Cruise" was written by Kelley, Hubbard, Joey Moi, Chase Rice  and Jesse Rice, and the tune was born out of a writing session with Kelley, Chase and Jesse. The three singer-songwriters were reportedly writing a different, slower song when the song's famous opening line, "Baby, you a song," suddenly came to Kelley. He then began strumming some chords and came up with a melody and "Cruise" was created.

"All of a sudden Brian [Kelley] pops up and strums a chord and starts humming this melody," Chase Rice told Radio.com . "That ended up being the 'Cruise' melody, and we looked at each other, all of us three, and we were like, 'What the hell is that?' He was like, 'I don't know, but we should write it.' As we got more into it, we completely dropped the other song we were writing that day, and I'm glad we did."

Read More:  Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley + Brittney Kelley: Inside Their Love Story

The songwriters finished the song 45 minutes after Kelley came up with the initial idea, and it went through various edits in the studio with producer Joey Moi, who came up with the tune's signature sound. Florida Georgia Line recorded the song for their 2012 EP, It'z Just What We Do,  which also included "Get Your Shine On" and three other songs. "Cruise" was released to iTunes in April 2012 and then was shipped to radio in August of that year. The group included the song on their debut album, Here's To The Good Times,  which also featured the "Cruise (Remix)" ft. Nelly as well as hit songs "Round Here," "Stay," and "This Is How We Roll" featuring Luke Bryan.

The "Cruise (Remix)" was released to iTunes on April 2, 2013 and then to pop radio later. Two music videos exist for the song — one with Hubbard and Kelley for the original version and one with Nelly for the remix. The original version's official music video boasts over 140 million views. FGL and Nelly collaborated again on Nelly's "Walk Away" and "Lil Bit."

"Cruise" kicked off the country career of Florida Georgia Line in a way that is rarely seen in country music — with a worldwide hit. The song led to Florida Georgia Line becoming one of the biggest country acts to come out of Nashville . The tune was followed by countless more hits, including "H.O.L.Y.," "Meant To Be" with Bebe Rexha and many more. Today, FGL continues to reign among the top male country acts such as Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney and more.

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Florida Georgia Line, ‘Cruise’ – Song Review

In just a few short seconds, Florida Georgia Line make a memorable impression on 'Cruise,' their debut single with Republic Nashville. The duo have been performing together since graduating from Belmont University, and their formal training shows in the tight execution of this lyric-heavy summer song. It's Tyler Hubbard's unique voice that stands out immediately. 

Hubbard doesn't sound like anyone else on country radio. His grainy southern drawl layers over banjo and electric guitars like gravy on grits. The song begins with the hook -- always an effective way to get radio play -- before telling a story of summer love.

"She was sippin’ on southern and singin’ Marshall Tucker / We were falling in love in the sweet heart of summer / She hopped right up into the cab of my truck and said / Fire it up let’s go get this thing stuck ," he sings during the second verse. This isn't an original story, but it's one that never gets old. These boys play it with inspiration.

" Baby you a song / You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise / Down a back road blowin’ stop signs through the middle of every little farm town with you, " Hubbard sings with support from Brian Kelley during the catchy chorus.

If anyone should know a thing or two about southern love in the country, it's a band called Florida Georgia Line. They don't disappoint with 'Cruise,' although the bridge could be cut without consequence. At just 3:33, this song the song lacks space to breathe. It's hard to make this complaint while enjoying the rock-influenced country party song for a fourth straight time, however... which is something that's bound to happen.

Listen to Florida Georgia Line, 'Cruise'

More From Taste of Country

Watch CBS News

Behind the Song: Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise'

March 25, 2014 / 8:37 AM CDT / CBS Texas

By Annie Reuter

"Baby you a song, you make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise," sing Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of country duo  Florida Georgia Line  in the opening moments of their monster smash hit "Cruise." In fact, it was these very words that kicked off the writing of the song, which earned them their first No. 1, broke  countless records , and became  2013's most played song at country radio.

Now "Cruise" has been nominated an  Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year. In addition, the remixed version of the song featuring rapper Nelly has also earned a second nomination for Vocal Event of the Year. Florida Georgia Line has also been nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year, and their debut album Here's to the Good Times is nominated for Album of the Year.

Related: See all 2014 ACM Award nominees

For our latest installment of  Behind the Song , Radio.com  talked with FGL's Kelley and Hubbard as well as Chase Rice , a singer and songwriter who also had a hand in turning the catchy song into an unfathomable hit.

The song began when Kelley, Chase Rice and Jesse Rice (no relation) were sitting in Jesse's living room one afternoon. They had been writing another song when Kelley started playing something very different.

"All of a sudden Brian [Kelley] pops up and strums a chord and starts humming this melody," Chase Rice told Radio.com . "That ended up being the 'Cruise' melody, and we looked at each other, all of us three, and we were like, 'What the hell is that?' He was like, 'I don't know, but we should write it.' As we got more into it, we completely dropped the other song we were writing that day, and I'm glad we did."

Kelley knew the song would be the perfect fit for Florida Georgia Line, and he looks back fondly on that very special day.

"The first line of the chorus got thrown out," he recalled to Radio.com . "We wrote it really quick, got it back in the studio, tweaked some things and added some things. Our producer Joey Moi [who's also credited as a songwriter on 'Cruise'] really challenged us to tighten it up and to try and make it the best song we could. He made an amazing track to go along with that. It doesn't sound like anything else that's on the radio."

Related: Florida Georgia Line Talk Cruising with Nelly

A life-changer for all involved, "Cruise" has a relatability to country fans that helped take it to No. 1.

"I think it really resonates with country fans," Hubbard said. "I keep hearing people say, 'Every time we hear it, it really does make me want to roll my windows down and cruise.' Even if you're not totally into country music, it's just a feel-good song that can [work] for anybody. Everybody seems to be drawn to it. The hooky-ness of it, the catchiness of it, everybody calls it an earworm that they can't get out of their head. We've just been blessed to be a part of it."

While both FGL and Rice credit the song to the songwriting gods, the simplicity of the track helped it gain fans on both country radio and pop radio , thanks to the Nelly remix .

"The melody is catchy. The lyrics are easy to remember and easy to sing along to, it's not too wordy," Rice explained. "The production is great on it. We wrote the hell out of it. It's not a deep song, there's not a whole lot of meaning around it. People just want to have a good time and sing along, and that's the ultimate sing-along song."

And, he continued, "It starts with a chorus. A lot of the old rock songs started with the chorus, and they all went to No. 1. This one was the same way. We started with the chorus that day."

"It's really cool to be, from the start of that song on a couch in the house, to the studio, to singing it live and getting an award, to it being No. 1. It's the best feeling in the world and we're really humbled to be a part of such a special song," Kelley said.

Related: Read about more ACM-nominated songs

The 49th annual ACM Awards will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on Sunday, April 6 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS.

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How A Hip-Hop Remix Helped Make 'Cruise' The Year's Biggest Country Hit

Florida Georgia Line was unsigned when it recorded the year's biggest country song, "Cruise." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Florida Georgia Line was unsigned when it recorded the year's biggest country song, "Cruise."

If you listen, even fleetingly, to commercial country music, you've heard the song "Cruise." It set a record this year for most weeks at No. 1 on the country charts — in history. "Cruise" is also the second-most-downloaded country song of all time, and it's expected to top that list soon.

It's by Florida Georgia Line, two young men who've become country superstars in less than a year.

Music critic Jody Rosen, who writes for New York magazine and is a huge fan of commercial country, says he's slightly baffled by the song's success.

"Now, 'Cruise' is one of the biggest hit country songs of all time," Rosen says. "It's a song simply about driving around in your car listening to a song like 'Cruise.' "

John Marks helped break the song. He's in charge of country music programming for Sirius XM.

"We started playing it very early," Marks says. "We started playing it in May 2012. And we played it a lot."

Back then, Florida Georgia Line wasn't yet signed to a label. It hadn't even released a full album. But "Cruise" shot to the top of the charts, and that caught the attention of Nashville's most successful independent label, Big Machine.

Quiet As Kept, Women Dominated Country Music In 2013

Big Machine built its reputation by signing Taylor Swift when she was unknown, as well as Tim McGraw. Label president Scott Borchetta had an idea to make "Cruise" even bigger: Do a remix.

"I said, 'You know, it'd be great if we could find the right hip-hop guy for this — we really could take it over the goal line,' " Borchetta says.

The guy Borchetta got was the rapper Nelly.

"He's sort of a washed-up rapper, but in Nashville it doesn't really matter," Jody Rosen says. "He's exotic simply because he's a rapper."

Exotic enough to help "Cruise" stick around on the country charts — and climb to the pop Top 10 over the summer. Rosen says "Cruise," like other contemporary country songs, incorporates hip-hop and the kind of raucous arena rock that topped the pop charts a few decades ago.

"Its sort of frat-dude music with a twang," he says.

Rosen says he sees "Cruise" as symptomatic of several things happening in Nashville today. First is the rise of what he calls bro country: "There just seems to be so many songs about guys sitting on their tailgate watching their girlfriend dance in Daisy Duke shorts in a field somewhere," he says.

Second, those songs celebrate a very different male character from country's archetypal strong, stoic man, "who has hidden pain, but when he's all alone and when he gets a couple drinks in him, he cracks, right? But right now, these younger guys are just singing a lot about partying."

That trend is impossible to ignore, says Amy Macy, a former Nashville marketing executive, now a professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

"Eight out of the Top 40 titles have some term or reference to alcohol or partying or drinking right now on the charts," Macy says. "That's, what, [nearly] 25 percent of the Top 40."

Some examples: "Drunk Last Night" by the Eli Young Band, "Drink to That All Night" by Jerrod Niemann, "Drink a Beer" by Luke Bryan, "Cold Beer With Your Name on It" by Josh Thompson, and Little Big Town's "Sober" — a song about the opposite of being sober.

Borchetta concedes that Nashville may have a problem.

"Everybody in Nashville must be drinking 24-7," Borchetta says with a laugh. "We're a bunch of drunks down here.

"There's too much, to be honest with you," he adds. "We can't keep talking about Fireball [whiskey] and Coors Light and having the tailgate down, etc. So we'll task our writers and artists to dig a little deeper."

Even if "bro country" won't stick around forever, hits do tend to spawn imitators, Amy Macy says. So until the next big country trend, she says, hold on to your Daisy Dukes.

"Or maybe burn them, is what I say," she says.

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Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Cruise’ Sets All-Time Country Sales Record   

Florida Georgia Line's genre-busting "Cruise" is now the top selling country digital song of all time, according to Nielsen SoundScan

By Wade Jessen

Wade Jessen

Florida Georgia Line’s genre-busting “Cruise” is now the top selling country digital song of all time, according to Nielsen SoundScan

With scans of 84,000 units in the most recent tracking week upping its overall sum to 6.33 million downloads, the duo’s hit is now the biggest-selling digital country song since SoundScan began tracking digital sales in 2003. It passes Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” which now sits in second place with 6.27 million downloads.

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Aided by a remix featuring rapper Nelly (which accounts for 39.5% of the track’s overall sales thus far), “Cruise” became a multi-format radio smash, spanning a chart life that began in the summer of 2012.

The new sales record adds to the song’s previous accolades. In 2013, it broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 in the 70-year history of the Hot Country Songs chart, spending 24 non-consecutive weeks atop the list. It also reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 7 on the Pop Songs radio chart (known as Mainstream Top 40 on billboard.biz).

Notably, like “Cruise,” the top five country digital sellers (see below) all had significant pop crossover airplay. Following “Cruise” and “Need You Now” on the all-time best-selling country digital songs list are Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” (5.66 million), the Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” (4.74 million) and Swift’s “You Belong With Me” (4.41 million).

Trending on Billboard

In other Florida Georgia Line news, the act is currently enjoying its second-longest chart-topping run on Hot Country Songs with “Stay,” which has spent five weeks at No. 1 so far and has sold 689,000 to date.

Top 10 Selling Country Digital Songs of All Time*

1. Florida Georgia Line, “Cruise” – 6.33 million 2. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” – 6.27 million 3. Taylor Swift, “Love Story” – 5.66 million 4. The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” – 4.74 million 5. Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me” – 4.41 million 6. Zac Brown Band, “Chicken Fried” – 4.06 million 7. Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem” – 3.94 million 8. Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats” – 3.90 million 9. Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – 3.77 million 10. Miley Cyrus, “The Climb” – 3.71 million

* source: Nielsen SoundScan

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21 Best Cruise Songs: The Ultimate Cruise Playlist

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21 Top Cruise Songs to Get You in the Mood for Cruising

Do you have a particular song that plays in your head when you think of cruising? Maybe you even have more than one, like a Cruise Playlist.

I don’t know about you, but as my cruise approaches, I get “prepared” in a couple of ways.

1. The practical

I’m all about the packing lists, shore excursion planning (plus some pre-cruise shopping).

2. The psychological/emotional

I’m serious about this one. I get myself (and my family) in the mood by having a fun attitude and playing some cruise music.

Sometimes I even sing, although not well, so I won’t be entering any cruise karaoke contests.

Favorite Cruise Inspired Songs

It got me thinking, so many cruisers have a cruise playlist of favorite cruise inspired songs. They can be great to listen to before your cruise, as you travel to your cruise ship, or even during times you’re not cruising if you’ve got a little bit of the post-cruise blues .

If you’re creating a cruise vacation video, you may want to use some cruise songs to go along with your fabulous photos, videos and cruise memories.

After scouring the internet and cruise message boards, I’ve put together a cruise playlist. It includes some popular current songs, as well as some cruising classics.  Plus, I’ve included my favorites too!

Top 21 Favorite Cruising Songs

1. cruising together.

By: Huey Lewis and Gweneth Paltrow

This is my very favorite cruise song that I listen to when I’m thinking about cruising (which could be anytime). It’s sweet, it’s romantic, and I love it. Corny and all.

“Music is played for love, cruisin’ is made for love. I love it when we’re cruisin’ together…”

2. The Love Boat

By: Jack Jones

Did you know that there is a long version of The Love Boat Theme Song as well as a short version? Oh, and there’s more than that.

If you look this one up on YouTube, you’ll be able to find many of the show openings, where the guest stars appear. It’s pretty fun to go down memory lane like this.

“The Love Boat, soon will be making another run…”

3. Cupid Shuffle

If you’ve cruised in the last 10-15 years, you’ve definitely heard this one!

The Cupid Shuffle is the ultimate cruise line dancing song at Embarkation Day Sailaway Parties. I have to admit, if I hear it, I’m on the dance floor!

“They got a brand new dance, you’ve got to move your muscle. They’ve got a brand new dance, it’s called the Cupid Shuffle…”

4. Cha Cha Slide

By: Mr. C. The Slide Man

I actually just came off an 11 day Celebrity Cruise, and even danced to this there as part of the sea day pool activities .

For real, I’m not a great dancer and not super coordinated, but I can follow directions ;-).

Sing it with me now “Freeze – everybody clap your hands! ”

5. Come Sail Away

How can you not get wistful when you hear Come Sail Away?

“I look to the sea, reflections in the ways, spark my memories. Some happy, some sad. I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had…”

6. My Heart Will Go On

By: Celine Dion

I have a confession. It took me years to finally see The Titanic. But when I did, it was better than I thought it would be!

That moment, Jack and Rose at the bow of the ship. Chills.

“Near far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on…”

*Bonus Cruise Fact

Did you know that the Titanic movie is integral to the origin story of today’s Cunard Line?

Micky Arison (chairman of Carnival Corporation) was convinced by his daughter, after she saw Titanic, that people wanted and craved the nostalgia of old world cruising.

Take a look at this video below and listen to Micky tell the story better than I can:

7. Margaritaville

By: Jimmy Buffet

If you’ve cruised the Caribbean, you know that Jimmy Buffett IS the Caribbean.

I think of Jimmy Buffet every time I have a frozen cocktail at 11 am on a cruise. Seriously, it’s 5 O’clock somewhere , right?

“Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville, Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt…”

By: The Beach Boys

If you love the beach, crystal clear waters and a good time, I know you love this song!

How many places have you been?

“Aruba, Jamaica, oooh I wanna take ya. Bermuda, Bahamas, come on pretty mama…”

9. Soak Up the Sun

By: Sheryl Crow

A light summer song, Soak Up the Sun makes me think of sea days by the pool and gorgeous days on the beach.

Does life get better than that?

“I’m gonna’ soak up the sun, gonna tell everyone to lighten up…”

10. (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay

By: Otis Redding

Oh, I love this. What a classic! “Sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away…”

The Dock of the Bay has be remade several times, by several artists, and I love the original by Otis Redding.

However, I thought I’d share one of my favorite versions in video by Playing for Change. It’s interesting to see and hear from different musicians all over the world.

11. Sailing

By: Rod Stewart

Sailing by Rod Stewart is a must-listen for anyone who loves to cruise and sail. It’s a pretty one.

“I am sailing, I am sailing, home again across the sea…”

12. Under the Sea

By: The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Records)

This one’s for the kids, (or anyone who feels like a kid sometimes and still loves it).

Plus, there are some wise words… “The seaweed is always greener, in somebody else’s lake…”

13. 3 Little Birds

By: Bob Marley

Close your eyes and imagine the pool band playing…

“Singing don’t worry about a thing, cause every little thing’s gonna be all right…”

14. La Isla Bonita

By: Madonna

This is where my “eighties girl” really shows through. I love some old school Madonna including Holiday (right?) and Cherish, but La Isla Bonita seems to be a favorite of many cruise fans.

That beat…

“Tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free. This is where I long to be, la Isla Bonita.”

15. Somewhere over the Rainbow

By: Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole

This is a beautiful and version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with a tropical sound.

Sadly, Israel has passed away, but he’s left his music, voice and hopeful message for us to enjoy.

“Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly. and that the dreams that you dream of, dreams really do come true…”

16. Escape – The Pina Colada Song

By: Rupert Holmes

This fun song with possibly controversial lyrics is a cheesy favorite of mine.

It got me at “If you like Pina Coladas”. Yup! Anyone else?

17. Sailing

By: Christopher Cross

Imagine sitting at the back of your cruise ship staring into the wake. Doesn’t this song just say it all?

“Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be…” The rest of the song is pure poetry!

18. Voyage Voyage

by: Desireless

This French song just gets me. While it’s not exclusively about cruising, it talks of the adventure of travel and has a fun eighties sound that totally sticks in my head.

If you don’t know it, give it a listen.

“Voyage, voyage. Plus loin que la nuit et le jour…”

Translation: “ Travel, travel. Further than the night and the day…”

19. Sea Cruise

By: Frankie Ford

An oldie but a goodie. Sea Cruise by Frankie topped the charts in 1959!

“Oo-ey, oo-ey, baby, oo-ey, oo-ey baby… won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise.”

20. Toes (in the Water)

By: Zac Brown Band

Here’s one for Country Music fans!

Confession: I have NEVER heard this song before. However, this is definitely a favorite cruise playlist song for many! I’ve got to say, I could get into this!

“Got my toes in the water, a** in the sand. Not a worry in a world of cold beer in my hand. Life is good today.”

21. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems

By: Kenny Chesney

Does this make you think of a relaxed beach day and some time at the beach bar? Sounds like a great vacation day ahead!

“The sun and the sand and a drink in my hand…”

Recap: 21 Best Cruise Songs: The Ultimate Cruise Playlist

I hope that some of these songs inspire you to think about cruising and vacations and all the happy memories that come along with this!

What are you favorite cruise songs, that bring thoughts of sailing, cruising and happy times? Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

If you’ve found this helpful, don’t keep it to yourself ;-)! Please share it on Facebook or save it for later on Pinterest (share buttons at the top of the post). Thank you!

Recommended posts:

30 Cruise Cabin Hacks Every Cruiser Needs to Know

27 things To Do on a Cruise Sea Day (and not be bored)

15 Cruise Embarkation Day Tips Straight from the Pros

Let’s connect:

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*NEW* Follow me on YouTube at Life Well Cruised

The Last Farewell Roger Whittaker

The Southern Cross Crosby Stills and Nash

Oh wow, I have to check out the Last Farewell. Thanks for the suggestions. It might be time for an update to this soon!

When I get on a cruise boat I play “I’m On A Boat” by Lonely Island. Perfect

https://youtu.be/avaSdC0QOUM

How fun!!! Thanks for sharing James!

Beyond the sea. Bobby Darin

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35 Summer Country Songs That Are Sun-sationaly Good

Mood = uplifted and breezy!

If you're planning a road trip this summer, or even if you're just cruising around town, you'll definitely want to add driving songs like "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line and "Red Dirt Road" by Brooks & Dunn to your playlist. There's truly no better songs to hit the road to than those right there! You can also set the mood for a summer romance with country love songs like "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter and "A Little More Summertime" by Jason Aldean. One thing you won't find on this list is a lot of sad country songs . Because as Kenny Chesney would say, "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" is more than just a song title—it's a way of life.

Here are more ways to enjoy summer:

• Easy Summer Crafts for the Whole Family to Enjoy
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"Vacation" by Thomas Rhett

"Vacation" by Thomas Rhett kicks off this list. Because who doesn't dream of planning their next summer vacation? Whether it's to the beach or a new city, this song will surely get you in the spirit.

"Somewhere On A Beach" by Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley was onto something with this one. You can find us, too, somewhere on a beach this summer! In fact, this just acted as a good reminder to make sure the sunscreen is packed and ready to go.

"21 Summer" by Brothers Osborne

Summer is both freeing and promising, which is why it's the perfect season to chase your dreams. Channel that spirit by listening to this sweet song from Brothers Osborne that amplifies that sentiment.

"TEXAS HOLD 'EM" by Beyoncé

The second this song starts, you'll be ready to head down to the closest line dancing bar. There's seriously something in the melody Beyoncé creates that will somehow get you up every single time.

"Barefoot And Crazy" by Jack Ingram

Summer is the season of, dare we say, going barefoot and crazy? Turns out, Jack Ingram beat everyone to it. If summer had an anthem, this would be it!

"Country's Cool Again" by Lainey Wilson

Country is apparently "cool" again, according to Lainey Wilson! So go ahead and blast this anywhere and everywhere this summer, because no one's going to stop you.

"Kiss My Boots' by Brian Kelley

Kiss our boots, cold weather! No, the song isn't about winter (instead it's about an old-fling who you're leaving behind), but even if you can't relate, you'll want to belt out these unforgettable lyrics.

"Glory Days" by Gabby Barrett

A catchy country song about love? Yeah, it doesn't get anymore summer than that! Thank you, Gabby Barrett, for creating a song that is definitely going to get stuck in our heads.

"Fiddle in the Band" by Kane Brown

You're sure to break a sweat when this one comes on, and not just because it's hot outside! It's just that when Kane Brown starts his rather impressive beat, you'll want to hit the dance floor.

"God & Country" by Anne Wilson

This one was made for long drives in the summer breeze! Throw this on in the thick of the season when you're feeling extra proud of the country you were brought up in.

"Southbound" by Carrie Underwood

If you're not absolutely belting out the chorus to this Carrie Underwood tune, then you're doing it wrong!

"Something Like That" by Tim McGraw

Once our car tires hits the gravel, we're ready we to belt out the lyrics to this Tim McGraw tune. Summer drives with good music, here we come!

"Sunshine and Summertime" by Faith Hill

Did you think a list like this would exist without Faith Hill somewhere on it? The title of this song should be a clear indicator of the vibes it gives off.

"Summer Fever" by Little Big Town

Little Big Town created an easy, breezy summer hit with this song. We're ready to relax with some shades on just listening to it!

"Waves" by Luke Bryan

"And girl I was made for you like you were made for summer." That line alone makes this song the ultimate love song and summer country song!

"Summertime Blues" by Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson scored a No. 1 hit with his country twist on a rockabilly classic. The song's title might sound sad but its upbeat vibes are the perfect cure for your summertime blues!

"Pontoon" by Little Big Town

When you're making waves and catching rays this summer, throw on this Grammy-winning lazy lake song. Five miles an hour never felt so good!

"Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffet

Few songs capture that laid-back, carefree summer feeing better than Jimmy Buffet's iconic hit "Margaritaville."

"Long Hot Summer" by Keith Urban

Keith Urban knows better than anybody that summer is even sweeter when you have someone special to share it with.

"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line

Roll your windows down and cruise to this upbeat hit about falling in love in the sweet heart of summer. Take your pick between the original song and the remix featuring rapper Nelly.

Tierney McAfee is a freelance writer and Country Living and The Pioneer Woman contributor who covers entertainment, holiday & entertaining, food & drinks, design ideas, DIY, and more.

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‘Come Dance With Me’ Country Line Dance Cruise

Capital Region, NY – Do you want to country line dance on the Carnival Freedom cruise ship in Cape Canaveral, Fl?! Country line dance friends can line dance with Kevin Richards, The Country Kickers, Guest Instructors, and music from country singer Nancy Hays next year, February 24-March 1, 2025. The cruise will begin at Cape Canaveral, Fl and will go to Orlando, Fl and to the eastern Caribbean. There will be line dance parties, lessons, and concerts, and all levels of line dancers, including non-dancers and friends are welcome. Limited inside cabins start at $397, plus $124.65 port tax, gratuity, and 100 program fee due at final payment. Limited balcony cabins start at $657 plus $124.65 port tax, and gratuity and 100 program fee due at final payment. Rates and availability not guaranteed after May 27, 2024. There is a $150 deposit needed to secure your spot for the cruise. Group booking number is J8RF92. For cruise details, go to www.kevinrichards.com or call 1-(800)-327-5782.

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I'm a cruise musician on an adults-only ship. I make $4,000 each month and get to travel the world — but there are drawbacks too.

• Jack Nolan, 32, is a guitar player who lives and works on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship.
• He makes $4,000 a month and has his living expenses covered by the cruise line.
• Nolan has traveled the world and documents his life onboard on TikTok.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with English musician Jack Nolan, 32, about his experiences living and working on cruise ships over the last seven years. Nolan runs a TikTok account detailing his life on the high seas. The following has been edited for length and clarity. 

I'm currently on the Valiant Lady, which is a Virgin Voyages ship. We're sailing around the Mediterranean for the summer.

Almost every day you wake up in a new place. It's amazing to have the opportunity to travel and get paid for it, as well. I don't think there are many jobs where you can meet so many people from all over the world. And we're all here to do the same thing, which is enjoy the perks of working on a cruise.

@jackcruisesaround Welcome to the manor, on @Virgin Voyages #themanor #virginvoyges #valiantlady #cruise #cruiseship #crewship #performance #guitar #guitarsolo #prince #purplerain #musiciansoftiktok #crewmember ♬ original sound - Jack Nolan - Cruise Ship Life

My passion for music led me to a life at sea

I grew up loving music. Ever since I was a kid, I was always into rock music and bands. My dad put a guitar in my hands when I was about 9 years old and taught me songs he knew from his favorite bands.

I went to university to study music and I met a bunch of musicians. From there, I joined bands. I was playing in wedding bands and original bands.

Then I met a drummer who was a bit older than me and had already been on the ships. He was starting his own cruise ship band and he asked me if I wanted to play guitar. 

Cruises don't directly hire the bands, they go through an agent. So, we just needed an initial in. Our drummer already knew the process of how to get a cruise ship gig , so he led the way. He knew that, as a brand new band, we needed to film some content to use to apply to the right agents.

We would rehearse and record as much of the rehearsal as possible. We even put on a gig ourselves and funded it just so we could record a crowd clapping between some of the songs.

It took a good four or five months of waiting. But luckily, it worked. It got us a gig on Celebrity Cruises. We were on Celebrity cruises from 2016 all the way until the start of 2022. After that, me and the keyboard player joined Virgin in May 2022.

I currently play guitar in a band on an adults-only ship

The bread and butter of our performances is playing as a five-piece band: guitar, drums, bass guitar, keyboards, and lead singer. 

We have a large rep of songs and genres that we play, a real mix of mid-tempo songs and upbeat tunes. We play everything from Elvis to Etta James to Bruno Mars to Daft Punk. 

We play two or three hours a day. They have us break into acoustic trios and duos and sometimes I do solo guitar sets. It's not strenuous at all. We have one day off each week, as well. 

It depends on if I've played late the night before, but sometimes I'll actually wake up around noon because we've played until almost 2 a.m.

If we're in port, I'll go out and explore. If it's a sea day, I'll hit up the gym. There's honestly so much free time, especially on this ship. It's quite incredible. 

We're playing usually from 5 or 6 p.m. throughout the evening. It's a very cool lifestyle. 

@jackcruisesaround ♬ original sound - Jack Nolan - Cruise Ship Life

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There's no kids on board. It's amazing. The people on here are in good spirits because there's no stress. People are just adults having fun.

They give us the freedom as performers to interact with the guests. They encourage us to go get drinks with them, to sit and chat with them, interact, and help them feel more immersed within the crew. 

I can easily save money because my living expenses are covered

We were making $3,000 a month on Celebrity. At the time, we thought that was great. But then we heard about Virgin. They were a new company and they were offering more money for musicians, so we were quick to jump ship.

As musicians, we're now making $4,000 a month.

Your rent, your board, your food onboard — it's all covered by the company. You save money so easily.

Being British and working for American cruise lines, we're paid in dollars and we're not taxed on those because we're not from the US and we're also living on a ship.

There's a thing called Seafarers' earning deduction . If you're from the UK and you're not living in the UK for more than half the year, then you don't need to pay income tax, as well. 

That's a really sweet part of being a full-time cruise ship musician, to save so much money. 

My favorite parts are traveling and meeting new people

I always get off the ship whenever we're in port, just for sanity. If you spend too much time on board, it kind of messes with your head.

We're one of the positions on board that is lucky enough to have so much downtime, so we can get off the ship usually whenever we want. 

Kangaroos in Australia; snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef; bungee jumping in New Zealand; sailing through the Norwegian fjords; taking quad bikes around Greece — it's been amazing to have the opportunity to travel to all these places and get paid for it, as well.

The downside is you only get a few hours to explore. You get to go to these amazing places, but you don't really get to immerse yourself in them.

But usually, these cruises are week-long and they repeat. So you can go back the next week to the same spots and find your local coffee spots, Wi-Fi spots, beaches, hangouts. 

And you learn so much when you're meeting people from all over the world, the different cultures they have, the experiences. I think that's my number one favorite thing. I've made friends for life.

But life at sea isn't always luxurious

Living in a small, windowless cabin can suck. It can be nice at times. It can feel cozy and you can nap at any time of the day because you haven't got daylight.

But if you miss daylight too much, it's not great.

@jackcruisesaround Tips to decompress on a cruise ship 💆‍♂️ #crewcabin #porthole #portholecruiseandtravel #cruiseshipcrew #cruiseship #crewship #cruiselife #cruiseshipstaff #virginvoyages #virginvoyagescrew #valiantlady #scarletlady #resilientlady #belowdeck #workingonacruiseship #cruiseshipjobs #cruisevlog #cruisetravel #royalcaribbean #carnivalcruise #msccruises #shiplife #cruisecrew #adultcruise #adultonlycruise #virginship #CruiseShipLife #celebritycruises #norweigancruise #cruiseshipmusician #traveltiktok #seafarer #worldtraveller ♬ original sound - Jack Nolan - Cruise Ship Life

Keeping up a long-distance relationship is extremely tough, too. I have a girlfriend and she's in LA. 

Luckily, the Wi-Fi on Virgin is free, so we get to FaceTime every night. But it does cut out at times, which is frustrating. The internet is often slow. 

My plan is to head over to California after this contract. I want to move on and keep my relationship healthy.  

There's no job quite like this one

If you're thinking about joining a ship and working as a performer, go for it , especially if you're young and you're single. It's a great time. 

Watch: This is what it takes to be a cruise ship performer

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