It’s 1979. David Pack, the frontman for the Ambrosia band, is standing in his home studio. His family is downstairs, bags packed, car idling, shouting for him to hurry up so they can finally leave for vacation. He’s just there to flip the "off" switches. Instead, he hears a chord.
Ten minutes later, the blueprint for Ambrosia band Biggest Part of Me was sitting on a cassette tape.
Pack almost threw it away. He genuinely thought the lyrics were too "sappy," like some Hallmark card that someone set to a Fender Rhodes track. If it wasn't for Michael McDonald—yeah, that Michael McDonald—convincing him the song was a monster hit, we might never have heard it.
The Sound of 1980 (and the 1/80 Mystery)
Most people assume the album One Eighty was named because the band was doing a "180-degree" turn from their prog-rock roots. You know, the complex stuff they did with Alan Parsons.
Actually? It was just because they recorded it in January 1980. 1/80.
But the "turn" was real. By the time the Ambrosia band Biggest Part of Me hit the airwaves in March 1980, the group had morphed from King Crimson-inspired art-rockers into the absolute kings of "Blue-Eyed Soul." It wasn't just a pop song; it was a technical masterpiece disguised as a love ballad.
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Take a second to really listen to those palm-muted guitar notes David Pack plays. They are tight. Like, surgically tight. It’s a funk ostinato that keeps the whole thing from floating away into the clouds.
Why Quincy Jones Obsessed Over This Song
It’s not every day that the man who produced Thriller calls you up to geek out over your track. Quincy Jones reportedly told the band that "Biggest Part of Me" was one of his favorite songs ever written.
Think about that.
The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held that spot for three weeks. It didn't just play on white pop stations, either. It crossed over to the R&B charts, peaking at #35. That's a rare feat for a group of guys from the South Bay of Los Angeles who started out making concept albums about Kurt Vonnegut stories.
The Secret Ingredients
- The Saxophone: That’s Ernie Watts. If the name sounds familiar, it's because he’s a jazz legend who played with everyone from Marvin Gaye to The Rolling Stones. His trades with Pack’s guitar at the end? Pure gold.
- The Vocals: The harmonies aren't just "good." They are stacked in a way that feels almost orchestral.
- The Lyrics: "Sunrise, there’s a new sun rising." It’s unashamedly optimistic. In a year where the world felt pretty heavy, this was pure escapism.
A Song for Presidents and Legends
There’s a wild story David Pack tells about Bill Clinton’s first inauguration in 1993. Pack was the music director for the Arkansas Ball. The Clintons came out for their very first dance as the First Couple.
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Pack started singing "Biggest Part of Me."
Supposedly, within the first few bars, Clinton spun around and told him, "I love that song." It’s one of those tracks that just sticks to people. It’s a "life event" song. Weddings, anniversaries, inaugural balls—it fits everywhere.
The Technical "One-Take" Energy
Even though the song feels polished to a mirror shine, it carries the soul of that original 10-minute demo. The band—Pack, Joe Puerta, Christopher North, and Burleigh Drummond—were masters of their craft. They weren't just "yacht rock" session players; they were a unit.
The keyboard work by David C. Lewis on the Fender Rhodes and the Prophet-5 gave it that shimmering, "expensive" sound that defines the era. But it’s the Hammond organ solo by Christopher North on the ride-out that gives it a bit of that old prog-rock grit.
Actionable Takeaways for the Modern Listener
If you're revisiting the Ambrosia band Biggest Part of Me, don't just let it be background noise. To truly appreciate what’s happening, try this:
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Listen for the "Space"
The production (handled by the band and Freddie Piro) is incredibly breathable. In modern pop, everything is compressed and loud. Here, you can hear the air around the drums.
Check Out the Live Versions
Go find the 1980 Midnight Special footage. Seeing them do those harmonies live, without the safety net of modern pitch correction, is a masterclass in musicianship.
Explore the Roots
If you like this, go back to their first two albums. It’ll give you whiplash. Hearing the same guys who wrote "Biggest Part of Me" doing experimental 7-minute suites is the best way to understand why this band was so respected by peers like Pink Floyd and Yes.
The track remains a staple of "Yacht Rock" playlists today, but calling it just that feels a little reductive. It’s a perfect piece of songwriting that survived the transition from the experimental 70s to the polished 80s without losing its heart.
Next time you hear it, remember it almost didn't happen because David Pack thought it was too cheesy to record. Thank God for Michael McDonald’s ears.