It was 1975. Rod Stewart was basically running away. He was fleeing the UK's soul-crushing 83% tax rate, leaving behind his buddies in The Faces, and heading to America to reinvent himself. The result? Atlantic Crossing. If you've ever hummed "Sailing" while staring at the ocean or felt a lump in your throat during "I Don’t Want to Talk About It," you’ve felt the DNA of this record.
Honestly, the album shouldn't have worked. He traded his gritty, booze-soaked London pub-rock vibe for the slick, professional polish of Muscle Shoals. He swapped Ronnie Wood for Steve Cropper. Most people thought he’d lost his soul in the middle of the ocean. But the Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing songs ended up defining the second half of his career. It wasn’t just an album; it was a survival strategy.
The Weird Split: Fast Side vs. Slow Side
One of the coolest things about this record is the structure. Rod (or maybe his girlfriend at the time, Britt Ekland, depending on which rumor you believe) decided to split the tracks by vibe. Side A was the "Fast Side." Side B was the "Slow Side."
It’s such a simple, almost primitive way to organize music, but it totally works. You don't have to skip through tracks to find the mood. You just pick a side.
The Fast Side: Rod the Lad
The first five songs are all about that classic Rod swagger. It’s loud, it’s brassy, and it’s unapologetically fun.
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- Three Time Loser: A rocking opener that Rod wrote himself. It’s basically a confession about his own questionable lifestyle choices, delivered with a wink.
- Alright for an Hour: Co-written with Jesse Ed Davis. It’s a groovy, mid-tempo track that feels like a hazy afternoon in LA.
- All in the Name of Rock 'N' Roll: This one is pure energy. It’s Rod trying to prove he hasn't gone "soft" just because he’s recording in America.
- Drift Away: A cover of the Dobie Gray classic. While the original is legendary, Rod’s version adds a certain raspy desperation that only he can pull off.
- Stone Cold Sober: A collaboration with the great Steve Cropper. It’s a rollicking closer for the "Fast Side" that bridges the gap between London rock and Memphis soul.
The Slow Side: Rod the Romantic
This is where the magic really happened. If the Fast Side proved he could still rock, the Slow Side proved he was the greatest interpretive singer of his generation.
- I Don't Want to Talk About It: Written by Danny Whitten of Crazy Horse. Rod’s version is heartbreaking. The way he hangs on those notes? Pure gold.
- It's Not the Spotlight: A Barry Goldberg and Gerry Goffin tune. It’s soulful, restrained, and deeply underrated.
- This Old Heart of Mine: He took the Isley Brothers' Motown heater and slowed it down into a sultry, soulful crawl. It shouldn't work, but it does.
- Still Love You: The only original on the slow side. It’s a tender moment that shows Rod could still write a ballad with the best of them.
- Sailing: The closer. The anthem. The song that stayed at number one in the UK forever.
Why Tom Dowd Was the Secret Weapon
You can’t talk about these songs without mentioning Tom Dowd. The guy was a legend. He’d worked with Aretha Franklin, Cream, and the Allman Brothers. Rod was nervous about working with him. He was used to the chaotic, drunken sessions with The Faces where nobody really knew who was playing what.
Dowd brought discipline. He brought the Memphis Horns. He brought Booker T. and the MG's.
Suddenly, Rod wasn't just a "rock singer" anymore. He was a soul man. The production on Atlantic Crossing is glossy, sure, but it’s not fake. It’s big-budget, 1970s craftsmanship. You can hear the money on the tracks, but you can also hear the sweat. Recording in Muscle Shoals, Alabama—a "dry" county at the time—meant Rod couldn't just hide behind a bottle of Courvoisier. He had to actually sing.
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The Legacy of "Sailing" and "I Don't Want to Talk About It"
It’s wild to think that "Sailing" wasn't even a hit in the US. In the UK, it’s practically a national anthem. It’s been used for everything from naval documentaries to football chants. The song, written by Gavin Sutherland, is actually quite simple. But Rod’s delivery transforms it into something spiritual.
Then there’s "I Don’t Want to Talk About It." Danny Whitten wrote it as a fragile folk song, but Rod turned it into a powerhouse ballad. It’s one of those songs that feels like it’s always existed. Interestingly, it didn't even become a massive hit until 1977, two years after the album came out, when it was released as a double A-side with "The First Cut Is the Deepest."
These songs didn't just top charts; they changed Rod's trajectory. Before Atlantic Crossing, he was a rocker with a folk problem. After, he was a global pop superstar. Some fans never forgave him for that transition, but looking back 50 years later, the quality of the performances is undeniable.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Album
A lot of critics at the time called this album a "sell-out." They missed the "ragged charm" of his earlier Mercury records like Every Picture Tells a Story. And yeah, it is different. It’s less "British."
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But "different" isn't "bad."
The musicianship on this record is objectively better than on his previous few albums. The "Slow Side" contains some of the best vocal takes of the 1970s. Period. If you listen to the outtakes on the 2009 Deluxe Edition, you can hear how much work went into finding the right groove. They weren't just slapping together pop hits; they were trying to build a new sound from scratch.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Listener
If you're going back to revisit these tracks, here is how to get the most out of the experience:
- Listen to the Sides Separately: Don't just shuffle. Respect the "Fast Side/Slow Side" split. Put on the Fast Side while you’re getting ready for a night out, and save the Slow Side for when the house is quiet and you’ve got a drink in your hand.
- Compare the Covers: Look up the original versions of "Drift Away" (Dobie Gray) and "I Don’t Want to Talk About It" (Crazy Horse). Seeing how Rod transformed these songs shows you exactly why he’s a genius. He doesn't just sing them; he colonizes them.
- Hunt for the Deluxe Edition: The 2009 reissue has alternate versions with the MG's that are a bit rawer. If you find the original album too "slick," the outtakes of "This Old Heart of Mine" with Booker T. will change your mind.
- Watch the "Sailing" Video: It’s one of the earliest examples of a "concept" music video. It captures that exact moment in 1975 when Rod was transitioning from a guy in a band to a guy who owned a yacht.
The Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing songs represent a pivotal bridge in music history. They mark the end of the 60s rock-and-roll dream and the beginning of the high-sheen, superstar-driven 70s. Whether you love the grit or the gloss, you can't deny that when Rod opened his mouth in those Alabama studios, something special happened.