Very good point. I love major 7ths they are the dreamy beautiful chords. Other ones used in the 70s were the minor /7th played in repetition, although that one will always be a biggy in songwriting.

I did that on the drive from Ventura to San Diego. On repeat the whole way. Made it a very special journey.

Geht mir so mit you can do magic❤

The legendary drummer Hal Blaine was the drummer on this song in the studio

that is Ventura highway

Me too. I love the desert too

I agree 👍 million %. Seen them live every chance I get

Yes my girlfriend!

@@charleskadletc2431 Wow that's cool

Me too we were so lucky

+ I also love the Harbor album and Here and Now. But yes, 71-75 was the best period.

aug 1 2018- Deschutes County Fair- Still incredible.

I know exactly what you mean brother, I reside in Oxnard right now, and love driving out and looking at the ocean while listening to this song

Just saw them tonight, great show!

I saw them at UCLA Pauley Pavilion in the mid 70's, still one of the very best concerts I've been to.

Been to Sedona a few times - what a beautiful, magical place. Good luck!

I believe his name was Dan Peek. R.I.P.

Nice choice! That beat almost has a Latin feel & flavor to it.

mine too followed by three roses.....

Mine too.

@@stephenlennartz3466 bossa nova more like it

haha the old station wagons have cherished memories for all of us over 50

ahhhh, the beloved Station-Wagon era of our youth .

great how you described that yep loved the 70s too as a kid and you,d hear their music on the radio so much memories even me dad an mum whom i miss dearly when i hear one of their classics love em til i die haha xox

RIP...

He's buried 3.1 miles away from my home here in Farmington Mo

Dope does it as well dude!

Exactly my thoughts also.....when I found out that it was a group called America....Instant Love

I hadn't thought of that! Spot on!

So did Neil"s dad! It's in the Young biography "Shakey"

Crazy horse.

Horse hater!!! Well.... I...... I.. hate concrete freeways!! SO THERE!! Actually, I like driving, and its a nice freeway..... hmm mmm well, just STOP HATING HORSEES!! THERE. Now I'm good.

That was all there was of America in the show unfortunately.

Yep. It's a tricky one. I'm in a cover band that plays Ventura Highway. Over the years I developed a way to play both notes at the same time on the opening riff. STILL tricky as heck ... but that song goes over every time!

Not nearly as difficult as the bass line. I, long ago, gave up trying to play it correctly while trying to stay in meter. It's even more difficult when you try to sing the melody line and play the bass line at the same time. I'm sure some can do it perfectly, but I ain't one of 'em.

Have a look at ''shut up and play'' ,s lesson, he,a master teacher

Abstract is more like it

@ED DOVER That's what we call Poetic License, darling.

AH-HA! Finally figured it out, it was a Janet Jackson song, "Someone to call my lover" I think is the song. She uses this riff on that song.

Ehem *Dan Peek is the only member in the group that have died the two dewey and gerry are still alive, I've seen a video a few minutes ago posted by an author of a book about america interviewing them, uploaded 7 hours ago😂 I would give you a link if you want to watch it...

dewey bunnell alive and kicking mate!!!

dewey bunnell alive and kicking mate!!!

One of my favorite songs, but why would they be "in the air"?

cloud formations

@@daverogers5609 thats what it seems to suggest to me too. it coulda been bunny rabbits in the air, in the air, but that wouldnt sound as cool as alligator lizards right?

Dewey said in an interview that "alligator lizards in the air" is in reference to the cloud formations he'd see over Vandenburg AFB, in Lompoc, CA where as a military brat, his family lived when his airman father was stationed at the base in the early 1960s.

101 is the Ventura FREEWAY. By the way, this is the guy who wrote the song. So he knows what he's talking about when it comes to his inspiration for writing it.

Pacific Coast Highway is PCH or Hwy 1 which overlooks the Pacific ocean. Ventura Highway is also called the 101 Freeway which parallels PCH but is more inland.

There is NO Ventura Highway ("no such beast" at 01:55). Except in the song, which Dewey Bunnell clearly says was Inspired by Highway 1 (PCH). 101 is the Ventura Freeway, not Highway.

As a native Californian myself, I always thought of the Ventura Freeway as the Ventura Highway in this song. However, I've been on both the Pacific Coast Highway and The Ventura Freeway, also known as the 101. No disrespect to the 101, but I can't imagine that freeway inspiring this or any other song. The Pacific Coast Highway, alternately called PCH or Coast Highway by locals like myself (lived in Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach, Newport Coast, and Costa Mesa, for years; all of which are pretty damn close to the coast and Coast Highway), is beautiful enough if you drive north or south on it for any length of time that it is very easy to imagine Coast Highway inspiring a song as lovely as Ventura Highway. But lets be honest: Substitute Pacific Coast Highway or Coast Highway or god forbid PCH for Ventura Highway and it's a bit easier to see the need to artistically and lyrically call Coast Highway Ventura Highway. Pacific Coast Highway has six syllables for one thing, which makes it too long, and Coast Highway has only three syllables, rendering it too short. Ventura Highway clocks in at five syllables, which makes it fit much better within the framework and context of the song. And, as beautiful and inspiring as Coast Highway is? Calling it Ventura Highway just sounds prettier and more picturesque in this song. And if you think about it for a moment? Ventura Freeway would have the correct number of syllables as Ventura Highway (5) but come on, a highway sounds a lot more poetic any day of the week than any freeway in Southern California, home of two of the most heavily traveled freeways: the 405 and the 5. Neither of which inspires much more than frustration or aggravation getting stuck in gridlock on either or both. (And the 55, 91, and 22 freeways are equally as aggravating. Living in Prescott Arizona now and for the past five years, I miss none of those freeways.)

Really love your analysis. Respect.

Actually it’s a talentless ripoff, just like atomic kitten’s “be with you” ripping off the violin lick from ELO’s “last train to London” and many others. They are not remakes or cover versions which fully recognize and celebrate the original artists work and creativity, but solely ripoff their work and claim it for their own

@@nyosito I've read her liner notes and she does credit America and used it with their permission.

@@larryhall2805 Gerry Beckley said in an interview that he didn't think Janet even knew of the song. It was the producers of her album Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam who he and Dewey knows, they were the ones that wanted to use the sample for Janet's song.