It's 1980 in Austin and you had no idea that Christopher Cross's song "Sailing" was about Lake Travis⛵️ LAKE TRAVIS, TX (@fox7austin)— When you think of the definitive yacht rock anthem, you probably picture the beaches of Malibu or the coast of Maui. But the ultimate masterpiece of the genre—Christopher Cross’s iconic, 5-time Grammy-winning hit "Sailing"—actually traces its roots straight to the choppy waters of Travis County. While Cross was born and raised in San Antonio, graduating from Alamo Heights High School, it wasn’t until he moved his musical ambitions up the road to Austin that the inspiration for his signature 1980 Billboard No. 1 single truly took shape during frequent trips across Lake Travis. Cross has often noted that the classic track wasn’t written about an ocean getaway, but rather the genuine sense of escape he discovered in Travis County as he transitioned into adulthood. Reflecting on the local inspiration behind the legendary song, Cross shared: "It's about an older friend of mine who had a boat... and we would go out on Lake Travis. It was just a transition from being a kid to being an adult... just a very wonderful way to escape the transition of growing up." That peace he found on the lake ultimately became a song universally recognized as the absolute pinnacle of yacht rock. This edited video includes shots of Lake Travis.