"Float On", a song that highlighted the astrological signs of its singers, was born June 25, 1977 when it first entered the R&B charts. That puts the record in the sign of Cancer, which it shared with group member Larry "I like a woman that loves everything and everybody" Cunningham. Cancer rules the public, or mass consciousness, as this hit did for many months in the summer of '77. Cancer's element is Water, as evidenced in both the name of the song and its group.

   "Float On" came to life in Detroit and to co-writer James Mitchell in a dream. One night, he woke up with all the chords in his head, as well as the break where each singer announces his sign and woman. This was nothing odd for Mitchell, however. In fact, he kept a tape recorder by the bed for just such occasions! He hummed into his trusty machine the melody (inspired, he says, by the Four Tops' "Still Water" and the Manhattans' "Follow Your Heart") then woke up his writing partner, Marvin Willis, with a call at 7 a.m. With third partner Arnold Ingram, the dream team soon polished off the tune. 

   The floating, dream-like quality of the finished record matched its sleeper chart success. It actually went to #1 in the UK a month before it hit the top of the Soul charts in the US, and it was yet another month after its release before it cracked the Pop charts, eventually peaking at #2 (held only from the top spot by another Pop/R&B smash: The Emotions' "Best of My Love"). 

   The story of "Float On" is really the parallel story of two acts in the Motor City–—the Floaters themselves, and the Detroit Emeralds. It's also the story of some soulful siblings. First, the Tilmon brothers: Abrim (Abe), Ivory, Cleophus and Raymond, who had originated their act in the '60s in Little Rock. Abe and Ivory brought the Emeralds to Detroit where they debuted with "Show Time" on the Ric-Tic label in 1968. Two years later they became a trio with their friend James Mitchell, whose younger brother Paul was part of the act originally known as the Junior Floaters.

   It was a family affair all around, as the Detroit Emeralds owned a club called The Emerald Lounge. The Mitchell brothers' parents ran the bar when the group was on tour. Sunday afternoons at the Lounge were reserved for young talent, and it was there that the Junior Floaters made their pre-teen debut in the mid-'60s. A decade later, they were deemed ready for stardom, including opening for the Emeralds on stage and recording for ABC Records.

   In addition to Larry and Paul (a Leo who liked "all the women of the world"), the Floaters included:
– Aquarian Ralph ("I like a woman who loves her freedom, who can hold her own") Mitchell, no relation to James and Paul.
– Charles ("I like a woman that’s quiet, who carries herself like Miss Universe") Clark, a Libra.
– Jonathan "Mighty Midget" Murray, sign unknown, who is not featured as a solo in the song.

   "Float On" was recorded at the same studio the Emeralds used, housed in a Detroit garage. Famed Motown session guitarist Dennis Coffey played on the track, bringing the astrological signs "Scorpio" and "Taurus" with him from his earlier '70s instrumental hits. Coffey also teamed with Floater Charles as part of the act C.J. & Co., who hit simultaneously on the Soul charts with "Devil's Gun" (#2 in August of '77). Also on the session were James Mitchell's co-writers Ingram and Willis, playing piano and trumpet respectively.

   The Detroit Emeralds scored hit after hit for Westbound Records in the '70s: "Do Me Right", "You Want It You Got It", "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" and "You're Gettin' A Little Too Smart" were all R&B Top Tens.

   But alas, the heavenly stars were perfectly positioned only just once for  their new sibling stars. Although they charted two more records in the wake of "Float On", the Floaters soon sank into chart oblivion. As Larry Cunningham told Blues & Soul magazine: "'Float On'...became a burden. Now don't get me wrong–—without it, we'd be nowhere...and hundreds of groups would give their lives for such a record! I think the mistake we made afterwards, though, was to try to better 'Float On'. And it can't be done".

   Not, perhaps, until the Moon is in the Seventh House, and Jupiter aligns with Mars?