I’ve always had a sneaking admiration for Jimmy Buffett and his simple, friendly style. As with so many artists, I kind of like his older stuff better, but there isn’t a Jimmy Buffett song around that I won’t listen to.
That makes picking six or seven for all of you a little harder. Early or late? Soft rock or parrot-head? Jimmy wandered the musical map some over the years.
So, to resolve that, here are seven Jimmy Buffett songs from my Buffett playlist, more or less at random, and in no particular order.
Come Monday (1974): This one speaks to me because of all the years I spent in the consulting world, literally traveling the world, conducting business on four continents. For quite a few years, I spent more time away from my wife than with her, and it was always so great and so exciting to come home and find that, as I expected, everything would be all right.
See Also: Start Your Weekend Right With 6 Great Rock & Roll Acts on the Ed Sullivan Show
Cheeseburger in Paradise (1978): This is, reportedly, based on something that really happened to Jimmy. The song describes a man who tries to eat healthy, but eventually goes back to the joys of a cheeseburger. Jimmy got the idea after a boating accident, when he lived for several days on canned food and peanut butter; when he finally made landfall on the island of Tortola, his first act was to eat a cheeseburger. This became one of Jimmy’s signature tunes.
Margaritaville (1977): Another of Jimmy's signature tunes – maybe the signature tune – this is an ode to the laid-back tropical life that Jimmy came to represent, with his regular concert fans calling themselves “Parrotheads.” It’s telling that when Jimmy passed away in 2023, this song climbed back up the charts for a while.
He Went to Paris (1973): This is a kind of a sad tune, reportedly inspired by a one-armed Spanish Civil War veteran Jimmy met. The veteran, one Eddie Balchowsky, talked of fighting in Spain and going to Paris for medical treatment, in an almost Hemingway-esque tale. Supposedly Jimmy was contacted by none other than Bob Dylan, who said it was one of his favorite songs.
Fins (1979): Back to a more fun song; this describes the adventures of an attractive young woman on a tropical island surrounded by “land sharks,” all the young men who are circling, looking for their opportunity to pounce in with a pickup line. She is apparently the only woman on the island, as described in the refrain: “Fins to the left, fins to the right, and you’re the only game in town.”
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (1977): This very tropical-themed tune is one that I always remember as being one of the jumping-off points for Jimmy’s plunge all the way into this Caribbean phase. I also, of late, have come to appreciate the sentiment expressed, although the latitude we went to was in the opposite direction. Still – changes in attitudes.
See Also: Start Your Weekend Right With the King of Country: George Strait
It’s Five O’clock Somewhere (2003): Now this one I have to dedicate to our sister site PJ Media's weekly (more or less) live stream “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” hosted by my good friends Stephen Kruiser and Stephen Green, and all the regular viewers/commenters. Featuring Alan Jackson, this has a fun, country twang to it, and it sells an important message; there’s always a good reason to have a drink – or three.
Jimmy Buffett was one of a kind, a great performer, a happy teller of tales, with his own unique and inimitable style. He was unique in his blending of American rock and country, along with the Caribbean vibe.
I’m sure you all have some Jimmy Buffett favorites of your own – so, as always, the comments are all yours!
