Farewell Jimmy

American singer, songwriter, musician, author, and businessman Jimmy Buffett left this life on September 1, 2023. He is best known for his hit “Margaritaville,” which is a song that made me think of palm trees dancing in the breeze, soft lapping waves upon the shore, and an ice-cold margarita in my hand. He was also a bestselling author and has two restaurant chains named after his best-known songs Margaritaville Café and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Buffet will always be remembered for his most iconic and beloved song “Margaritaville”. The song had great imagery of the tropics, creative lyrics, and a melody that was catchy. Once the song started you were captured and as the song finished I had a big smile on my face. The song was written and recorded by Buffett in 1977 and is on his album Changes in Latitude Changes in Attitudes. The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and rose to number one on the Easy Listening chart. “Margaritaville” has been inducted into the 2016 Grammy Hall of Fame for its cultural and historic significance. It was selected for preservation in the US National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

“He Went to Paris” is a song that was written and recorded by Buffet and is on his 1973 album A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean. It was the fourth single released from the album. The song was the only one from this album that Buffet rarely played live but when he found out that American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan liked it he started playing it more often. A live version of the song recorded in Paris, France is on his 2009 album Encores.

“One Particular Harbour” is a song that was written by Buffet and Hawaiian-born Tahitian musician Bobby Holcomb. It was released as a single in 1983 and is on his album of the same name. It is one of the more popular songs with fans and Buffet played it at almost all of his concerts. The song is featured on the live album Feeding Frenzy, Buffet Live Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and on the video Live by the Bay. While he was visiting Tahiti in 1983 Buffet recorded a music video for this song with help from the film crew for the film “The Bounty”.

Buffet even made Mondays better with his song “Come Monday”. He wrote and recorded the song which is featured on his 1974 album Living & Dying in ¾ Time. It became one of his more popular songs and is part of “The Big 8” which Buffet played at almost all of his concerts. The song was his first Top 40 hit single and charted on the Billboard Hot 100, Easy Listening, and Country charts.

Sometimes it’s not a good idea and sometimes with friends who can help from this becoming an event of the evening but Buffet at least made it fun. “Why Don’t We Get Drunk” is a novelty song written and recorded by Buffet and was the first single from his 1973 album A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean. The song became a favorite with fans and until the 2007 Bama Breeze Tour was almost always performed live. It became a jukebox favorite over three years after its original release.

“Volcano” is a song that was performed by Buffet and was written by Buffet, Keith Sykes, and Harry Dailey. It was released as a single and is on the 1979 album of the same name. The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. The song was written in the calypso/reggae style. Both the song and album were named for the then-dormant Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies. Buffet recorded the song at the AIR Studios in Montserrat and the studio was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and in 1995 Soufriere Hills erupted again.

“Boat Drinks” was written and recorded by Buffet and released as a single in 1979. It became another of this most popular songs. The song was featured on Live at Fenway Park and was his only song written in Boston, Massachusetts. The song again appeared on a live release in 2005 Live in Hawaii.

“Gypsies in the Palace” is a song that was written and recorded by Buffet. It is featured on his 1985 album Last Mango in Paris and was the first of three charting singles from this album. The song lyrics tell about an apparently professional entertainer who leaves his home in the care of the unnamed narrator and another man called “Snake”. The two men shoot the lock off the liquor cabinet, invite people to the house to party, have naked conga lines, throw people in the pool, and use all the commodities. After the entertainer says he’s coming home early, they clean up the house, point out all the good work they have done, and offer to watch the house again if needed.

So fix yourself a Margarita, sit back, turn up the volume, and salute Jimmy.