Jimmy Buffett believed that life was too short not to escape from it for a while. “It’s pure escapism is all it is,” said Buffett of his music in 2021.
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Sailing, beach bumming, and Hawaiian tees—which he famously wore—were some of the Buffett motifs swirling around his laid-back spirit. Through hundreds of songs, spanning more than 30 albums, Buffett helped listeners flee their day-to-day lives and transport themselves somewhere tropical with his iconic anthem “Margaritaville,” “Why Don’t We Get Drunk,” and “Volcano,” among many other favorites.
“I’m not the first one to do it, nor shall I probably be the last, but I think it’s really a part of the human condition that you’ve got to have some fun,” Buffett continued. “You’ve got to get away from whatever you do to make a living or other parts of life that stress you out. I try to make it at least 50-50 fun to work and so far it’s worked out.”
[RELATED: The Texas Roots and Laid-Back Ethos Behind Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville”]
Though “Margaritaville,” off Buffett’s 1977 album, Changes in Latitudes, marked the core of his Caribbean and trop-rock ethos, there are dozens more songs that kept his fans—lovingly called Parrot Heads—mellowed out throughout his five-decade career.
Here are five Buffett classics pulled from “The Big 8“—songs he performed throughout his career— that Parrot Heads everywhere will keep playing on.
1. “Come Monday” (1974)
Off Buffett’s fourth album, Living and Dying in ¾ Time, “Come Monday” is a song about the hardships of being on the road and away from family and was written for his second wife, Jane Slagsvol, who he remained with through his death.
[RELATED: Watch: Jimmy Buffett’s Wife Shares Heartfelt Message Following His Death]
Before “Margaritaville,” Buffett had his first Top 40 hit with “Come Monday,” which peaked at No. 30 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Buffett played the song live throughout his career during most of his concerts, and in “Big 8” fashion, would often switch the line I just can’t wait to see you again to It’s so nice to be in (location of his show) again.
Come Monday, it’ll be alright
Come Monday, I’ll be holdin’ you tight
I spent four lonely days in a brown L.A haze
And I just want you back by my side
I can’t help it honey
You’re that much part of me now
Remember that night in Montana
When we said there’d be no room for doubt
2. “A Pirate Looks at Forty” (1974)
Written about Phil Clark, who worked at the Chart Room where Buffett first performed after he moved to Key West, Florida, “A Pirate Looks at Forty” is an ode to the “adventurous” bartender.
Clark was considered a modern-day pirate by some since he was once busted for smuggling pot from Jamaica and hung out with gun and drug runners and gamblers. He also spent time on the Virgin Islands with many of the characters whose stories he shared with Buffett.
Buffett first released the song on his fifth album A14 in 1974, and he later called his 2000 autobiography A Pirate Looks at Fifty.
[RELATED: Watch: Dave Matthews Band Performs “A Pirate Looks at Forty” in Tribute to Jimmy Buffett]
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez performed “A Pirate Looks at Forty” during their performance at the 1982 Peace Sunday rally in Pasadena, California, and Dave Matthews recently performed the song as a tribute to Buffett, who died on September 1, 2023 at age 76.
Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You’ve seen it all, you’ve seen it all
Watched the men who rode you, switch from sails to steam
And in your belly, you hold the treasures few have ever seen
Most of ’em dream, most of ’em dream
Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don’t thunder, there’s nothin’ to plunder
I’m an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late
3. “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” (1977)
Though his 1977 breakout album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, birthed his tropical opus, “Margaritaville,” the title track also remained a staple song for Buffett throughout his career, and on his “Big 8” setlist. Also the opening track of the album, “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” peaked at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, and even went to No. 24 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and No. 11 on the Easy Listening chart.
The line and son of a bitches—Good times and riches and son-of-a-bitches I’ve seen more than I can recall—was edited out of the single version released with the phrase some bruises, some stitches.
I took off for a weekend last month just to try and recall the whole year
All of the faces and all of the places wonderin’ where they all disappeared
I didn’t ponder the question too long, I was hungry and went out for a bite
Ran into a chum with a bottle of rum and we wound up drinkin’ all night
It’s those changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane
Reading departure signs in some big airport reminds me of the places I’ve been
Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure makes me want to go back again
If it suddenly ended tomorrow I could somehow adjust to the fall
Good times and riches and son-of-a-bitches I’ve seen more than I can recall
4. “Cheeseburger in Paradise” (1978)
Two stories circle around about why Buffett wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” The “myth” about “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” according to Buffett was the result of a sailing trip gone awry.
While on a sailing voyage somewhere in the Caribbean, Buffett was forced to stay at sea longer than anticipated and was only left with peanut butter and a few canned goods for sustenance. Once he and his crew made it safely to the harbor, they ran to the nearest burger joint and devoured a huge hunk of meat. Remembering his pangs of hunger and finding their savior restaurant inspired “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” which debuted on Buffett’s 1978 album, Son of a Son of a Sailor.
Another story goes: Gordon L. Gray Jr., captain of Buffett’s boat, would often put a slab of burger meat on wood, which was the “Hamburger Award,” for anyone who did something extraordinary while sailing. During one sailing trip, two female guests were sunbathing topless, and Gray called Buffett a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”
Tried to amend my carnivorous habits
Made it nearly seventy days
Losin’ weight without speed, eatin’ sunflower seeds
Drinkin’ lots of carrot juice and soakin’ up rays
But at night I’d have these wonderful dreams
Some kind of sensuous treat
Not zucchini, fettuccini, or bulgur wheat
But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat
Cheeseburger in paradise
Heaven on earth with an onion slice
Not too particular, not too precise
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise
Read the full story behind “Cheeseburger in Paradise” HERE.
5. “Fins” (1979)
“Fins” opens Buffett’s ninth album, Volcano, which also boasts the title track (another “Big 8”), along with fan favorite “Boat Drinks.” Buffett co-wrote “Fins” with Coral Reefer bandmates Deborah McColl and Barry Chance, and late mystery novelist Tom Corcoran.
Like “A Pirate Looks at Forty” inspiration Phil Clark, Corcoran was also a bartender at The Chart Room when Buffett lived in Key West, and the two remained friends. Corcoran also co-wrote “Cuban Crime of Passion” on Buffett’s 1973 album, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean.
“I was in a bar up near Daytona Beach and saw a group of guys crowded around some girls who were obviously in town for a beauty contest of some sort,” said Buffett of the inspiration behind “Fins.” He added, “I sat back and listened to their conversation and took notes. For a moment I pictured that these guys had fins coming out of their backs as they hit on the girls. It was a pure feeding frenzy, and I scribbled down pieces of their conversation and wrote the song. Now it seems the ‘land shark’ population has increased tremendously.”
She came down from Cincinatti
It took her three days on a train
Looking for some peace and quiet
Hoped to see the sun again
But now, she lives down by the ocean
She’s taking care to look for sharks
They hang out in the local bars
And they feed right after dark
Can’t you feel them circling, honey?
Can’t you feel them swimming around?
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only bait in town
Oh-whoa, oh-whoa
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only girl in town
Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT
