Watch Jimmy Buffett Perform the Hit That Made Him a Household Name in Front of a 1981 National Television Audience

Jimmy Buffett put in years of hard work and built a huge following before the charts took notice. After releasing his debut single, “Abandoned on Tuesday,” in 1969, he didn’t find consistent commercial success until 1976. That year, he released the classic album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. Its lead single, “Margaritaville,” became his first hit and propelled his career for decades to come.

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Buffett wrote and released “Margaritaville” as the lead single from Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. The song went to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving him his first top 10 hit on the all-genre survey. It also peaked at No. 13 on the Hot Country Songs chart, his performance on the chart to date. Additionally, the song topped the Adult Contemporary chart, giving Buffett his first career No. 1. Watch him perform his signature hit on The Tonight Show below.

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Jimmy Buffett Discusses the Importance of Balance

It would be easy to believe that Jimmy Buffett spent most of his days “wasting away” on the beach in Key West with an icy drink in his hand. However, that wasn’t the case. He spent months on the road every year, delivering his island escapism to Parrotheads across the nation. On the other hand, when tour was over, he was able to fully relax.

Buffett spoke about this balance of work and play in his first-ever interview with Entertainment Tonight. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not on the beach every day with a margarita,” he joked. “I mean, I’m on the road doing concerts 100 days a year. When you’re out there doing that, it takes quite a bit of effort,” he explained.

“When we do our full band and I’ve got my full entourage, I’ve got 27 people that work for me–an airplane, two buses, and a semi. So it’s like a circus. That’s what I think of,” he said. “But when it’s over, I totally disassociate. I go away, I won’t answer the phone,” Buffett added. “I won’t pick up a guitar until the next tour. I shouldn’t say that, but it’s true.”

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