‘Fins’ appears on Jimmy Buffett’s ninth studio album, 1979’s Volcano. This is one of his most popular songs, though it made it to only #35 on the Hot 100. Buffett has never been huge on the charts, despite having one of the most fervent fan bases in popular music.
This song is about a midwestern woman who heads to the islands for escape only to find herself preyed upon by lascivious men, characterized as “sharks that can swim on the land.” It is one of eight songs Buffett played at just about every one of his many concert performances.
Buffett wrote new lyrics to the song for use at Miami Dolphins home games. I’ve spent many a hot South Florida afternoon singing this song while cheering on the Dolphins in a stadium full of fans.
Though the land sharks depicted in ‘Fins’ aren’t the most savory characters, that didn’t stop Buffett from launching his own beer brand, Land Shark Lager. That’s just one of the brands Buffett spearheaded to the tune of more than a billion dollars.
She came down from Cincinnati
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
[Chorus]
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-oh-woah, oh-oh-woah
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only girl in town
[Verse 2]
She’s saving up all of her money
Wants to hit it south in May
Maybe roll in the sand with a rock ‘n roll man
Somewhere down Montserrat Way
But the money’s good, and the season
Helps to lighten up her load
Boys keep her high as the months go by
She’s getting postcards from the road
Jimmy Buffett
[Chorus]
Can’t you feel them closing in, honey?
Can’t you feel them schooling around?
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only girl in town
[Verse 3]
Sailed off to Antigua
It took her three days on a boat
Looking for some peace and quiet
Maybe keep her dreams afloat
But now she feels like a remora
With the school still close at hand
Just behind the reef are the big white teeth
Of the sharks that can swim on the land
[Chorus]
Can’t you feel them circling, honey?
Can’t you feel them schoolin’ around?
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only bait in town
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you’re the only girl in town
Meet Me In Montauk 
Remember when Hard Rock Stadium was called Landshark Stadium?That was one of a number of names in relatively rapid succession after the new stadium was built, which caused at least one Miami Herald sports writer to start calling the place “the stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie Stadium.”
I saw a blurb this week on Facebook that talked about Buffett’s association with the Dolphins and the short lived stadium name based on his beer company. Apparently, Landshark Stadium away because the World Cup did not want to play games at a stadium named after a beer.