Jimmy Buffett has written plenty of good time party songs, but my favorites are the sad ones. He has a way with a melancholy ballad, and often finds a way to give even upbeat material a strain of sorrow.
‘He Went to Paris’ is a highlight of Buffett’s 1973 album A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean, a record that leans more to the country side of his genre spectrum. It’s about the life of musician/artist Eddie Balchowsky, a war veteran who also shows up in songs by several other artists.
‘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.
I don’t know how many artists have written at least two songs that inspired restaurants, but such is the appeal of Jimmy Buffett. I’ll get to his most famous brand later this week, but today I’ll celebrate ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise.’
This song appeared on 1978’s Son of a Son of a Sailor and reached #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 as the album’s first single. It later became track one on the smash greatest hits collection Songs You Know By Heart.
I learned about Jimmy Buffett’s death on Saturday morning and knew I had to call an audible for this week’s blog entries. I couldn’t let the passing of such an iconic performer go unrecognized.
I’m a casual Jimmy Buffett fan, which seems appropriate given the man’s laid-back vibe. I’ve never owned one of his 29 studio albums. My Buffett collection has always consisted of just one release: the 1985 greatest hits record Songs You Know By Heart.
The week of August 28, 1993, saw two songs I’ve already covered in the #1 and #2 spots of the Billboard Hot 100: UB40’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ and Tag Team’s ‘Whoomp! (There it Is),’ respectively.
That brings us to #3, where Mariah Carey’s ‘Dreamlover’ sat on its way to a #1 berth the following week. This pop/R&B confection would be Carey’s seventh to top the charts, and ended up spending eight consecutive weeks at #1.
Meet Me In Montauk 