I never made it to a Jimmy Buffet concert.
The late mayor of Margaritaville will be remembered by casual fans and beach drinkers for playful jaunts like “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Fins” and “Volcano”. Let the record show, if liking those songs is a crime, put me in prison. They’re good songs! But dig deeper into his catalogue and you’ll realize Jimmy had a curious country singer side that won the hearts of many a deep thinker. One of my favorite songs of all time, surf-side or otherwise, is a tune called “A Pirate Looks at Forty.” It’s one of the tracks that made it onto his 1985 compilation album Songs You Know by Heart. It’s an introspective ballad written from the point of view of a pirate who’s become aware that there might not be room for his swashbuckling ways in the modern world.
“Mother, mother ocean, I have heard your call,
wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall,
[skip a little]
Yes I am a pirate, 200 years too late,
the cannons don’t thunder, there’s nothing to plunder,
I’m an over 40 victim of fate, arriving too late… arriving too late.”
It’s a great f#cking song. There’s another one on the album called “He Went to Paris” which tugs at you too. Give those lesser known licks a try today, they might change your mind on Jimmy Buffett.
Greatest hits albums are never cool – but something about that bright yellow background with the red cursive font feels like the front page of a menu. There are a lot of flavors to choose from in the 13 piece track list. My parents had a hard copy of this in our house growing up and I learned the words to at least half the songs before my tenth birthday. To my knowledge they didn’t even love the music, I just think it was fun and easy to sing along to, which goes a long way when you have kids (I’d have to imagine, anyway). I love to sing along. It feels good. It puts a smile on my face.
When I read about Jimmy Buffett’s passing this weekend, I got a little sad. That guy made a lot of people happy – myself included. Five years ago I had a group of friends invite me to a J.B. concert and I said n.o. It was out of the way and pretty expensive. I didn’t regret it until this weekend. That was lame of me! I’ve been trying to say no more in my life lately but damn, I should’ve said yes. It would’ve been a blast. Leave it to a contrarian like me to say something like “Jimmy Buffett is overrated” when I was 21. Who cares about ratings. I just want to have a good time.
Who are the other all-timers who still tour and put on a good show? I don’t go to enough concerts. I don’t do the Phish/Dead & Co. thing but I’d do anything once. They’re not on my list though. For the most part the list below is made up of older acts. I’d like to see Drake before it’s too late (haha) but I think I’ve got more time with him than I do Mick Jagger. Please comment some that I need to add.
People I’ve seen who are at least kinda legends: RHCP, Green Day, Billy Joel, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, The Strokes, Metallica, Neil Young
In no order but numbered for my own organization:
1) The Rolling Stones
2) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
3) Paul McCartney
4) Stevie Nicks
5) Iron Maiden (wow right – but also they bang)
6) The Eagles
7) Cher
8) John Mellencamp at Farm Aid (I <3 the Plains States)
9) Dolly Parton
10) Willie Nelson
I’m gonna do it and I hope you come with me and sing along. One more line from that pirate song.
“I have been drunk now for over two weeks,
passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks,
but I gotta stop wishing, time to go fishing, down to rock bottom again, with just a few friends… just a few friends.
Mother, mother ocean, after all the years I’ve found,
my occupational hazard be, my occupation’s just not around.”
Pour out a little bit for the legend today.