RIP.
It's a five o'clock (service) somewhere. I was just humming the opening lyrics to "Come Monday" a few minutes ago before seeing this news because it's the Labor Day weekend. How coincidental.
My UF roommate turned me on to everything previous to "Margaritaville." Obviously he was well-known in south Florida for a number of years before he finally broke out nationally. Everything from Living and Dying to A1A are really well-written and produced, and while most Parrotheads are into the Big Eight, I much prefer his pre-sellout stuff.
I think my favorite Buffett song is either "A Pirate Looks at 40" or "Chanson Pour Les Petits Enfants" from Volcano. "He Went to Paris" would be right up there as well.
Mine is “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.”
My wife doesn’t get the Buffett thing, either. She always says she hates the steel drum sound — I think it’s just that she’s kind of a musical snob and she feels like Buffett’s music is aimed at a bunch of drunken idiots.
But to me, there’s not much to get. It’s catchy, happy, often silly, sometimes deep and introspective, but always FUN.
Several years ago, I won tickets to a Buffett concert at Fair Park in Dallas from a radio contest. My then-wife and I were not exactly on let’s-go-out-on-a-fun-date terms at the time, so I took one of my kids. It was my third go-round seeing him live, but for my son, it was an eye-opening experience — and I’m just talking about the scene in the parking lot. We had a blast. We sang along with the songs, batted a beach ball around and laughed and smiled a lot.
I wouldn’t call myself a parrothead (though I did wear a Hawaiian shirt to all his concerts I went to), but I am definitely a big fan.
So long, Jimmy. I’ll Miss You So Badly.
PS: Wonder how Jimmy’s uncle Warren is holding up.