Jimmy Buffett Reminds Me of Lazy Days in Florida

I am a huge Jimmy Buffett fan. I even go so far as to call myself a Parrothead although I’m not as gung ho as many out there.

I love all his work. His old stuff and his new.

However, the old stuff still holds a special place in my heart.

I attended my first Jimmy Buffett concert when I was 9 years old. I can remember sitting there by mom at the concert and being ecstatic that I could actually say the word “damn” since it was in a Jimmy Buffett song (“Margaritaville” for those of you not in the know). Yes, I know, it’s silly, but when you’re 9, that’s cool.

I mostly liked his songs because my mom liked him so much and would play his music in the car and at home. We didn’t listen to him constantly, but enough that I knew a couple of his songs.

When I was about 13 or so, I really started to get into his music. I was living in Florida then. I didn’t get any tapes (this was before c.d.’s were prolific) of his until I was about 15 but of course, the first one I got was “Songs You Know By Heart”. It has his most famous songs (up to the release date of the tape/c.d.) which includes “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Brown-Eyed Girl”, “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, “Margaritaville” and others. The title of the album is spot on as all Parrotheads know ALL these songs by heart.

I’ve attended probably half a dozen Jimmy Buffett concerts in my 30 years. I know that there are others out there that have attended much more than I have, but I’m not a big concert person. It’s too expensive and usually the seats are not worth the money.

However, this is one concert that I will gladly pay money for. Jimmy is renowned for putting on a hell of a show. He has yet to disappoint.

I’m such a fan, I even wrote a college paper on him. I got an A.

My hands down all time favorite album is “One Particular Harbor”. It was probably the second c.d. I bought but it touched me like no other album has. I can’t put my finger on what it is about the album that touches me. It’s like coming home. Actually, all his music does that to me. I just feel complete when I listen to it. If I’m agitated, it calms me. If I’m in a good mood, it enhances my good mood, if I’m in a bad mood, it immediately uplifts me.

His music takes me back to Florida. Anytime I hear his music, I conjure up images of beaches, Hawaiian shirts, Corona beer, palm trees, clear water, boats, sand, sand dollars, tropical fish, alligators, etc….

His songs are so true. If you really listen to the lyrics and the music that accompanies them, it just……I can’t even explain it. His songs are sweet, funny, sad, honest…just awesome (do kids these days still say that?). They tell stories, they make you think, they make you laugh….they make you feel.

There are very few “things” in life that I can truly call my favorite. I’m all over the board when it comes to the types of movies, music and books that I enjoy.

I can say, without any doubt or hesitation, that Jimmy Buffett is my favorite recording artist….period.

Once a week, I’ll post the lyrics to one of his songs. If you’re not into Jimmy, that’s fine. Just skip the post that day. If you’ve never been in to him before but like the lyrics, you can go on line and check him out.

Later,

Mama Dawg