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| 1946-2023 |
Soft rock? Folk rock? Country rock? Given the laid-back imagery his songs often evoked, a cynic might contend that Jimmy Buffett's musical specialty was in fact slacker rock, but that would be unfair.
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Like the rest of us (above), Buffett worked hard for the money:
Whether it be eight hours in a factory, an office, or a recording studio, a person at the end of their shift feels pretty exhausted, at which point they could use some...
...PROTEIN!!!
And once your stomach is filled, there's nothing like a...
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...little after-dinner drink:
How about a twelve-step program as an encore?
Next quarter maybe.
Let's let Buffett speak for himself:
As you just saw, the above clip had to do with a show in California, but that's not the state most readily identified with Jimmy Buffett. Nor was it his native Mississippi. Instead, it's this place:
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OK, I know what you're thinking...
...but don't blame Buffett, a lifelong Democrat.
Hello Kirk, Buffett wasn't that old and seemed to be otherwise thriving when cancer got him. As is so often the case with your profiles, I have never heard any of his songs, but at least I knew his general fame and the admiration many held for him. The weird thing is that he was building a pricey retirement community, embarrassingly named after his Margaritaville enterprise. I would under no circumstances live in a place called Margaritaville, although I might consider one of several Auburns (except of course Auburn Prison), named from Goldsmith's Deserted Village, as more my speed.
ReplyDeleteJim, if you carefully listen or read the lyrics to "Margaritaville" you'll find that the point of view of the song is that of a man LAMENTING what's become of his life. But as was the case with Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA", it's been misconstrued as a celebration of the subject matter rather than a criticism. Of course, Jimmy Buffett has been more than happy to capitalize on that misconception. It's tempting to compare Buffett to Hugh Hefner or Malcolm Forbes, promoting lifestyles that only a person with very deep pockets can afford, except in Buffett's case, his lyrics were always from the point of view of someone living on the edge, with nothing whatsoever in the way of financial security. Having read or listened to several Buffett interviews over the years, I get the impression he was caught by surprise by the success of "Margaritaville" and the Grateful Dead-like following (Parrottheads instead of Deadheads) that it begat. Figuring lightning doesn't strike twice--he's never had a comparable hit--Buffett decided to go for the Gold (Coast). As increasingly skeptical of capitalism that I've become in my late middle-age, if some MBA graduate with a proven track record came up to me with ideas for a Shadow of a Doubt restaurant chain, or a Shadow of a Doubt hotel and casino or even a Shadow of a Doubt retirement community, I'd listen carefully.
DeleteJim, I'm intrigued by your reference to Oliver Goldsmith's 18th century poem (which I just now read.) That's about the decline of the small, country village and the growth of the big city. I'm not sure that goes on anymore. The era we live in now, and have since the 1950s, is more about people fleeing the big cities (via the National Highway System) for the country, while at the same time insisting all the amenities of the big cities still be there (i.e., suburbs, and, increasingly, exurbs.) Meanwhile the poor are being left behind in those big cities, the opposite of Goldsmith's poem.
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DeleteI really didn't know who he was until someone mentioned him having a toy parrot on his shoulder. Good that he was a Democrat.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, a toy parrot may be easier to care for than a live bird.
DeleteBuffett should have run for governor.
ReplyDeleteGod, I wish he had, Mike.
DeleteWell done!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mitchell.
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