This is a work of art. Your images are so colorful and stunning, and I love the Toulouse Lautrec reference! Not to mention your storytelling is both informational and captivating. I can’t wait for your channel to get the viral recognition it deserves, it is long overdue!
I don't argue he commercialized himself as he got older, but his lyrics and the feelings they induce can't be faked...I stopped listening to his new stuff after BEACH HOUSE ON THE MOON, but will hold his discography of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s forever in my heart...His music helped get me through many rough patches in my life...
@@dozi3r maybe, but the album sucked...It sounded like one of those bland, rush-jobs musicians make just to meet contractual obligations with the record company...Hardly any feeling to it
I don't know what the Buffet fanscape is like now, but I can recollect what it was like in the mid to late Eighties. Buffet was, in his own way, trading on an empire similiar to what the Grateful Dead did, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale. They both profited off the fan's nostalgia for a time and place that the fans were never a part of, the fact that neither band had a commercial hit didn't matter. The shows were travelling carnivals where one could vicariously live the sort of lifestyle one imagines you might live for realsies, if - you know- you didn't have work or school Monday morning. In those days, I had many friends. And a lot of them were Buffet fans, so I got dragged to a concert or two. People LOVED Buffet. They loved his shows. They knew all the words to all the songs, even the crappy ones. They wore beach-themed outfits that you just knew they didn't wear in their everyday lives, often including fake parrots which I imagine "real" beach dwellers seldom wear. They got drunk in the parking lot. They did things that -if they could remember - might cause a tinge of wistful longing and/or embarrassment.
@@BunnyDarko I'm not comparing the music, I'm comparing the scene. And back in the day, the scene for both bands was comparable- but, as I say, on a different scale, and with a different choice of intoxicants. I was there.
@@brokenrecord3095 That;s cool, weirdly surprising to me tho. I did a couple of Dead tours and have never experienced ANYthing like that scene. We had real communities and miracles happened. Idk I never gave Buffet a chance; all the 🟫s at my high school listened to their parents' Jimmy Buffet and all dressed exclusively from the same LL Bean catalogue lol. I guess you caught me - guilty of contempt prior to investigation ...
I was friends with his brother in law. I got drunk with him and some of the band a couple times. Super nice guy, and very much about family. He deserves all the wealth he can make!
You didn’t mention that he still maintains a rigorous concert schedule with the Coral Reefers and still writes popular songs that his fans (Parrot Heads) still eagerly consume. He’s not a fraud, he has just jettisoned the dangerous and self-destructive parts of his younger days. His songs are still true to his vision as well as biting social commentary. Buffet rocks. There is nothing phony about him.
I love Jimmy Buffett and I love the art style of this video. I also love how despite not being even close to the most popular artist he became one of the richest through due to creating an entire culture.
@@SmithMrCorona Yeah the Margaritaville branding tends to dominate conversations about Jimmy Buffett and I wish people would focus more on the actual music
Except it was created for wealthy boomers who were listening to music from their boats,people who played hippy,but always had parent armor for plot armor in their rebellion.we embraced alot of false rebels. Like being able to see the grateful dead was really just becoming status symbol, lotta wealthy kids,parking in the dirt,till it became time to become part of the machine,but a mercedes,and maybe a boat so I can watch jimmy buffet serenade the bankers and lawyers and tech bros that are his constituents.
I admit I was stunned to discover that Jimmy Buffett made himself into a lifestyle brand. I do not for the life of me understand the enthusiasm of the "parrot heads" for his cheesy beach bum image. All based on a decent song from 50 years ago.
As a pretty big Jimmy Buffett fan this didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. He makes a lot of references to his early life and career in his songs. The Acid Rock New Orleans years and his later business career are referenced in "We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About" from 1983's One Particular Harbor, and he references how Atlanta was one of their biggest markets in "Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" from 1981's Coconut Telegraph. And his first two albums weren't complete flops. The song "Mile High In Denver" from 1970's Down to Earth is still a song he plays live pretty frequently, particularly in Denver. Jimmy Buffett has been a big inspiration to me musically, his songs are the ones that inspired me to start writing my own music and performing. His music is good and memorable, but its very simple and accessible. And I don't think it diminishes from his image that he was able to capitalize on his success and give his career longevity. In the country music scene there isn't as much of a stigma on "selling out." As long as you keep making good music you can be as successful as you want, we're all kind of just rooting for each other in our little underdog music genre thats always been in the shadow of rock and rap. And Jimmy Buffett, as far as I'm concerned, is still making good music. His later stuff is getting more and more gimicky, but he still writes good stuff like Take The Weather With You, Breathe In, Breather Out, Move One. And even on his 2020 album Life On The Flipside had "Down At The Lah De Dah" which I think is a banger and love to play it at parties.
I was at the LV Margaritaville this year having little knowledge of Jimmy Buffet and that visit changed everything. The food is ok but the atmosphere and vibe were a level of chill that made me wish his fantasy was a reality. Been hooked on his music since!
Obviously, he had the drive and creative energy, whether he was writing a song or imagining a new restaurant he was able to realize what he imagined. sure he is a businessman but I think his creativity has earned him all the money
I have fond memories of meeting Jimmy when I was dating a guy who house sat for Glenn Frey. Frey’s and Buffet’s back yards met. A volleyball net was set up and Hollywood Park was born. We had fun volleyball feats and Hunter S. Thompson came to one (although he was pretty high and couldn’t play). Ahhh, the good old days. RIP Glenn and Hunter
@@blurredlenzpictures3251i really hope this is bait and you don't actually box yourself and other people into stupid little archetypes like we're video game characters
You honestly deserve more recognition dude, you've got such a unique and cool style, and you've had it so far back as a year ago. Also I really do dig your chill vibes hehe. Keep at it.
Very strange how boat mechanics were in the lower class since my husband and I had a small business repairing boats and we made a KILLING! It was stressful and that’s why we eventually stopped, but I’m talkin MONEY! Granted, we were blue-collar, “new-money”, but we had stacks nonetheless and easily slid into the bougie yachting world since EVERYONE loves a good mechanic, lol. (And we got to test-drive A LOT of really sweet vessels in the process!)
Fraud is not a fair word by any stretch. He was a clever writer who happened to coin, with one word, a very marketable brand-name, probably more or less by accident. The charming image of the enviable carefree beach-bum strumming a guitar under a coconut tree was pretty much true. But the suce$$ was about the brand.
I'm a rock fan from the early 60's, that one song was built into an industry, I've never known another singer with 1 song that got so much from it, he's no fool, and to this day, that 1 song can draw thousands of people to a concert, boozed up on margaritas, the makers of mixers and bars with tropical themes owes him a debt of gratitude and some cash😉
Son of a Sailor is my song & will be played at my funeral. My Dad & grandpa did anything & everything that made money on the ocean, from Sponge Diving, shrimping, crabbing & commercial fishing.
My Dad was a Coastie! Always loved that song and “Little Miss Magic”. I remember being in elementary school and daydreaming about what having a daughter would be like. Then I grew up, and I went and had one. Jimmy hit that feeling on the head too.
Growing up in the late '70s/early '80s, my parents radios were always on either Soft Rock/Lite FM or Country Music stations, so that I sort of knew Buffet. When I got to college I discovered the fan base of mostly frat boys around him. A lot of my friends bonded with thier fathers over Buffets music. For Baby Boomer Dads in corporate America, Buffet is escapism. The lifestyle of the beach bum part-time smuggler, island hopping, wasting away in bar by the pier, playing a saxophone really is the closest thing to being a pirate today. My favorite songs are Cheeseburger in Paradise and African Friend.
Dang I didn’t think I’d enjoy this as much as I did, I’m from Florida and I’ve had too much buffet. You’re nuanced storytelling is so heartwarming and true, you’re the best 🤙🏽🏝️
I would have no issue with Jimmy Buffett, if it weren’t that him and a major paper conglomerate have turned my hometown of Panama City Beach into a Margaritaville-branded corporate nightmare.
@@HighlanderNorth1 Seems like you've hit the nail on the head. Only reason I didn't insult his music is because I don't mind some of his songs. But the overwhelming majority is dreck.
@@RQBtva former friend of mine used to subject us to Jimmy because he knew we hated it, and he'd listen to live versions of Jimmy's most obscure songs. I hope wherever he is now, he's suffering 😂
Members of the original Coral reefer band help Buffett write some of those original songs. They were never paid for this or given songwriting credit. Remember them Jimmy?
Captain and Tennille. That was public pool, 1977 flashback from hell. Makes me want to find a pool to pee in right now. I had completely memory holed them.
I was being sarcastic on my previous remarks. He truly is a talented writer and guitar player and was smart enough to move to the keys when they were not as well known as a tourist spot and he lived a great life. I am a parrot head and will always be one. Cheers Jimmy!
Excellent video, fair & wide (& love your art). His music taps into some yearning lots of folks have - to sidestep rat race & focus on pleasure (practically blasphemy to rat-race ideology), and maybe a craving to be healed by nature? A lot of us in (white) North America feel an emptiness & are searching for something better, more whole & alive - I think via his actual life experience, Mr. Buffet has figured out how to feed that need while yes getting paid. No problem here!
I dont like that beer, it tastes cheap and weird. Blue moon is way better and has a similar style / flavor (within the mainstream mass produced beer options)
I knew of J.B. when I saw the video, but I don't know his music (or much of any rural style music for that matter.) So now I know a little about him -- a fellow who found things he was pretty good at, followed them up, but moved his life along before those efforts got stale, and continued to develop in business without really abandoning music, which he clearly has a talent for. How admirable! It reminds me a little of Jimmy Dean, a charming and handsome singer (also in rural style) who saved his money and went into the meat processing and packing business. He was another sensible guy who recognized his good luck, understood the difficult and fickle nature of the entertainment business, and followed his good sense. In both cases, I hope they paid their salaries, taxes and other obligations. If that's the case, they're both stories worth telling my grandchildren. Things like "Work hard and make a good product. Follow a reasonable plan, but don't be afraid to modify your plan when history takes its own inevitable turns. You've got to know when to hold and when to fold." This kind of approach to life is, in general, something I hold in high esteem. My thanks for this nice bit of history.
I played 35 performances of Margaritaville (the jukebox musical) last May. I didn't really have super high hopes for it not knowing most of the songs going in. It turned out to be a highlight for me. I learned to appreciate the simplicity of the music and the way it connected with the audience in a very profound way.
My father was a massive Jimmy Buffett fan and owned every Album he put out on Vinyl. Listening to it almost everyday I couldn't help but fall in love with his music myself. When I was 10 years old the first Rock Concert I ever went to was Jimmy Buffett playing at Summerfest in Milwaukee. He played at the brand new Marcus Amphitheater they just built on the Summerfest Fairgrounds. This is easiest way for me to remember what year it was 1987. Jimmy Buffett show was incredible and he came out for 2 Encore's. Jimmy Buffett at the time surrounded himself with tons of incredible musicians including calypso musicians.
@@adrianguinn3331 I honestly don't give af what you call it. The Summerfest Amphitheater had a capacity of 23,000 seats and that place was PACKED. Tens of thousands of people and they all knew every word of every song. Jimmy Buffett put on one hell of a show!
Man, I had basically written Jimmy off as THE stereotype of the washed up, minor hit, C-list musician drinking his royalties away in a touristy place like Key West. BUT, I’ve found a whole new respect and admiration for him, and I thank you for that. 😊
I live in a rural, tourist area in Michigan. One of our biggest festivals of the year is Cheeseburger, and you guessed it, the week and a half long festival celebrates Jimmy Buffett and his music. A town of roughly 2-3K residents explodes up to a record of 300K. Especially for the Parade of Fools. August 2023 was the 25th annual Cheeseburger Fest. Only to lose Buffett on Sept 3, 2023. A lot of people put their festival decorations back up after the news. Many of the parrots and flamingos are wearing black boas, hats, or whatever other "mourning" attire people can think to put on them. It's sad, but it's also rather sweet to me. They invited Jimmy Buffett to the festival every year, and according to their official fb page, they're continuing the tradition by continuing to invite his family. Growing up, we always joked that Jimmy Buffett very well could have went to the festival every single year and just not announced his presence. Who would know??? I like to think that he did come to the Cheeseburger Festival at least once during those 25 years. Rest well, King of the Keys.
5:23 long time Parrothead here. Great vid, just letting you know for future reference the album is called "Living and Dying in Three Quarter Time." The line is also used in his song "Nautical Wheelers."
For what it's worth. I saw Jimmy in Pensacola 1983? When the Corral Reefer Band left the stage and Jimmy sat down on the edge of it and played, that proved to me that he did not need a band. He is a band and all I need to here.
Great video. In the mid-'90s I bought a used vinyl of JB's Living And Dying In 3/4 Time. Up until that time I only liked his song "Come Monday." Then I heard "West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown" and over the years I came to enjoy his deep cuts more than his hits.
@@jakeroberts7435 No. First time was backstage after a Columbus, Ohio concert, 1980. We were both new fathers, so that’s what we talked about. We met again when our kids were like 8 or 9, before a benefit concert in Key West. Like I said, nice guy.
@@danielwilliams1921 Cool, my dads family is from Worthington, I moved before that time. Spent 34 years in South Florida, did a lot of off shore fishing, l was always a big Buffet fan. I've met him twice, a heck of a nice guy, but no dought part of the club. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy his music
My brother was my intro to Buffet. Come Monday and My African Friend are my 2 favorites. Saw him at Riverbend in Cincinnati in late 80s and first thing out of his mouth was, "Why this happens in Ohio I beyond me." Livingston Saturday Night is also a hit at karaoke.
I worked in a restaurant that was in a building he owned in sag harbor ny. He came down with a guitar one night and played 3 or 4 songs for the crowd one on a Saturday.
I remember the release Jimmy Buffet's 1978 live concert album "You Had To Be There" It brings back lots of fond memories of boating and partying, going to Long Beach (in west Canada).
I was working in Johnson City Tennessee in 1985, the band Motley Crew had passed thru the Holiday Inn I was staying at recently, I asked the maids how bad they trashed the room!! They told me nothing or no one came close to how Jimmy Buffett and band when they trashed the place months before!!
Really great topic and overview! I bought his original albums in the ‘70’s, and really enjoyed some of those songs, especially “Banana Republics,” and “Come Monday.” He just seemed to also have a personal charm which drove the music. Excellent video production, but one minor suggestion: spell check. See 8:28. “Escapism” was his answer, “Escapsim” is something else. 😉
Unfortunately my thoughts of Jimmy Buffett are tainted by being present at a restaurant in the 80s where repeated drunken waitress fondling caused him to be permanently uninvited from the premises. Then he stiffed everyone. I hear he's a hell if a guy if you're not the staff.
Buffett copyrighted the word "Margaritaville" and sues any business that has "ville" at the end of its name (Marijuanaville & Martiniville both had to change their names because of his lawsuits). Also, here in Atlanta, despite a petition against it, a historic building where the very first country record was recorded was torn down last year to make way for one of his Margaritaville restaurants.
The thing about Jimmy I love most is the product that he sold to an entire generation of people. The island-vibe permanent-vacation DGAF attitude he sold to suburbanites with 9 to 5 jobs and disposable income who were mortgaging future generations’ prosperity, which they inherited themselves, is just absolute *chef’s kiss*
Oh, boo hoo. Ever think those people needed a fun fantasy escape after working 9-5 all week? The youngest boomers are 60. Which seems to me means that the people younger by a generation or two are middle aged and close to seniors. Old enough to make your own marks and change society. If you haven’t well, seems like that’s on you.
@@marylivingstone9815every boomer I knew was working 7-5 6 days a week and would blow off steam 1 night. Little did they know they were mortgaging future generations prosperity. It's almost as if painting with such a broad brush is a kindergarten level skill. I'm not a boomer but I'll take them over to whatever generation you claim to represent.
How is he a fraud? He's a great entertainer who's written some pretty good ballads like changing channels, I have found me a home, and others. He marketed himself, knowing that there was a demand. What's so fraudulent about that? It surely beats winding up broke and in a ditch somewhere like what happens to a lot of artists. Good for him.
Is the Jimmy Buffett of the 1970s gone? Yeah...but so are the Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, moosecat (a/k/a ME), and billions of other people, famous, infamous, and non-famous. It's called personal evolution, and it needs to happen. Think about the star high school quarterback going to his reunion 30, 40 or 50 years later, and he hasn't really changed; he'd be derided as living in the past. Any autobiographical song reflects a moment or period in time for the artist. Jimmy still sings "A Pirate Looks at 40", but we all know he's closing in on 80, and we're okay with it. (Just like we're okay with Bruce Springsteen singing "Meeting Across the River", a song about a struggling young man trying to make it in the world; that's not Springsteen any more, but it was him.) Unlike the protagonist in that song, Jimmy hasn't pissed away all his money (like so many rock stars); he's diversified, and been successful doing so. Is Jimmy Buffett a fraud? I wouldn't say so. He's evolved
He literally wrote a song called Saxophones about how he wanted to be a rock and roll star but an accoustic guitar was the only way he could succeed in music
Who cares if his personal life reflects his music or not? All that matters is that his music helps foster a feeling of summer fun and party-life. I’ll be listening to his music as I sit by the pool next week.
It's pretty important to a lot of us that you lived what you sing, hints the outlaw country movement vs Nashville.. I like Jimmy's old music but I won't listen to a flaming liberal hypocrite
@@psalm2forliberty577 Are you for real? He wrote these songs 40 years ago. So he doesn’t currently live the lifestyle he wrote about 40 years ago. The point of the songs is for you, the listener, to be transported to that place in your mind when you listen to the music. It’s like this with all music. I am sure GNR is no longer poor and living on the streets of LA as they wrote about. I am sure Kiss is no longer living a party lifestyle as they wrote about. Who cares? Dude, get over yourself.
@@RansomeStoddard If all you're thinking about is "party hardy" - you're "living an unexamined life" - that was my point. The world 🌎 has had enough pleasant sounding distraction & deception, set to music. Music that does the counter look at Oliver Anthony's awesome soul searching / issue raising "Rich Men North of Richmond" song, has like 30 million views in 2 weeks. I look for deep meaning in music, satisfying the Soul. Not Cotton Candy....
I'm not a fan of all the development JB brought to Florida in his later years, particularly after he made his bones railing against it. But he was an excellent song writer, especially in his early years. I mean, Dylan once put him in his top three.
"Are you telling me he doesn't like cheeseburger in paradise? Are you telling me he doesn't like pina coladas? Are you telling me he doesn't actually have a Beach House on the Moon?"
Met JB when I lived on the other side of the Palm Beach Inlet; I was on Singer Island, JB on Palm Beach. I've always wondered if his fans would revere Jimmy so much if they were really aware of his lifestyle. They might, as the music is about dreams and not reality. Nice guy, at least in my limited exposure, and a knowledgable sailor (we went out a few times on my 51' sailboat). And, yes, I do enjoy the music.
Nothing more cringe than boat and yacht rock.growing up all his fans were wanna be rastas and trust fund hippies..the worst was the hybrid dead head,jimmy buffet type,trust fund hippie,but then again in 90s,most fans were . nothing more depressing than an 16 year old driving Audi listening to jimmy buffet,you just knew there was no hope for them as a person.
Can confirm the escapism; my parents became huge parrotheads while living in upstate NY, where winters are long and dark and often see six-foot snowfalls and -20F temperatures.
Hey smugglers need those Buffet songs, snitching on the sly Bringing heat where it's already to damn hot to die Son of a son of bitch, what's all that bullshit for Jimmy Buffet doesn't' live in Key West anymore. Now Jimmy's moved to Malibu with all those other stars He's not down at in Duval Street hangin' out in bars All them God damned tourist, got to be a bore. But Jimmy Buffet doesn't live in Key West anymore Now Divers Do It Deeper must have really made them mad Some of them reviewers said it really sounded bad Well they liked Margaritaville, me I liked it too Someday Jimmy, why don't we just both get drunk and screw. But Jimmy Buffet doesn't live in Key West anymore.
RIP Jimmy
Rip the sailor
This is the first time I've seen a video calling someone out for not being lazy enough.
This is a work of art. Your images are so colorful and stunning, and I love the Toulouse Lautrec reference! Not to mention your storytelling is both informational and captivating. I can’t wait for your channel to get the viral recognition it deserves, it is long overdue!
ooh where was the reference I didn't notice it?
oh nvm i found it, 2:30
I see Ralph Steadman colorized by Andy Warhol.
Yes. Add Egon Schiele to the mix. Same line.
I don't argue he commercialized himself as he got older, but his lyrics and the feelings they induce can't be faked...I stopped listening to his new stuff after BEACH HOUSE ON THE MOON, but will hold his discography of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s forever in my heart...His music helped get me through many rough patches in my life...
Beachhouse on the moon is a top 10 song
@@dozi3r maybe, but the album sucked...It sounded like one of those bland, rush-jobs musicians make just to meet contractual obligations with the record company...Hardly any feeling to it
Ralph Steadman-esque artwork. Nice!
I was devastated this morning when I heard the news, RIP King
Can’t believe he’s gone, RIP Jimmy
I don't know what the Buffet fanscape is like now, but I can recollect what it was like in the mid to late Eighties. Buffet was, in his own way, trading on an empire similiar to what the Grateful Dead did, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale. They both profited off the fan's nostalgia for a time and place that the fans were never a part of, the fact that neither band had a commercial hit didn't matter. The shows were travelling carnivals where one could vicariously live the sort of lifestyle one imagines you might live for realsies, if - you know- you didn't have work or school Monday morning.
In those days, I had many friends. And a lot of them were Buffet fans, so I got dragged to a concert or two. People LOVED Buffet. They loved his shows. They knew all the words to all the songs, even the crappy ones. They wore beach-themed outfits that you just knew they didn't wear in their everyday lives, often including fake parrots which I imagine "real" beach dwellers seldom wear. They got drunk in the parking lot. They did things that -if they could remember - might cause a tinge of wistful longing and/or embarrassment.
Deadhead / Parrothead here...
omg no way can you put buffet and The Dead into any comparison!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🤬
@@BunnyDarko I'm not comparing the music, I'm comparing the scene. And back in the day, the scene for both bands was comparable- but, as I say, on a different scale, and with a different choice of intoxicants. I was there.
@@brokenrecord3095 That;s cool, weirdly surprising to me tho. I did a couple of Dead tours and have never experienced ANYthing like that scene. We had real communities and miracles happened. Idk I never gave Buffet a chance; all the 🟫s at my high school listened to their parents' Jimmy Buffet and all dressed exclusively from the same LL Bean catalogue lol. I guess you caught me - guilty of contempt prior to investigation ...
@@ericjbowman1708Same!
I was friends with his brother in law. I got drunk with him and some of the band a couple times. Super nice guy, and very much about family. He deserves all the wealth he can make!
You didn’t mention that he still maintains a rigorous concert schedule with the Coral Reefers and still writes popular songs that his fans (Parrot Heads) still eagerly consume. He’s not a fraud, he has just jettisoned the dangerous and self-destructive parts of his younger days. His songs are still true to his vision as well as biting social commentary. Buffet rocks. There is nothing phony about him.
I would argue the corporatism is a bit fraudulent. He still rocks tho.
@@blurredlenzpictures3251 "Rocks"???
I love Jimmy Buffett and I love the art style of this video. I also love how despite not being even close to the most popular artist he became one of the richest through due to creating an entire culture.
And this is exactly how his boomer fans judge all artistic success: he's filthy rich
@@SmithMrCorona Yeah the Margaritaville branding tends to dominate conversations about Jimmy Buffett and I wish people would focus more on the actual music
Except it was created for wealthy boomers who were listening to music from their boats,people who played hippy,but always had parent armor for plot armor in their rebellion.we embraced alot of false rebels. Like being able to see the grateful dead was really just becoming status symbol, lotta wealthy kids,parking in the dirt,till it became time to become part of the machine,but a mercedes,and maybe a boat so I can watch jimmy buffet serenade the bankers and lawyers and tech bros that are his constituents.
A few other artists have managed the same. Like the insane clown posse.
I admit I was stunned to discover that Jimmy Buffett made himself into a lifestyle brand. I do not for the life of me understand the enthusiasm of the "parrot heads" for his cheesy beach bum image. All based on a decent song from 50 years ago.
As a pretty big Jimmy Buffett fan this didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. He makes a lot of references to his early life and career in his songs. The Acid Rock New Orleans years and his later business career are referenced in "We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About" from 1983's One Particular Harbor, and he references how Atlanta was one of their biggest markets in "Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" from 1981's Coconut Telegraph. And his first two albums weren't complete flops. The song "Mile High In Denver" from 1970's Down to Earth is still a song he plays live pretty frequently, particularly in Denver.
Jimmy Buffett has been a big inspiration to me musically, his songs are the ones that inspired me to start writing my own music and performing. His music is good and memorable, but its very simple and accessible. And I don't think it diminishes from his image that he was able to capitalize on his success and give his career longevity. In the country music scene there isn't as much of a stigma on "selling out." As long as you keep making good music you can be as successful as you want, we're all kind of just rooting for each other in our little underdog music genre thats always been in the shadow of rock and rap. And Jimmy Buffett, as far as I'm concerned, is still making good music. His later stuff is getting more and more gimicky, but he still writes good stuff like Take The Weather With You, Breathe In, Breather Out, Move One. And even on his 2020 album Life On The Flipside had "Down At The Lah De Dah" which I think is a banger and love to play it at parties.
Continually impressed by the art direction in your videos. Makes me want to be a better video essayist.
Thank you!!
I was at the LV Margaritaville this year having little knowledge of Jimmy Buffet and that visit changed everything. The food is ok but the atmosphere and vibe were a level of chill that made me wish his fantasy was a reality. Been hooked on his music since!
Obviously, he had the drive and creative energy, whether he was writing a song or imagining a new restaurant he was able to realize what he imagined. sure he is a businessman but I think his creativity has earned him all the money
I have fond memories of meeting Jimmy when I was dating a guy who house sat for Glenn Frey. Frey’s and Buffet’s back yards met. A volleyball net was set up and Hollywood Park was born. We had fun volleyball feats and Hunter S. Thompson came to one (although he was pretty high and couldn’t play). Ahhh, the good old days. RIP Glenn and Hunter
It is entirely possible to be both a cool beach dude and a canny businessman. Human beings are remarkably flexible, versatile creatures.
this is true but by being more of one you do become less of the other
It is not
@@glueball9511you can be one or the other. You cannot be both.
To bad his wanky music sucks adult contemporary @$$.
@@blurredlenzpictures3251i really hope this is bait and you don't actually box yourself and other people into stupid little archetypes like we're video game characters
Was just loving this account, couldnt be more exited for this vid
Only just discovered your channel, but WOW! I’m completely blown away by the incredible artwork and storytelling.
You honestly deserve more recognition dude, you've got such a unique and cool style, and you've had it so far back as a year ago. Also I really do dig your chill vibes hehe.
Keep at it.
His channel’s about doubled in a week! I’m psyched for Horses’ continued growth
Jimmy will always be cool to me. His songs are insightful and believable as well as just plain fun.
This was incredible! After watching eddy burbank visit all the Margarita villlas in the nation, this adds so much!
This is legitimately one of your best videos
Very strange how boat mechanics were in the lower class since my husband and I had a small business repairing boats and we made a KILLING! It was stressful and that’s why we eventually stopped, but I’m talkin MONEY! Granted, we were blue-collar, “new-money”, but we had stacks nonetheless and easily slid into the bougie yachting world since EVERYONE loves a good mechanic, lol. (And we got to test-drive A LOT of really sweet vessels in the process!)
I was thinking the same thing. As a boater, mechanics are literally royalty.
Well, we'll officially never be young again. Thanks for the tunes, Jimmy.
Fraud is not a fair word by any stretch. He was a clever writer who happened to coin, with one word, a very marketable brand-name, probably more or less by accident. The charming image of the enviable carefree beach-bum strumming a guitar under a coconut tree was pretty much true. But the suce$$ was about the brand.
I'm a rock fan from the early 60's, that one song was built into an industry, I've never known another singer with 1 song that got so much from it, he's no fool, and to this day, that 1 song can draw thousands of people to a concert, boozed up on margaritas, the makers of mixers and bars with tropical themes owes him a debt of gratitude and some cash😉
Son of a Sailor is my song & will be played at my funeral. My Dad & grandpa did anything & everything that made money on the ocean, from Sponge Diving, shrimping, crabbing & commercial fishing.
My Dad was a Coastie! Always loved that song and “Little Miss Magic”. I remember being in elementary school and daydreaming about what having a daughter would be like. Then I grew up, and I went and had one. Jimmy hit that feeling on the head too.
One man's crabs makes another man seasick
Growing up in the late '70s/early '80s, my parents radios were always on either Soft Rock/Lite FM or Country Music stations, so that I sort of knew Buffet. When I got to college I discovered the fan base of mostly frat boys around him. A lot of my friends bonded with thier fathers over Buffets music. For Baby Boomer Dads in corporate America, Buffet is escapism. The lifestyle of the beach bum part-time smuggler, island hopping, wasting away in bar by the pier, playing a saxophone really is the closest thing to being a pirate today. My favorite songs are Cheeseburger in Paradise and African Friend.
His continued success always baffled me. This kind of explains it.
Dang I didn’t think I’d enjoy this as much as I did, I’m from Florida and I’ve had too much buffet. You’re nuanced storytelling is so heartwarming and true, you’re the best 🤙🏽🏝️
I would have no issue with Jimmy Buffett, if it weren’t that him and a major paper conglomerate have turned my hometown of Panama City Beach into a Margaritaville-branded corporate nightmare.
It’s nuts to me that he’s a billionaire. Margaritaville themed hellscape sounds awful, I’m sorry friend.
I don't know the guy, but he strikes me as a musically overrated grifter. If I'm wrong, then I apologize.
@@HighlanderNorth1 Seems like you've hit the nail on the head. Only reason I didn't insult his music is because I don't mind some of his songs. But the overwhelming majority is dreck.
@@RQBtva former friend of mine used to subject us to Jimmy because he knew we hated it, and he'd listen to live versions of Jimmy's most obscure songs. I hope wherever he is now, he's suffering 😂
@@HighlanderNorth1You are not wrong. His music is Blah.
"Chicks were digging it" The reason we all picked up a guitar (or other instrument) 😅
An old fish boat captain I used to sail with in my youth got me hooked on jimmy’s music and writing. I’ve been a fan for decades now.
Members of the original Coral reefer band help Buffett write some of those original songs. They were never paid for this or given songwriting credit. Remember them Jimmy?
The dude who single-handedly invented yacht rock deserves to have some kind of phytophotodermatitis named after him.
Is there another yacht rocker other than buffet?
Gawd yes: Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Rupert Holmes, Don Henley, Seals & Crofts, Captain & Tennille...
Captain and Tennille. That was public pool, 1977 flashback from hell. Makes me want to find a pool to pee in right now. I had completely memory holed them.
I was being sarcastic on my previous remarks. He truly is a talented writer and guitar player and was smart enough to move to the keys when they were not as well known as a tourist spot and he lived a great life. I am a parrot head and will always be one. Cheers Jimmy!
70 years old and a self-proclaimed Parrott head. watching this video is a green light for margaritas and cigars this afternoon.
Excellent video, fair & wide (& love your art). His music taps into some yearning lots of folks have - to sidestep rat race & focus on pleasure (practically blasphemy to rat-race ideology), and maybe a craving to be healed by nature?
A lot of us in (white) North America feel an emptiness & are searching for something better, more whole & alive - I think via his actual life experience, Mr. Buffet has figured out how to feed that need while yes getting paid. No problem here!
Jimmy Buffett punched me in the throat at a Howard Johnson’s back in 1983.
What an honor! XD
@@RoKBottomStudios it’s every Parrothead’s dream!
I didn't realize Landshark had anything to deal with him
Me either. I have mixed emotions about that.
I dont like that beer, it tastes cheap and weird. Blue moon is way better and has a similar style / flavor (within the mainstream mass produced beer options)
I knew of J.B. when I saw the video, but I don't know his music (or much of any rural style music for that matter.) So now I know a little about him -- a fellow who found things he was pretty good at, followed them up, but moved his life along before those efforts got stale, and continued to develop in business without really abandoning music, which he clearly has a talent for. How admirable! It reminds me a little of Jimmy Dean, a charming and handsome singer (also in rural style) who saved his money and went into the meat processing and packing business. He was another sensible guy who recognized his good luck, understood the difficult and fickle nature of the entertainment business, and followed his good sense.
In both cases, I hope they paid their salaries, taxes and other obligations. If that's the case, they're both stories worth telling my grandchildren. Things like "Work hard and make a good product. Follow a reasonable plan, but don't be afraid to modify your plan when history takes its own inevitable turns. You've got to know when to hold and when to fold." This kind of approach to life is, in general, something I hold in high esteem.
My thanks for this nice bit of history.
Nice video! Cool Ralph Steadman vibe with the artwork
No way man I’ve been loving your channel the past couple weeks just to find this video. Jimmy buffets is my favorite artists keep up the work!
I played 35 performances of Margaritaville (the jukebox musical) last May. I didn't really have super high hopes for it not knowing most of the songs going in. It turned out to be a highlight for me. I learned to appreciate the simplicity of the music and the way it connected with the audience in a very profound way.
My father was a massive Jimmy Buffett fan and owned every Album he put out on Vinyl. Listening to it almost everyday I couldn't help but fall in love with his music myself. When I was 10 years old the first Rock Concert I ever went to was Jimmy Buffett playing at Summerfest in Milwaukee. He played at the brand new Marcus Amphitheater they just built on the Summerfest Fairgrounds. This is easiest way for me to remember what year it was 1987. Jimmy Buffett show was incredible and he came out for 2 Encore's. Jimmy Buffett at the time surrounded himself with tons of incredible musicians including calypso musicians.
Calypso musicians?
Saw JB there as well several times...good stuff
Respectfully as possible, if you saw Jimmy Buffet, you didn't see a 'rock concert'. I've been forced to see him twice. He's barely even pop.
@@adrianguinn3331 I honestly don't give af what you call it. The Summerfest Amphitheater had a capacity of 23,000 seats and that place was PACKED. Tens of thousands of people and they all knew every word of every song. Jimmy Buffett put on one hell of a show!
Man, I had basically written Jimmy off as THE stereotype of the washed up, minor hit, C-list musician drinking his royalties away in a touristy place like Key West. BUT, I’ve found a whole new respect and admiration for him, and I thank you for that. 😊
I live in a rural, tourist area in Michigan. One of our biggest festivals of the year is Cheeseburger, and you guessed it, the week and a half long festival celebrates Jimmy Buffett and his music. A town of roughly 2-3K residents explodes up to a record of 300K. Especially for the Parade of Fools.
August 2023 was the 25th annual Cheeseburger Fest. Only to lose Buffett on Sept 3, 2023. A lot of people put their festival decorations back up after the news. Many of the parrots and flamingos are wearing black boas, hats, or whatever other "mourning" attire people can think to put on them. It's sad, but it's also rather sweet to me.
They invited Jimmy Buffett to the festival every year, and according to their official fb page, they're continuing the tradition by continuing to invite his family. Growing up, we always joked that Jimmy Buffett very well could have went to the festival every single year and just not announced his presence. Who would know??? I like to think that he did come to the Cheeseburger Festival at least once during those 25 years.
Rest well, King of the Keys.
5:23 long time Parrothead here. Great vid, just letting you know for future reference the album is called "Living and Dying in Three Quarter Time." The line is also used in his song "Nautical Wheelers."
For what it's worth. I saw Jimmy in Pensacola 1983? When the Corral Reefer Band left the stage and Jimmy sat down on the edge of it and played, that proved to me that he did not need a band. He is a band and all I need to here.
Great video. In the mid-'90s I bought a used vinyl of JB's Living And Dying In 3/4 Time. Up until that time I only liked his song "Come Monday." Then I heard "West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown" and over the years I came to enjoy his deep cuts more than his hits.
I grew up in the Keys, I definitely remember his powdered nose days.
@horseonyt I have been following your stuff the past ~2 months and you’re going to be huge man. Keep it up
I like the art. Very ralph steadman.
He has made the world happy, and that counts for everything. What else is there?
I have always thought of his stuff as music for people who want to drink like they own a boat. 😀😁
I've hung out with Jimmy a few times. Guy is a regular dude that has worked hard his entire life. And he deserves everything he's gotten.
Worked hard lol
@@LoudenSwain Yes - very hard. It ain’t all just cocaine and hookers…😉
Did you hang out with him at the Bohemian Grove?
@@jakeroberts7435 No. First time was backstage after a Columbus, Ohio concert, 1980. We were both new fathers, so that’s what we talked about. We met again when our kids were like 8 or 9, before a benefit concert in Key West. Like I said, nice guy.
@@danielwilliams1921 Cool, my dads family is from Worthington, I moved before that time. Spent 34 years in South Florida, did a lot of off shore fishing, l was always a big Buffet fan. I've met him twice, a heck of a nice guy, but no dought part of the club. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy his music
The Florida keys to this day attract beachcomber types, weirdies and all manner beach bums and pirates. Some come on vacation and never leave.
How does this not have more views?
My brother was my intro to Buffet. Come Monday and My African Friend are my 2 favorites. Saw him at Riverbend in Cincinnati in late 80s and first thing out of his mouth was, "Why this happens in Ohio I beyond me." Livingston Saturday Night is also a hit at karaoke.
I worked in a restaurant that was in a building he owned in sag harbor ny. He came down with a guitar one night and played 3 or 4 songs for the crowd one on a Saturday.
I’m from the same area as him. He’s my distant cousin, our family have been in Pascagoula since it’s founding in the late 1700s.
Jimmy Buffett was only a 112 Miles away from New Orleans as a youngster. That's a 2.5 hour drive not to far to travel to practice his art.
I remember the release Jimmy Buffet's 1978 live concert album "You Had To Be There" It brings back lots of fond memories of boating and partying, going to Long Beach (in west Canada).
I was working in Johnson City Tennessee in 1985, the band Motley Crew had passed thru the Holiday Inn I was staying at recently, I asked the maids how bad they trashed the room!! They told me nothing or no one came close to how Jimmy Buffett and band when they trashed the place months before!!
“12 Volt Man.” Grabbed me and I was a big fan during the early years.
Really great topic and overview! I bought his original albums in the ‘70’s, and really enjoyed some of those songs, especially “Banana Republics,” and “Come Monday.” He just seemed to also have a personal charm which drove the music.
Excellent video production, but one minor suggestion: spell check. See 8:28. “Escapism” was his answer, “Escapsim” is something else. 😉
Unfortunately my thoughts of Jimmy Buffett are tainted by being present at a restaurant in the 80s where repeated drunken waitress fondling caused him to be permanently uninvited from the premises. Then he stiffed everyone. I hear he's a hell if a guy if you're not the staff.
Yikes
Buffett copyrighted the word "Margaritaville" and sues any business that has "ville" at the end of its name (Marijuanaville & Martiniville both had to change their names because of his lawsuits). Also, here in Atlanta, despite a petition against it, a historic building where the very first country record was recorded was torn down last year to make way for one of his Margaritaville restaurants.
I really appreciate the balanced take. Reminding us all that greatness and success aren't even often the same.
The thing about Jimmy I love most is the product that he sold to an entire generation of people. The island-vibe permanent-vacation DGAF attitude he sold to suburbanites with 9 to 5 jobs and disposable income who were mortgaging future generations’ prosperity, which they inherited themselves, is just absolute *chef’s kiss*
Oh, boo hoo. Ever think those people needed a fun fantasy escape after working 9-5 all week? The youngest boomers are 60. Which seems to me means that the people younger by a generation or two are middle aged and close to seniors. Old enough to make your own marks and change society. If you haven’t well, seems like that’s on you.
@@marylivingstone9815every boomer I knew was working 7-5 6 days a week and would blow off steam 1 night. Little did they know they were mortgaging future generations prosperity. It's almost as if painting with such a broad brush is a kindergarten level skill. I'm not a boomer but I'll take them over to whatever generation you claim to represent.
@@marylivingstone9815sorry, that comment was directed at the original commenter, apparently I am a boomer when it comes to technology.
Yea boomers are a disgusting generation…..🙄🤮
I bet you sip budlight through a straw.
How is he a fraud? He's a great entertainer who's written some pretty good ballads like changing channels, I have found me a home, and others. He marketed himself, knowing that there was a demand. What's so fraudulent about that? It surely beats winding up broke and in a ditch somewhere like what happens to a lot of artists. Good for him.
RIP to the legend Jimmy Buffett
Love your artwork!
Some of Jimmy Buffet’s hits, like Jim Croche make me want to puke but watching this clip you have to admire his tenacity and success.
Good on him.
What songs from Jim Croce?
Is the Jimmy Buffett of the 1970s gone?
Yeah...but so are the Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, moosecat (a/k/a ME), and billions of other people, famous, infamous, and non-famous. It's called personal evolution, and it needs to happen. Think about the star high school quarterback going to his reunion 30, 40 or 50 years later, and he hasn't really changed; he'd be derided as living in the past.
Any autobiographical song reflects a moment or period in time for the artist. Jimmy still sings "A Pirate Looks at 40", but we all know he's closing in on 80, and we're okay with it. (Just like we're okay with Bruce Springsteen singing "Meeting Across the River", a song about a struggling young man trying to make it in the world; that's not Springsteen any more, but it was him.)
Unlike the protagonist in that song, Jimmy hasn't pissed away all his money (like so many rock stars); he's diversified, and been successful doing so.
Is Jimmy Buffett a fraud? I wouldn't say so. He's evolved
super cool artwork
The "drugs" now at his age are probably for high blood pressure, arthritis, ED and oxygen for COPD.🤣
He literally wrote a song called Saxophones about how he wanted to be a rock and roll star but an accoustic guitar was the only way he could succeed in music
He found a niche and worked it! It,s the American dream.
Feel like this vid should be a triple feature with the videos of the two guys who ate at every Margaritaville in the US and Canada
Are you kidding?????? We all have our own personas.! Yes, even you.!
Who cares if his personal life reflects his music or not? All that matters is that his music helps foster a feeling of summer fun and party-life. I’ll be listening to his music as I sit by the pool next week.
It's pretty important to a lot of us that you lived what you sing, hints the outlaw country movement vs Nashville.. I like Jimmy's old music but I won't listen to a flaming liberal hypocrite
@@ericbest9562 Well, I guess it’s a good thing the radio has lots of notches on that dial. Maybe you can find a flaming conservative instead.
In a world too often dominated by fraudulent things, some of us look for authenticity.
You should try it sometime.
@@psalm2forliberty577 Are you for real? He wrote these songs 40 years ago. So he doesn’t currently live the lifestyle he wrote about 40 years ago. The point of the songs is for you, the listener, to be transported to that place in your mind when you listen to the music.
It’s like this with all music. I am sure GNR is no longer poor and living on the streets of LA as they wrote about. I am sure Kiss is no longer living a party lifestyle as they wrote about. Who cares? Dude, get over yourself.
@@RansomeStoddard
If all you're thinking about is "party hardy" - you're "living an unexamined life" - that was my point.
The world 🌎 has had enough pleasant sounding distraction & deception, set to music.
Music that does the counter look at Oliver Anthony's awesome soul searching / issue raising "Rich Men North of Richmond"
song, has like 30 million views in 2 weeks.
I look for deep meaning in music, satisfying the Soul.
Not Cotton Candy....
I'm not a fan of all the development JB brought to Florida in his later years, particularly after he made his bones railing against it. But he was an excellent song writer, especially in his early years. I mean, Dylan once put him in his top three.
"Are you telling me he doesn't like cheeseburger in paradise? Are you telling me he doesn't like pina coladas? Are you telling me he doesn't actually have a Beach House on the Moon?"
Does it matter?
I really enjoyed his books too. Tales from margaritaville, where is joe merchant, a pirate looks at 50, and a few others.
He’s a boomer whisperer.
Pascagoula Mississippi sounds like a throat condition
Title change out of respect for the dead
Met JB when I lived on the other side of the Palm Beach Inlet; I was on Singer Island, JB on Palm Beach. I've always wondered if his fans would revere Jimmy so much if they were really aware of his lifestyle. They might, as the music is about dreams and not reality. Nice guy, at least in my limited exposure, and a knowledgable sailor (we went out a few times on my 51' sailboat). And, yes, I do enjoy the music.
Just discovered your excellent channel, and Mr Buffet , thanking you 😂
Nothing more cringe than boat and yacht rock.growing up all his fans were wanna be rastas and trust fund hippies..the worst was the hybrid dead head,jimmy buffet type,trust fund hippie,but then again in 90s,most fans were . nothing more depressing than an 16 year old driving Audi listening to jimmy buffet,you just knew there was no hope for them as a person.
Can confirm the escapism; my parents became huge parrotheads while living in upstate NY, where winters are long and dark and often see six-foot snowfalls and -20F temperatures.
Here's to failing upward and having the where with all to recognize your opportunities!!
Jimmy Buffett living off one song is similar to the way Chubby Checker has been riding " The Twist" gravy train for seven decades.
He's no Coconut Pete.
Like the music, dislike what he & new(70's) 4 lane road have done to the Keys. Well done video, thanks!
If this was posted a year later it would have millions of views
Hey smugglers need those Buffet songs, snitching on the sly
Bringing heat where it's already to damn hot to die
Son of a son of bitch, what's all that bullshit for
Jimmy Buffet doesn't' live in Key West anymore.
Now Jimmy's moved to Malibu with all those other stars
He's not down at in Duval Street hangin' out in bars
All them God damned tourist, got to be a bore.
But Jimmy Buffet doesn't live in Key West anymore
Now Divers Do It Deeper must have really made them mad
Some of them reviewers said it really sounded bad
Well they liked Margaritaville, me I liked it too
Someday Jimmy, why don't we just both get drunk and screw.
But Jimmy Buffet doesn't live in Key West anymore.
To ask this question is to answer it. There are very few musical artists that I really and truly loathe. Buffet is one of them.