#71 – Margaritaville
Day #71 – Margaritaville
Some people might call this song Jimmy’s “bread and butter”, and it certainly is popular. Perhaps even his most popular song. It has multiple plays on jukeboxes, multiple plays on online streaming applications, and it’s probably his most played live songs in concerts and shows. It’s a song that people recognize and can sing along to, certainly in the United States, but I dare say across most of the globe. I believe it can take you to a certain place and time, whether it’s state of mind or a memory, or a hope for the future. It’s simply a fabulous song!
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Original post from 11/11/2023
Day #71 – Margaritaville
Margaritaville was released on Jimmy’s 1977 album Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes.
This song is the anthem of Parrotheads everywhere. We know it, we sing it, we love it!
One could say it most likely changed Jimmy’s life. Certainly, it changed his career. A hit song in the music industry is important, not just financially, but for connections and street cred. Jimmy had already proved he wasn’t afraid of hard work, but now fortune was shining on him. And a little song about a lime and tequila beverage.
“Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville, Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt…”
I’ve heard a few different variations of the story about the writing of this song, but here is my recap, to the best of my knowledge, and I think in agrees on all the important elements.
Jimmy had been in Austin, Texas, and was having lunch before he flew back to Florida. The group he was with had a few drinks with lunch, Margarita type drinks, and someone at the table said, after two or three drinks, something about being in “Margaritaville”. Jimmy was never one to waste a catchy word or interesting phrase, and an idea started churning.
“I blew out my flip flop, stepped on a pop top, Cut my heal had to cruise on back home…”
Back in Florida, Jimmy was preparing his next studio album, which was supposed to be about the carefree beach lifestyle that Jimmy was living. He had a catchy word, and he had the inspiration of a bad day at the beach, which included losing a flip flop, cutting his foot on a pop top from a beer can, and running out of salt for his drink. He mentioned the idea to his producer, Norbert Putnam, who told him that was a terrible idea for a song!
Jimmy says he wrote this song in about five minutes on the Seven Mile Bridge while stopped because of a traffic accident. Nobody was injured and it gave him time to write a catchy little song. It probably felt like about five minutes, but I imagine it might have taken a little more time.
“Don’t know the reason, I stayed here all season, With nothing to show but this brand new tattoo…”
A few days later, he played a rough draft of the song to the studio crew, and they all realized Jimmy might just have a hit song on his hands.
And so, they recorded it and released the album. And then released it as a single. It climbed to 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to number 1 on both the US Adult Contemporary and Canada Adult Contemporary charts. It even made it to 13 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. That makes it a hit song.
“Strummin’ my six string, on my front porch swing, Smell those shrimp, they’re beginnin’ to boil…”
The original record was altered for the single, including cutting about 50 seconds of instrumental out, and speeding the track up slightly. It’s a crafty and cutthroat business, and time, down to every second, is important for radio and television.
Even more so, Jimmy said there was a whole “lost” verse that was cut in the studio process but emerges in live shows. Whether it was written at the same time, or he wrote it later, I really don’t know, but it’s a funny yet blunt picture of beach life.
“Old men in tank tops, Cruisin’ the gift shops, Checkin’ out chiquitas, down by the shore…”
Of course, I always knew I would share this song, but the timing was hard for me. Share it early, share it late, share it last, share it for a certain number or date. I had been eyeballing the calendar and I fixated on 11/11. Then, by gosh, I came across the address for the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida which is 1111 North Ocean Drive, and I knew I had my date. I pay attention to numbers like that and couldn’t ignore this coincidence.
Interestingly, Jimmy revealed on CMT’s Crossroads, that Elvis Presley looked at recording Margaritaville. Elvis died that same year Jimmy wrote and recorded it, 1977, and Elvis obviously never recorded it. While it’s interesting to wonder what might have happened if Elvis put his unique touch to this song, I’m glad it ended up being a sole boost for Jimmy’s career. It’s absolutely Jimmy Buffett’s song!
The older 45 record jukebox at Park Grove Bar and Cafe, had several of Jimmy’s records on it, and Margaritaville always got a lot of play. That jukebox took 50 cent pieces, and you got 10 songs for your dollar. Man, I loved that jukebox! Margaritaville is still on it, and last time I was around when it got plugged in, it was still playing Margaritaville!
This song deserves an encore and so I’ve decided to share BOTH the classic 1977 studio version (the long one) AND a vibrant live version that includes little lyric changes that Jimmy was known for,, including “broke my leg twice” which he actually did do in 1978 and the “salt, salt, salt” chant during the chorus, as well as the “lost verse” from his lively 1999 album Tuesdays, Thursdays And Saturdays.
Pick and choose or listen to them both. Whichever, whatever, I know you will enjoy! I have included the links in the comments below.
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I never blew out a flip-flop, but I once lost one. It was my favorite. It was a cheap, garish orange color from Old Navy, and I loved those shoes. Anyway, while trying to transverse down a steep hill to a bit of sandy beach by a local swimming hole, I stumbled. I lost my shoe but didn’t spill my drink, which was Morgan and Coke! Still, I was sad. Of course, it was dark, and no one I was with could see any better than me, nor were they in any better shape than me. Still, I was determined to find my missing shoe, and I drafted their help too.
Sadly, in the process of attempting to spot my flip flop in the moonlight while wading in the water, I fell over again, and this time I managed to lose my other shoe. I still didn’t spill the drink! I only mention this because part of me felt like I was living Jimmy’s lifestyle, just in the much cooler norther climates of a Montana summer. I still really miss those shoes.
I never had the chance to meet Jimmy and have a chat with him, but if I did, that was a story I wanted to tell him about! My own flip flop loss, and I hoped he would share a flip flop story with me as well. Cheers to Margaritaville and all the things it brings to mind.
Cheers to wherever your own personal Margaritaville is!
Stacy
Please enjoy Margaritaville. I have included the links below. Enjoy!
1977 Studio Version
1999 “Lost Verse” Live Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays Version
The links are from Jimmy’s official YouTube channel, which I have no personal affiliation with.
