Day #35 – Little Miss Magic
Day #35 – Little Miss Magic
This song will get you every time you hear it. I imagine even for people who have no idea who Jimmy or Savannah Jane Buffett are, this is one of those heart-warming songs, connecting to a father and daughter’s special bond. I am my Dad’s oldest, and his only daughter, so I understand that bond deeply.
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Original post from 10/6/2023
Day #35 – Little Miss Magic
This is Savannah Jane’s song, and it was on the 1981 album Coconut Telegraph. It was never released as a single but was on the B-side of It’s My Job, a song that was written by a young and coming songwriter named Mac McAnally, which was the beginning of decades of beautiful musical collaboration.
In 1979, Jimmy’s oldest child, a daughter, was born and Jimmy said that his life was definitely altered. While JB’s young family was living in St. Barts in the winter, Jimmy penned this song for his beautiful baby girl. He recalls her attention to watching the ceiling fan go around and how she seemed to enjoy riding in a convertible in the sun and warm winds of the island.
This is an incredibly personal song for Jimmy, but it means the world to so many other people as well. It has probably been the Father-Daughter Dance song for about a million (and counting) weddings.
In a recent interview, Jimmy smiles and refers to Savannah as “the first one”; he taught her to sail and fish, named a boat after her, and cowrote two children’s books with his Savannah, helping to ignite her creative fire.
In The Parrothead Handbook, Jimmy mentions a few things about what inspired him to write a song for his eldest, finishing with the statement, “and if you don’t write a song about your daughter, you will go to hell”. All joking aside, this song was a beautiful labor of love.
Please enjoy Little Miss Magic. It’s simply the sweetest song! I’ve included the song in the comments below.
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My Dad didn’t teach me to sail, but he did teach me how to fish, how to change oil in a car and certainly how to fix your own flat tire. He also taught me how to fix a barb wire fence, and how to cuss at cows when they don’t go the way you want them to (which is most of the time).
Honestly, the list of things I have learned from my Dad is nearly endless, very appreciated, and not all of it should probably be shared.
One thing my Dad certainly taught me is an appreciation of good music. I grew up listening to the Eagles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, to name a few great bands. Before Jimmy passed, my Dad wasn’t really interested in listening to his music. He actually passed on a couple concert opportunities that I am certain he is regretting now, though he probably will never admit it. But I am happy to return the teaching favor and show him an appreciation for Jimmy Buffett and his music. And trust me, my Dad is listening now!
Stacy
Please enjoy Little Miss Magic. I have included the link below. Enjoy!
The link is from Jimmy’s official YouTube channel, which I have no personal affiliation with.
