Just a girl who loves Jimmy Buffett and wants to share his music, stories and lifestyle with the world!
“I wish the whole wide world could swim along at slack tide”, the lyrics say, along with “Out here, conflicts and chaos completely subside”. There is so much to appreciate in the words to his song and the message it sends. Each time I listen, something else stands out to me, or it triggers something in a different way.
“Who would have thought this game, this flame would still be burning, Who would have guessed that all these blenders would still be churning” leads the way, and also gives us the magnificent acknowledgement of “here we are, for a family reunion, costume barbeque, all the black sheep, family outcasts and a freak or two”. Why would I even try to say it any better than this marvelous song already says for us? I couldn’t, even if I tried. Jimmy already says it perfectly in this homage to his beautiful, enthusiastic fan base.
Denver Colorado is called “the Mile High City” because its official elevation is listed at 5280 feet, exactly one mile. Looking into information on where exactly this elevation is measured from reveals it be the 13th step on the west side of the State Capital Building. Now, why that is the official measurement spot is a bit bizarre, but regardless of a couple of feet or not, Denver sits at a very interesting elevation. Cities need nicknames, and this is a pretty great one. There is no doubt in my mind, that Jimmy heard that nickname and ran with it, maybe starting with a title or a few lyrics and eventually coming up with a charming song about the Colorado Rocky Mountains based on a city with an iconic nickname.
Time is a funny thing, isn’t it? Somedays I feel like I am as young as I was thirty years ago, and some days I am feeling all the changes that thirty years brings to life and my physical body. I would think many people have a similar feeling.
In some ways, our lives have changed a lot in thirty years, and in some ways, many of the questions pondered in this song remain just as accurate today as they did then. Realizing that brings a special kind of awareness to life. How special life is, how fragile life is; awareness about how many things have changed and yet how many things remain the same. And wondering if that is how life is supposed to be?
I have learned a lot of interesting things about the inspiration for many of Jimmy’s songs during this song tribute, and this one is no different. This song has proved to be quite interesting, much more than I had realized at first, and I have a feeling that details will continue to pop up. One thing I didn’t realize when I first posted about the incident that inspired at least some of this song, was that on that day in Nashville, when Jimmy Buffet and Sammy Creason stepped into the ring (or parking lot) with Buford Pusser, earlier on that very day, they had ironically recorded God’s Own Drunk in a studio for Living And Dying In ¾ Time, which led to celebrating with too much tequila, getting themselves “God’s Own Drunk”, which led to a few questionable choices.
What is a boat drink, you might ask? Depending on who is answering, you might hear a hundred different suggestions or get multiple drink recipes. Someone might tell you they must have tequila in them, others might say rum. Someone might say they have to have fruit or fruit juice in them, while others might insist the drink must be blended. Others might say, whatever it is you are drinking, whether it is a cold beer or a tall iced tea, as long as it’s served with a paper umbrella in it, then it’s most likely a boat drink. Does it have to be served on a boat? Does it have to be served in warm weather? Perhaps your boat drink might include a dream of sunny weather while the snow falls down around you, which is what is hinted at in this fun and fabulous song of Jimmy’s, with no particular drink mentioned.
If you look on the internet, you can probably find a thousand different recipes for gumbo. Each has similarities and each has differences. There are both slight and significant variations. Influence can range from tradition to location to inspiration. In that sense, gumbo feels a lot like Jimmy Buffett’s music, and maybe that is why gumbo was one of Jimmy’s favorite southern dishes.
A pencil thin mustache is a very specific look. It is a bit daring, a bit creepy and incredibly iconic. I always wondered what gave Jimmy this song idea. Looking back on a quote from Jimmy’s Parrothead Handbook, Jimmy says about this song, “The thing about writing a song like this is that the older you get, the more people there are who need an explanation of the characters in the song. I shudder to think how old Sky King’s niece Penny is today, and it all started with the two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket. I can’t wait for them to come back”. That quote gives some clarity, and indicates it was never the pencil-thin mustache that was the initial inspiration, it just became a line and the title, and then something that became very iconic for Jimmy’s songwriting career.
Relationships are a huge part of our lives, maybe the biggest parts of our lives. Romantic relationships, family relationships, friendships, work relationships… these things define us, help shape us, are integral to our lives. Coast Of Carolina is about relationships on a couple different levels and is a stunningly beautiful way that Jimmy acknowledged several of those important people in his life.
This is one of those great songs, a song that ties Jimmy’s humor with his ability to paint a picture, which allows you see the whole story in your mind. Of all the quirky lyrics, I think the TV mentions are my favorite. “We got fifteen dollars and a can of STP, A big old jar of cashew nuts and a Japanese TV” and later “In walked the deputy sheriff, he was holding our TV”. “Our TV”, because they stole it and possession make it theirs? Jimmy’s ability to use wit in his songs is something I appreciate so very much.