Top Ten Songs by Jimmy Buffett
I love the beach and something that goes hand-in-hand with the beach atmosphere is Jimmy Buffett music. I’ve been to
Key West a couple times and visiting Margaritaville was a great experience. Listening to Jimmy Buffett while you’re visiting where he used to live and perform is surreal. Picking a top ten list of Jimmy Buffett songs was fun, because it allowed me to listen to his great songs while working on this article. If you haven’t experienced Jimmy Buffett, it’s about time you did and here are ten songs to start with.
10. A Pirate Looks at Forty: This song immediately gives me a sense of peace. I have fallen asleep to this several times and that’s not a bad thing. Jimmy Buffett’s voice is so soft and soothing in this song from his Songs You Know by Heart album. My favorite line is, “I made enough money to buy Miami, but I pissed it away so fast.”
9. He Went to Paris: Is about the life of a man who spent time in Europe, including some time in a war, who then moves to the islands and grows old. This is another soothing song from Jimmy Buffett’s album Songs You Know by Heart. My favorite line is, “Some of its magic, some of it tragic, but I had a good life all the way.”
8. Fins: This is yet another great song from Jimmy Buffett’s album Songs You Know by Heart. This one isn’t soothing though; this one is upbeat and makes me think of Key West when I hear it. It’s about girl who has men flocking around her at the beach. It has such a great beat. I love the line, “Sharks that can swim on the land.”
7. Changes in Latitude: Of course this is from Jimmy Buffett’s album Songs You Know by Heart, and it has a soothing beach feel to it. This song is basically about a guy looking back on his life and how he wishes he could be doing some of the things he did back then because his life has gotten so busy. I love the line that says, “Yesterday’s are over my shoulder so I can’t look backwards too long.”
6. Margaritaville: This is a Jimmy Buffett classic and can of course be found on his Songs You Know by Heart album. The craze that Jimmy Buffett started with this song is amazing. Margaritaville down in Key West is such a laid back place and has great food. Just listening to this song makes me wish I was down in the Keys right now. The song is basically about a man getting drunk down in “Margaritaville”.
5. Why Don’t We Get Drunk: This is another classic Jimmy Buffett song (again found on his Songs You Know by Heart album). It’s basically about a guy trying to persuade a woman with a couple drinks. Also it’s important to note that he’s making fun of country music in this song, so that makes it even funnier. Jimmy Buffett does a perfect job at picking fun of some of the older country songs and it’s really one you must hear.
4. My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink, and I Don’t Love Jesus: This song is so catchy. This is from Jimmy Buffett’s album Havana Daydreamin’ and sort of reminds me of something you would hear in an old Western or something. There is even a deep voiced singer in the background that sounds like a gospel singer. You’ll be ashamed for singing it, but once you hear it it’ll be stuck in your head. This song is again about a guy getting drunk and basically staying drunk. One of the lines is, “If I don’t die by Thursday, I’ll be roaring Friday night.”
3. Southern Cross: I’m not sure which Jimmy Buffett album this song came from, but I’m pretty sure it’s a remake. I’m also not sure who sung it first. Regardless, Jimmy Buffett does a great job singing this song and it’s just one of those songs you have to sing at the top of your lungs.
2. Trip Around the Sun: This song is from Jimmy Buffett’s latest album License to Chill. This is actually a country album and is really well done. On this album he sings with several country music stars, such as Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, and Kenny Chesney. In this song he teams up with Martina McBride and together they create one of Jimmy Buffett’s best songs ever. The trip around the sun is basically our life and this song just does a really good job at summing up life. My favorite line is, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from all this living, is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go.”
1. Come Monday: I love, love, love this song. It’s from Jimmy Buffett’s Songs You Know by Heart album and it’s about a guy thinking about being with his partner the next Monday. He stuck off on some business trip and he just can’t wait to be with her again.
If you are interested in Jimmy Buffett check out his Songs You Know by Heart album. This is actually Jimmy Buffett’s Greatest Hits album and has so many great songs on it.
