Susanne Perry
Another icon of my youth, Jimmy Buffett, passed away on Sept. 1. I’ve never been a Parrot Head, as his fervent fans are known, but I love his music, and I once saw Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band in concert. I don’t remember the year, probably early ’80s. He had a broken leg, but the injury didn’t dampen his enthusiasm.
When Cheeseburger in Paradise was released, I was working for Red Robin, the burger joint. The chain made the most of the excitement by using the song as on-site advertising. Every dinner shift that summer began with the song playing in the restaurant, creating the party atmosphere for which Buffett was famous. The best part of it all was that for the whole summer, the waitstaff (me included) wore tropical print camp shirts and khaki walking shorts.
Seafaring was in Buffett’s blood. His grandfather had been a steamship captain, and his father, a marine engineer and sailor—so as the song says, he was a son of a son of a sailor. Buffett made an entire empire out of his sailboat lifestyle off the Florida coast. Margaritaville became a real place instead of an imaginary alcohol-infused party locale.
Although a Florida guy, to me he resembled a typical California surfer dude with his blonde wavy hair, his big mischievous grin, and the carefree stoned-out persona he embodied. He comically shared his inspiration for one of his songs with a description of a killer hangover. “There I was,” he said, “sanding down the ol’ main mast about to throw up and the only thing that can get me through is a bottle of Perrier and a Jackson Brown album.” You can nearly feel the headache.
The truth is that Jimmy as Party Boy was part real and part marketing ploy. He was a brilliant businessman, and his fans loved the image he created because wherever the trade winds took him, he invited us along by writing songs about his travels. His enamored Parrot Heads clamored to join him on every musical voyage.
What I most appreciate about Jimmy’s work is his solid ability to transport the listener to a peaceful time and a very warm place. His compositions take us to Havana, North Africa, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Listening to his music you’d swear you feel the sway of the boat in the waves and the warm coastal breeze. You envision the crystal aqua of the Atlantic Ocean.
Many of his lyrics and melodies were about so much more than that party mentality. He was a gifted storyteller. Buffett once told an interviewer that he wasn’t the best singer or the best guitarist. In my opinion, he was talented at both, but his real gift was how he connected with his audience. At his concerts, the entire crowd was happy just to be there. And Jimmy was, too. Rest in peace, Sailor.
Don’t miss the Jimmy Buffett Tribute Concert at Robson Ranch on Jan. 9, 2024.