This Conversation Seems Like A Dream

Parrothead.

haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind
that our forefathers harnessed before us
hear the bells ring as the tide rigging sings
it's a son of a gun of a chorus

- Son Of A Son Of A Sailor

If there was ever an artist who could make me feel like I lived on the beach without a care in the world while still making me wistfully wish for that very same thing, it's Jimmy Buffett. His music has been an ever-present part of my life, and I've introduced countless people to it, to boot--people I was stunned to find hadn't heard of him before.

Lakes below the mountain
flow into the sea
like oils applied to canvas
they permeate through me

- One Particular Harbour

It's hard to put a label on his music, hard to find a 'class' to put him into. They play his music on KFOX, the local classic rock station. They play his music, especially his more recent stuff, on KRTY and KZBR, the local country stations. They play it on the Caribbean music channels on satellite radio. It's universal appeal, I think--it's about fun, it's about dreams, it's about not taking yourself too seriously, it's about life. Trace Adkins sings a song called 'Songs About Me' which could just as easily be applied to Jimmy's stuff: "They're songs about me, and who I am."

independence day
and all I remember
was a midnight rainbow
that fell from the sky
as I stand on the beach
I slowly surrender
to the child in me
who can't say goodbye

- (That Was) The Night I Painted The Sky

Last night, we watched a 60 Minutes special on CMT all about Jimmy. They showed a couple of clips from concerts at the Shark Tank, where they haul out Air Shark (the radio-controlled, inflated shark that drops 'prize balls' during hockey games) for the song Fins. It took years before I finally got to see him in concert, now I try to make a point of seeing him every time he's here. It's an amazing show, and if you like him at all, I highly recommend it. He'll be here next month--and, of course, we have tickets.

ground, she movin' under me
tidal waves out on the sea
sulphur smoke up in the sky
pretty soon we learn to fly
(In the live version, that last line is usually changed to 'I think some people in this crowd got high.)

- Volcano

The 60 Minutes special was really cool to watch--it talked some about his early career, right up through his latest album, a large portion of which is collaborations with various country artists. Through it all, he remained as down-to-earth as I'd always imagined him, as I knew he was from his concerts. Down-to-earth, and profoundly grateful, amazed that he's been able to lead the life he has. I've been to concerts where the artists treat them like a job, where it seems almost like they've lost the love of their music or of their fans, and it really detracts from the performance. I have never seen this happen at a Buffett concert, and I'm sure I never will.

the weather is here I wish you were beautiful
the skies are too clear, life is easy today
the beer is too cold, the daquiri's too fruitiful
there's no place like home when it's this far away
I need time for to play

- The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

Anyway, it's hard to say which appeals to me more, the ballads (He Went To Paris), the light-hearted (Love And Luck), or the just plain fun (Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw). I think, in the end, it's everything. Songs about me...even if it's wishful thinking, and I have to put the reality cap back on at the end of the CD or the concert.

he said, "I ate the last mango in Paris
took the last plane out of Saigon
took the first fast boat to China
"and Jimmy, there's still so much to be done."

- Last Mango In Paris

But, lucky me, all I have to do find it again is just listen.

Posted by Liz at March 1, 2005 07:39 AM