Current:Home > MyJimmy Buffett: 10 of his best songs including 'Margaritaville' and 'Come Monday' -Infinite Edge Learning
Jimmy Buffett: 10 of his best songs including 'Margaritaville' and 'Come Monday'
View
Date:2025-04-15 18:31:19
Of course, "Margaritaville" comes to mind upon hearing about the death of Jimmy Buffett.
But the Mississippi-born singer-songwriter released a boatload of other tunes in a six-decade career during which he conjured a laidback, coastal seagoing vibe – and built an empire of Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants, LandShark lager, and Margaritaville tequila and foods. Buffett also cultivated a flock of fans known as Parrotheads, who migrated to his annual sold-out summer tours.
Buffett isn't yet in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but he leaves an impressive legacy of songs including this list of 10, not a ranking and in chronological order:
'Death of an Unpopular Poet' (1973)
The final song on Buffett's album "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean," got the ear of none other than Bob Dylan, who included Buffett along other songwriters he admired including Gordon Lightfoot, Warren Zevon, Randy Newman, John Prine and Guy Clark, according to American Songwriter magazine. This song was among those Buffett compositions Dylan said he liked. Subsequently, Buffett began playing the song more often live.
'He lived his life like a song':Jimmy Buffett, 'Margaritaville' singer and mogul, dies
'Come Monday' (1974)
This song about missing a significant other, from his "Living and Dying in 3/4 Time" album isn't seeped in seafaring vibes – although West Coast cities L.A. and San Francisco are mentioned. However, it gave Buffett his first Top 40 song and provided the success that helped propel his career. Kenny Chesney would later cover the song and included it on a special Target edition of his 2004 album, "When the Sun Goes Down."
'A Pirate Looks at Forty' (1974)
For the album "A-1-A," Buffett penned this song, which would become a concert staple, about a friend "looking back on a life of drug smugglin, drinking, and chasing women," wrote Rolling Stone. "But the song is ultimately about wisdom and resilience."
'Margaritaville' (1977)
This anthem, from the "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" album, became Buffett's highest charting single, hitting No. 8 in July 1977, according to Billboard. The Margaritaville brand would eventually be used for cruises, a casino and a trio of Florida retirement communities.
'Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes' (1977)
In the title track of Buffett's best-selling studio album, he lays out a tenet of the laidback Parrothead existence: "With all of our running and all of our cunning, if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."
'A lovely man gone way too soon':Jimmy Buffett remembered by Elton John, Kenny Chesney, Brian Wilson
'Cheeseburger in Paradise' (1978)
"Cheeseburger in Paradise," appeared on Buffett's 1978 album "Son of a Son of a Sailor," which would go platinum and the song would be another Top 40 single. But perhaps more importantly, it launched another arm of Buffett's empire, the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain.
'Son of a Son of a Sailor' (1978)
This song chronicles the story of one of Buffett's lawbreaking, carousing friends, "but the song is ultimately about wisdom and resilience," writes Rolling Stone.
'Fins' (1979)
This concert favorite from the "Volcano" album warned about "the sharks that can swim on the land," and provided the name for LandShark Lager, launched in 2007 by a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch.
'One Particular Harbour' (1983)
The title track of an album, which AllMusic.com com calls "something like a comeback, with Buffett's best batch of songs since Son of a Son of a Sailor in 1978." The song recaptured the songwriter's free-flowing vibe and became a concert staple.
'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere,' Alan Jackson featuring Jimmy Buffett (2003)
This megahit first appeared on Jackson's Greatest Hits Volume II collection. The single, which Buffett subsequently included on several of his live albums, went platinum and earned Buffett his only Grammy.
'Knee Deep,' Zac Brown featuring Jimmy Buffett (2011)
The platinum single appeared on the Zac Brown Band's second album "You Get What You Give," released in 2010, and hit No. 1 on the country music chart in 2011.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
veryGood! (1829)
Related
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- California school district changes gender-identity policy after being sued by state
- Why Love Is Blind Fans Think Chelsea Blackwell and Jimmy Presnell Are Dating Again
- Grandpa Prime? Deion Sanders set to become grandfather after daughter announces pregnancy
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Biden signs a package of spending bills passed by Congress just hours before a shutdown deadline
- Three people were rescued after a sailboat caught fire off the coast of Virginia Beach
- Utah troopers stop 12-year-old driver with tire spikes and tactical maneuvers
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Man convicted of 2 killings in Delaware and accused of 4 in Philadelphia gets 7 life terms
Ranking
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Meghan Markle Slams “Cruel” Bullying During Pregnancies With Her and Prince Harry’s Kids Archie and Lili
- Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished 10 years ago today. What have we learned about what happened?
- Need help with a big medical bill? How a former surgeon general is fighting a $5,000 tab.
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- 10 years after lead poisoning, Flint residents still haven't been paid from $626.25M fund
- The Excerpt podcast: Biden calls on Americans to move into the future in State of the Union
- Deal Alert: Get 25% Off Celeb-Loved Kiehl’s Skincare Products in Their Exclusive Friends & Family Sale
Recommendation
What to watch: O Jolie night
Republican primary for open congressional seat tops 2024 Georgia elections
Why Love Is Blind Fans Think Chelsea Blackwell and Jimmy Presnell Are Dating Again
Helicopter carrying National Guard members and Border Patrol agent crashes in Texas, killing 3
South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
RNC votes to install Donald Trump’s handpicked chair as former president tightens control of party
Ireland’s Constitution says a woman’s place is in the home. Voters are being asked to change that
Wolfgang Van Halen slams ex-bandmate David Lee Roth's nepotism comments