Jimmy Buffett

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There are an incredible number of Web sites out there dedicated to Jimmy Buffett and his music.  Some of them are quite fantastic (check out the Church of Buffett, Orthodox), so I won't even pretend that this site could contribute anything new or different from what is already out there.

Instead, I'm going to use this space to list the albums that I own and give you some of my opinions of each.  I'll try and describe some of my favorite songs and concert memories.  Hopefully, I can explain how Buffett's music has influenced my life and personality.  And maybe I can convince you to give Buffett a try, or to enlarge your current collection.
 

This one is immensely popular with the die-hard fans, but I don't really see what the big fuss is about. Don't get me wrong, this ranks up there in the top five, but I would never consider this one of my favorite albums. I can't really put my finger on it. I guess I think the songs are too rough or not very interesting, musically or lyrically.
 

Don't waste your time with this one. This album was released after Fruitcakes, and is one of my least favorites. The songs just don't "grab" you. Nothing makes you want to play the CD over and over again. Also, Jimmy "white man rap's" throughout the CD, which ends up ruining an otherwise good cover of James Taylor's 'Mexico'.
 

These four CD's comprise the Buffett box set. This provided my first real taste of his music. I knew a couple of his songs and had Songs You Know By Heart on tape, which I never listened to. Then I got the box set with a gift certificate, which is really the only way I would have bought it, since it is kind of expensive. Once I had it, though, I listened to it non-stop for several months. The box set is perfect for someone who wants to hear a broad range of his music without having to buy a whole bunch of his CD's. Also, once you find a group of songs you like, you can buy that album.
 

This is the most recent album, released June, 1999. Of the albums released this decade (Fruitcakes, Barometer Soup, Banana Wind, and Don't Stop the Carnival), this one is the best. Jimmy has gotten back to his gulf coast roots, with more of a country feel than the Caribbean-steel drum sound that most people associate with Buffett.
 

Definitely the most 'country' of any Buffett album. This one features songs written in Nashville before he became famous, and before he ever discovered Key West or the Caribbean, for that matter. The songs on this CD were initially released on Down to Earth and High Cumberland Jubilee, which never were big sellers. This album provides an excellent taste of Buffett as the starving artist, if you will. A recommend for the country lovers or more serious collectors.
 
 

This is probably the best studio album he has produced. Every song is just amazing, and this is one of the few albums that I can thoroughly enjoy from start to finish; Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and James Taylor's Greatest Hits are the only other one's I can think of at the moment. Every song tells a story, which is what Buffett does best. With the possible exception of Songs You Know By Heart, no one album defines Buffett and his music better.

© 1999 by Jason A. Carter