Why don’t we get drunk and screw?

And other songs you know by heart

My posting schedule is Tuesday/Friday, but yesterday, after driving home 3 hours from the beach, I just didn’t feel creative enough to write anything. Turns out the Universe wanted me to wait a day… Rest in Paradise, Jimmy Buffett.

Unless you’ve lived on the moon since 1975, you’ve heard at least one Jimmy Buffett song somewhere along the way. Like any self-respecting Gen X’er, Columbia House supplied me with the Songs You Know By Heart CD: thirteen songs imbued with Jimmy’s signature brand of calypso-country infused, sing-along, nostalgia-laced melodies.

The CD kicks off with everyone’s favorite ode to Keto: Cheeseburger in Paradise. (Paradiiiiiise…) I, in fact, do like mine with lettuce and tomato, though I’m not particularly brand loyal to Heinz 57. Despite the song’s release in 1978, the restaurant chain of the same name didn’t open until 2002, and as of 2020, is now defunct. Thanks, COVID.

The tone shifts considerably to the melancholy He Went to Paris, Jimmy’s 1973 narrative of the life of a veteran of the Spanish Civil War. Jimmy doesn’t get a whole lot of credit for being a serious and thoughtful songwriter. This song, however, showcases his storytelling and poetic sensibilities. And hey, if Bob Dylan says you’re a good songwriter, I’d believe him.

Next, the first of my two favorite songs on this album, Fins. Any good storyteller knows how to use a metaphor, and this one is a banger of a song and metaphor in a time (1979) when there weren’t a whole lot of men (any men? Prove me wrong.) singing about men being predators, and a woman just trying to live her life. Was Jimmy Buffett a secret feminist? (Rani Baker says yes and has the receipts to prove it.) Me? I just love throwing my arms over my head like the A in YMCA and leaning left and right… and I’m the only bait in town!

The next few songs Son of a Son of a Sailor, A Pirate Looks at Forty, Come Monday, and Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes have a similar easy listening feel to each other. (This is not a ding. Easy listening is… easy. ) This is music that brings a smile to your face and doesn’t force you to do anything but take a deep breath and inhale the salty sea air, real or imagined. Jimmy paints a picture and you can just smile and nod in agreement. “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane…”

Sitting square in the middle of that set is the song that built the Man, the Enterprise that is Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville. (Gifted NYT link.) On its surface, Margaritaville is an idyll about chilling out at a beach resort during the summer, when a bad day is losing a flip flop and being out of salt (salt! salt! salt!) for your margarita. A careful listen reveals the story - a broken heart, drinking your sorrows away, and gradually realizing that it might be your fault that your relationship fell apart. Oops. I did not expect Jimmy to be talking about relationship accountability!

Of course, there’s no finer left turn from accountability than Why Don’t We Get Drunk (and Screw). My mother, one of the straightest laced people you’ll ever meet, sang this song ALL. THE. TIME. in 1991, after seeing William Hurt in The Doctor playing it in the operating room. Unsurprisingly, this song was written as a parody of country songs early in Jimmy’s career, when he was trying to get more air play. It became a bit of an underground hit, as many radio stations were unwilling to air a song that had “screw” in the title or lyrics. (WOW how times have changed in 50 years.)

With just four songs left on the album, Pencil Thin Mustache takes us back to the pop culture highlights of Jimmy’s youth and the country western style he started out playing. Born in 1946, his references include the titular mustache favored by Boston Blackie, black and white movies, Ricky Ricardo, Sky King and Penny, Errol Flynn, and the jingle to Brylcream (a little dab’ll do ya). For Gen X’ers, there are some we recall from Nick at Night, but Pencil Thin Mustache is one of those songs that’s not meant for us. Boomers can smile and nod with confirmation of their shared childhood experiences. For me, the melody is the best part.

At number 11 on the album, Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit is another song epitomizing the beauty and ease of beach life. When contrasted to the burgeoning culture of big business and continual striving of the 1980s, Jimmy’s approach to life was authentically subversive. He questioned the status quo. What if there is more to life than going and doing all the time? Granted, in the 70s and 80s, it was a bit more achievable and affordable to lean into the “island” life.

Lamenting the lack of sun and sand, Boat Drinks is an anthem for anyone suffering through a cold winter. (For all those people who love Summer, I wrote you a post.) A travel company could have easily used this ditty for all those Caribbean getaways to St. Somewhere advertised during January and February in the Northern Hemisphere.

And, finally, at lucky number 13, Volcano, my favorite of the Songs You Know By Heart. Catchy reggae/calypso tune, pop culture references, and a good pun (Lava comes out soft and hot! You better lava me now or lava me not.) It’s like an abbreviated version of We Didn’t Start the Fire with fewer references and more explosions. Despite the obvious threat of imminent death, the song manages to be catchy, fun, and a high point to the album. I don’t know where I’m a gonna go when the volcano blows!

Thank you for the music, Jimmy. Your legacy will live on as long as there is sun, sand, and surf to be had.