Cal's Jimmy Buffett AAR

[Caliga]

Yeah, he actually is pretty much the polar opposite of angry.

While he is a Southerner to be sure, for some reason a lot of his fans in the Northeast are in deep denial about this, or at least the fact that his music is rooted in country music.

[Admiral Yi]

BTW, if anyone is ever in a situation where someone is holding a gun to their head and forcing them to sing karaoke, Buffet is the way to go.  Anyone can sing his songs.

[The Larch]

Ok, I've listened to a few songs from this guy. My impressions:

- Are all his songs about drinking?
- The music is some kind of atrocious 80s caribbean country thingie. Pretty bland and forgettable.
- You say this guy has a big following over at the US? If you told me he's a has been that tries to coast on past glories from decades ago I could buy it.

[MadBurgerMaker]

A lot (all?) of his famous stuff was recorded in the 70s.

[derspiess]

- Are all his songs about drinking?

Pretty much.  But people love him for it.

- The music is some kind of atrocious 80s caribbean country thingie. Pretty bland and forgettable.

Pretty much.  But people love him for it.

- You say this guy has a big following over at the US?

Huge following.  There are Parrotheads everywhere.

If you told me he's a has been that tries to coast on past glories from decades ago I could buy it.

He would be a has-been were it not for the continued enthusiasm of his fans.  But I don't really understand the attraction, either.  He has a few decent songs, but the whole thing got old fast for me.  Plus it's one of those things that got way too mainstream-- everyone and their mom likes Buffett.  I'll stick to my ska, rockabilly & bluegrass thanx.

[Admiral Yi]

Speesh you mad hepcat you.

[Barrister]

Cal, can you help me  understand the appeal of being a "Parrothead"?

I'm kind of with The Larch.  His music is fine in a fairly generic kind of way.  Margaritaville is a good song, but that's about it.

[Scipio]

This song is why he's great:

https://youtu.be/cXQS4S3vgGA

[derspiess]

Speesh you mad hepcat you.

Call me Rude Boy plz.

Nothing against Hepcat; they are or were a terrific band.

[lustindarkness]

If I ever go to a Jimmy Buffett concert, it has to be at the beach, anywhere else would be wrong.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Yeah.  I went to a Beach Boys concert on the beach (not in California, but whatevs).  Would have been weird in a stadium or something somewhere. 

[Caliga]

Cal, can you help me  understand the appeal of being a "Parrothead"?

Sure.  Just keep reading my AAR as I add to it and you shall be enlightened.

[Caliga]

If I ever go to a Jimmy Buffett concert, it has to be at the beach, anywhere else would be wrong.

Not everyone lives in Birmingham and has the beach within easy reach.

[The Larch]

Watching his concerts it seems that his average fans are fat middle aged guys with Hawaian shirts. I can see Yi's point about him being the patron saint of American cruise ship tourists in the Caribbean.

[Caliga]

Ok, I've listened to a few songs from this guy. My impressions:

- Are all his songs about drinking?
- The music is some kind of atrocious 80s caribbean country thingie. Pretty bland and forgettable.
- You say this guy has a big following over at the US? If you told me he's a has been that tries to coast on past glories from decades ago I could buy it.

Although spiess pretty much (correctly, I might add) answered your questions already I wanted to add that I don't think anyone, including Buffett himself, thinks he's an amazingly talented musician.  That's not why he's still so popular.  He's still so popular because his music defines a lifestyle that many people want to live, but very few can, and he is an excellent ringmaster for that lifestyle.  The reason he's become so rich is because he's also a huge marketing whore and has licensed his name to restaurant chains, brands of beer, and so on.  In Europe people would probably hate him for that but... AMURRICA.