Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?

Subject: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Durham Lad
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 02:12 PM

While surfing I happened on a site named Radio Margaritaville. They played a lot of Jimmy Buffett songs. I'm in the UK and this guy is unknown to me and I wondered about his pedigree? I loved the songs mostly sea ballads and a lot of nice Caribbean rhythms

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Quirk Malarkey
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 02:26 PM

i consider him folky. if there is anywhere his songs fit, it is here. tropical breezes and an umbrella in your drink and the afternoon call of whispering palms. relax. kick back and watch the surf and the girls. there is not a bar anywhere on the island you can't sample the house margarita. late in the day folks everywhere try a buffett song or two. a cheeseburger in paradise can be had by all. one of the best things about barefoot on the beach is that those blasted poptops are a thing of the past.--doodlezak, o'ahu, hawai'i

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 02:32 PM

Jimmy Buffett is a well known character in North America (his fans are known as parrotheads). His autobiography, A Pirate Looks Back at 40, was on the bestseller list practically forever. A friend of mine who is not a Buffett fan says that Buffett is what passes for culture when your mind is fried in south Florida. (Not me! I didn't say that!!!)
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: RWilhelm
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 04:25 PM

no

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Blackcat2
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 04:28 PM

To me, Jimmy Buffett fit's "Folkie" in many ways.

Mostly his music is not complicated (no heavy synth).

He sings about all sorts of stuff - including politics, religion, sex, races etc. - stuff "pop" music rarely touches upon.

He borrows from "World Music" sources and integrates them into his own blend

He's written or covered songs with at least some lyrics in the following languages: English, French, Brazilan Portuguese, Creole and Tahitian.

He's rarely played on the radio and what DOES get played are the "top 40" stuff he occasionally did in the '70s (Margaritaville (topped out at #8 in the Billboard charts in 1977), Come monday, Changes in Lattitues, Changes in Attitudes.

His band (the Coral Reefers) usually includes Latin percussion, steel drum, blues/folk harmonica, honky-tonk piano, and steel guitar on occasion.

He has said that his major influences include the Delta Blues, Cajun Swing, Creole, Reggae, Soca, Salsa, Big Band Swing and more.

He has been known to parody his own music and writes parodies and spoofs as well (check out the following: "Why Don't We get Drunk and Screw" was written in response to Country stars in the late 60's who would never directly say that in a song; & In his 4 CD box set there's a song called "Elvis Imitators" where he does a quite good imitation of Elvis while he sings a spoof about how silly Elvis Imitators can be.)

He loves Lord Ricard Buckley and does a wonderful rendition of God's Own Drunk (on White Sportcoat, I think, but check out the live version on "You Had To Be There")

And finally - the song "Captain and the Kid" is a true story of him and his Granddad - and it's one of the best songs ever written. Buffett has told the story about the time he was pitching his music to record exec's in Nasville in about 1970 - He played "Captain & the Kid" for one who liked it but asked why Buffett wrote at the end that the old man died. Buffett replied "Because he did." and walked out and supposedly never pitched his music ever again.

pax yall

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Davey
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 04:31 PM

Jimmy Buffett has somewhat of a cult following. I personally wouldn't consider him a folkie, although I do listen to his music from time to time, and even perform a couple of his songs with the right mix of people.

He does write mainly happy, singable, catchy songs, mostly performed with a calypso rhythm, including steel drums.

Davey... (:>)

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: fred
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 05:25 PM

I must agree. Buffett is interesting, has a limited voice which can sound nice in places, writes catchy tunes about saltwater fantasies and self-abuse, but is hardly a folkie (a term which is easier to exclude with than to define.) Buffet has done a yeoman's job of marketing his music, books, etc., to us aging boomers with a few flowery shirts stashed away in our closets, but displays no kinship to traditional music or values. Categorize him amongst the classic rock and alternative country artists.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: bbelle
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 05:31 PM

I've been a Buffet fan since the early 70's and have never considered him a folkie. I think he has his own niche, which is neither pop nor folk nor easy listening or any other label. I don't listen to much of his new stuff but knew the words to most of his songs,on all of his earlier tapes, by heart. There have been many occasions or events in my life that made me recall certain lines from his songs. Some of my favorites are The Song About the Bear, Nobody Does it Like Carmen No More (referring to Carmen Miranda), Pencil Thin Mustache (referring to Ricky Riccardo, and any number of latin sterotypes), and a host of others. If you have an opportunity, listen to his earliest songs and you'll gain insight into why people like him ... moonchild

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 08:03 PM

I have always loved "Margaritaville"--I think the way the last line of the chorus changes through the song is a stroke of genius. And of course he's folk, although there are some here who would claim his songs are not folk songs until everyone has forgotten who wrote them.

--seed

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: SeanM
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 09:12 PM

Give 'im another 30-40 years. THEN we'll be able to tell more effectively.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Mudjack
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 09:37 PM

No, he has too much money, his music? could be folk if anyone could really define folk.
Mudjack

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Skip
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 09:57 PM

Jimmy Buffet's music is a combination of rock, country, folk, blues, reggae, caribbean, cajun, and probably some other strains I can't define. Nothing real deep but a whole lotta fun. He's helped me keep my sanity over the years! Skip

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: bbelle
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 11:35 PM

Well, 'Seed, I've always liked a person who makes a statement with unabashed conviction. I reckon jimmy buffet must be a folkie! moonchild

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Bugsy
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 11:55 PM

Is he a folkie?

Who Cares?!

I like his stuff!

cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 12:02 AM

I'm reading "A Pirate Looks at 50" right now. A friend gave it to me and I"m having fun reading it. His music is the perfect party music -- easygoing, relaxed, but not simple-minded. He's a smart guy. AND he legitimized flipflops and Hawaiian shirts in a way that benefits us all.

Definitely makes ME want to stretch out on warm sand when I hear his music...Unfortunately, here in Wyoming, the only warm sand I've got is my cat's litter. Bummer.

WW

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Blackcat2
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 09:25 AM

Hey WW

Ya know that Buffett is still quite popular in areas of Wyoming and Montana. He used to hang out up there in the '70s. - took part in a Tom McGuaine movie "Rancho Deluxe" - in fact wrote the soundtrack and had a bit-part. It was filmed in Livingston Montana. He used to hang out in Jackson Hole a long time ago as well. I know that he ran into Harrison Ford there after the first Indy movie and got him to record some whip cracks, which ended up on the song "Despiration Samba - Hallowe'en in Tijuana" Weird.

pax yall

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Alice
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 10:11 AM

I live in the area in Montana where Buffett used to hang out. The song about Ringling, Montana (Ringling, Ringling, slippin' away) is true to life. My mother was raised on homesteads, and at one time the family lived near Ringling, while my grandmother was camp cook for the Ranch there. The Ringling brothers circus horses were there, and that is how the town got its name. There is now a band called the Ringling Five (or six, or seven) made up of cowboy musicians who do a great job of comedy/music, writing original lyrics and performing at fairs and other events in the area. Go to this page click here and scroll down, and you will see a photo of The Ringling Five. -alice

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:22 PM

Buffet's music has a folky singer-songwriter flavor; the Jimmy Buffet concert crowd (at least 10 years ago, when I lived in Miami) was not evven vaguely folkie.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 08:39 PM

He wrote a few songs with Steve Goodman. That's about it.

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Is Jimmy Buffett a folkie?
From: Paul G.
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 10:37 PM

A bit of the bloom fell from his rose when Buffett relocated from Key West to West Palm Beach...As an active participant in the Florida folk community, I can say that we generally don't consider him to be a folkie...but he is an icon for many of our tropical daydreamers. I would describe his tunes as the equivalent of romance novels -- entertaining if you don't take it too seriously...though I occasionally will reach for one of the early Buffett recordings when I'm in a salt water and margarita frame of mind...

pg