"Margaritaville" Turns 35

[Tiki Torches]

From the All Things Music Plus page on Facebook:

ON THIS DATE (35 YEARS AGO)
February 14, 1977 - Jimmy Buffett: "Margaritaville" b/w “Miss You So Badly” (ABC 12254) 45 single is released.

"Margaritaville" is a 1977 song by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett from the album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. This song was written about a drink in Austin, Texas, and the first huge surge of tourists who descended on Key West almost two decades ago. He wrote it in Key West while spending time in Florida. The song was a chart hit in the United States when it was released and contemporary popular culture references and remakes attest to its continuing popularity. It reached #8 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, topped the Easy Listening (Adult Contemporary) chart at #1, and peaked at #13 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It remains Buffett's highest charting solo single.

Named for a cocktail, the margarita, and with lyrics reflecting a laid-back lifestyle in a tropical climate, "Margaritaville" has come to define Buffett's music and career. The relative importance of the song to Buffett's career is referred to obliquely in a parenthetical plural in the title of a Buffett greatest hits compilation album, Songs You Know By Heart: Jimmy Buffett's Greatest Hit(s).

The song is a narrative overview of the singer's life for the previous season. He sings about laid-back living in a drunken haze in a beach community. "Margaritaville" is the mental state in which he exists during this period, induced by the perpetual imbibing of margaritas. This is best illustrated in the last verse, when the singer goes for a walk, cuts his heel and returns home to ease his pain with the eponymous alcoholic beverage. The singer is drowning his sorrows over a failed romance, and his friends are telling him that his former girlfriend is at fault. But in the respective last lines of the three successive choruses, over the course of the song we see the singer gradually confronting the fact that this emotional catastrophe was "his own damned fault."

Buffett revealed during the recording of an episode of CMT's Crossroads with the Zac Brown Band that "Margaritaville" was actually supposed to be recorded by Elvis Presley, but Elvis died the year that the song was going to be recorded. Buffett got to record it instead.

[jayparrot46]

wow 35 year's

[smiller]

Thanks for posting that.

[Bicycle Bill]

Buffett revealed during the recording of an episode of CMT's Crossroads with the Zac Brown Band that "Margaritaville" was actually supposed to be recorded by Elvis Presley, but Elvis died the year that the song was going to be recorded. Buffett got to record it instead.

I am down on my knees thanking all the gods that I can remember, modern and ancient, that Elvis never got his hands on this song.

-"BB"-

[Bfan53again]

Buffett revealed during the recording of an episode of CMT's Crossroads with the Zac Brown Band that "Margaritaville" was actually supposed to be recorded by Elvis Presley, but Elvis died the year that the song was going to be recorded. Buffett got to record it instead.

I am down on my knees thanking all the gods that I can remember, modern and ancient, that Elvis never got his hands on this song.

-"BB"-

Funny, but I was thinking the same thing.........I can't even imagine Elvis doing "Margaritaville"!

[lime rickie]

Buffett revealed during the recording of an episode of CMT's Crossroads with the Zac Brown Band that "Margaritaville" was actually supposed to be recorded by Elvis Presley, but Elvis died the year that the song was going to be recorded. Buffett got to record it instead.

I am down on my knees thanking all the gods that I can remember, modern and ancient, that Elvis never got his hands on this song.

-"BB"-

[dnw]

Thank you, Jimmy for "Margaritaville."

[chippewa]

Strip away the Salt, Salt, Salt and other silliness, and it still paints a picture like no other Buffett song.

[sonofabeach]

I heard it twice on the radio at work today.
It sounds better on the radio imo and I never get sick of it.

[KruzinParrots]

WOW ^^

LOVE MARGARITAVILLE. We never get tired of hearing it. Always makes us feel good and brings a smile to our lips. Thanks Jimmy for giving us this gem!!

[Tiki Torches]

I also really glad that 1977 era Elvis didn't get a hold of "Margaritaville". Even though he probably would have done it justice, it may have taken on more of the sleazy lounge singer qualities he had going on back then than the era of Elvis which I truly treasure (which would be his early years at Sun Records). While it's not my favorite Buffett song, it's also far from my least favorite so I'm glad it ended up in the right hands.

[Bicycle Bill]

While reading about Whitney Houston, I came upon this little bit of information about one of her biggest hit songs, "I Will Always Love You".  This song, as you probably know, was written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973, and reached the top of the country charts in 1974.  Around that time Elvis expressed interest in covering the song; Parton was interested until Presley's manager ("Colonel" Tom Parker) told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis recorded.  Given those conditions, she wisely refused.

I wonder if the same sort of "arrangement" was offered to Jimmy re: "Margaritaville", and he also declined to be strong-armed by the Memphis Mafia.

-"BB"-

[DisisDave]

I never get tired of it... anytime I hear it come on..a smile comes to my face....sometimes more of a smirk... but it's all good!!

[pinacolada lover]

Buffett revealed during the recording of an episode of CMT's Crossroads with the Zac Brown Band that "Margaritaville" was actually supposed to be recorded by Elvis Presley, but Elvis died the year that the song was going to be recorded. Buffett got to record it instead.

I am down on my knees thanking all the gods that I can remember, modern and ancient, that Elvis never got his hands on this song.

-"BB"-

LOL!!!

[sonofabeach]

I'm pretty sure that the Elvis thing mentioned on CMT Crossroads was a joke.
Freddy Fender's cover was bad enough.

[ChrisP]

Yes, Jimmy would have had the same deal if Elvis were to record M'ville. It was the Colonel's standard deal for Elvis and sometimes it also included sharing a songwriting credit. Elvis' death probably negated any contracts Jimmy may have had.

Elvis was on a comeback swing just before his death, "Way Down" charted well and I suspect he may have recorded his version of M'ville in that same style. Jimmy's version may have even turned out sounding differently and most certainly would have made his life turn out differently, especially if Elvis made a big hit out of it.

On another related note, I've always wondered if there exists a version of the original studio master that has the lost verse. I know he was singing it live during that era and I've considered that it might have been edited out for the album mix. That would be a great thing to hear!

While reading about Whitney Houston, I came upon this little bit of information about one of her biggest hit songs, "I Will Always Love You".  This song, as you probably know, was written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973, and reached the top of the country charts in 1974.  Around that time Elvis expressed interest in covering the song; Parton was interested until Presley's manager ("Colonel" Tom Parker) told her that it was standard procedure for the songwriter to sign over half of the publishing rights to any song Elvis recorded.  Given those conditions, she wisely refused.

I wonder if the same sort of "arrangement" was offered to Jimmy re: "Margaritaville", and he also declined to be strong-armed by the Memphis Mafia.

-"BB"-

[LonePalmDawg]

Thanks Jimmy for Margaritaville.

It always seems to be played on the radio when I most need a lift.

Something to do for fun. Think about all your CDs, tapes, albums, downloads and count how many versions of Margaritaville you own.
My count comes to 16.

[ChrisP]

Here's the list of "official" unique releases featuring Jimmy vocals:

1. CILCIA (1977)
2. You Had To Be There (1978)
3. Live by the Bay (1986)
4. Feeding Frenzy (1990)
5. Under the Influence (1999)
6. Buffett Live – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays (1999)
7. One of These Nights (2002)
8. Live in Las Vegas, NV (2003)
9. Live in Auburn, WA (2003)
10. Live in Mansfield, MA (2004)
11. Live in Cincinnati, OH (2004)
12. Live In Hawaii (2005)
13. Live at Fenway Park (2005)
14. A Tribute to Nicolette Larson (2006)
15. Live at Wrigley Field (DVD) (2006)
16. From the Big Apple to the Big Easy (2006)
17. Live At Wrigley Field (CD) (2006)
18. Live at Texas Stadium (2007)
19. Live in Anguilla (2007)

And coming soon, the Bret Michaels/JB live version.

[sonofabeach]

Here's the list of "official" unique releases featuring Jimmy vocals:

1. CILCIA (1977)
2. You Had To Be There (1978)
3. Live by the Bay (1986)
4. Feeding Frenzy (1990)
5. Under the Influence (1999)
6. Buffett Live – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays (1999)
7. One of These Nights (2002)
8. Live in Las Vegas, NV (2003)
9. Live in Auburn, WA (2003)
10. Live in Mansfield, MA (2004)
11. Live in Cincinnati, OH (2004)
12. Live In Hawaii (2005)
13. Live at Fenway Park (2005)
14. A Tribute to Nicolette Larson (2006)
15. Live at Wrigley Field (DVD) (2006)
16. From the Big Apple to the Big Easy (2006)
17. Live At Wrigley Field (CD) (2006)
18. Live at Texas Stadium (2007)
19. Live in Anguilla (2007)

And coming soon, the Bret Michaels/JB live version.

& there's the version on the "Picture Perfect" cd that came with the Tequila

[JollyMon66]

When you look at the entire culture, marketing, related music and performers, everything that has a tie to this song and concept...this is the $100 billion song. If you look at this broadly...is this the most "commercially" sucessful song EVER?