Has Jimmy Lost His Knack At Songwriting?

[Bryn]

I brought this up over on JimmyDreamz a while back...

Back in the day, Jimmy wrote some amazing songs. That's something I think we can all agree on. But it seems like lately he's putting out mostly clunkers. "Everybody's On The Phone", "Getting The Picture", and especially "We're Still Here" all completely lack that spark that the old songs have. He can obviously still write the occasional great one, like "Coast of Carolina" or "Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On", but it seems like they're getting more and more rare...

[SchoolGirlHeart]

I don't think I'm in a position to criticize his songwriting until after I've written over 30 albums worth of great songs......

At some point, you run out of stuff to write about.

And if were over 60 and rich I have little doubt that I'd be *retired*.... So as far as I'm concerned he can never write another song, and I'm good with that.... Just keep singing the old classics, Jimmy!



And while I'm not in the majority, I like Everybody's On The Phone. It *rocks*, live.

[citcat]

Not all of his early works were award winning.
I hope he doesn't get to the point that he feels he has to put out new material every year, whether he feels like it or not.

[Soraya]

I brought this up over on JimmyDreamz a while back...

Back in the day, Jimmy wrote some amazing songs. That's something I think we can all agree on. But it seems like lately he's putting out mostly clunkers. "Everybody's On The Phone", "Getting The Picture", and especially "We're Still Here" all completely lack that spark that the old songs have. He can obviously still write the occasional great one, like "Coast of Carolina" or "Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On", but it seems like they're getting more and more rare...

It's not like he never had clunkers in the past.

You know...the other option is for him to stop putting out any new songs all together. Would that work better for you?

Personally....if i don't like a song...hit hit skip.

[Bryn]

It's not like he never had clunkers in the past.

You know...the other option is for him to stop putting out any new songs all together. Would that work better for you?

Personally....if i don't like a song...hit hit skip.

I didn't really mean anything by it, it's just an observation. I own all of his albums, have seen him numerous times, and am a huge fan, but you have to admit that Jimmy wouldn't write something like "Math Suks" in his prime...

[alaura1974]

I know that "Take The Weather With You" isnt *brand* new, but I really like a lot of the songs on that album...

[SchoolGirlHeart]

It's not like he never had clunkers in the past.

You know...the other option is for him to stop putting out any new songs all together. Would that work better for you?

Personally....if i don't like a song...hit hit skip.

I didn't really mean anything by it, it's just an observation. I own all of his albums, have seen him numerous times, and am a huge fan, but you have to admit that Jimmy wouldn't write something like "Math Suks" in his prime...

um.... sure he would.... and did.....

[Bryn]

I've always considered his best work to be "A White Sportscoat and a Pink Crustacean" through "Volcano" with solid work throughout the 1980s, 1990s and into this decade. I thought "Take The Weather With You" was a really good album, and "Banana Wind" happens to be a favorite of mine.

It just seemed to me, and to a lot of other Buffett fans I know, that his more recent original compositions aren't of the same quality as his earlier work.

[RinglingRingling]

Welcome to this morning's edition of Scenic BN Tours. We'd like to thank you for your business. As we cross the 59th Street Bridge, you'll notice we have a new troll. Feed him all you like, he'll be here all week.

[Migration Michelle]

And while I'm not in the majority, I like Everybody's On The Phone. It *rocks*, live.

I agree, Jen!!! Did you expect anything different? It's great live...the whole audience holds up their phones. You can see the lights from the phones the whole way back.

[RinglingRingling]

And while I'm not in the majority, I like Everybody's On The Phone. It *rocks*, live.

I agree, Jen!!! Did you expect anything different? It's great live...the whole audience holds up their phones. You can see the lights from the phones the whole way back.

there is one other use for the song...

My general ringtone ain't Bob Marley...

[LIPH]

I don't know if he's lost his knack for songwriting. I think, and this is just my opinion, music has taken a back seat to all the other crap the last few years. Bad tequila, bad beer, overpriced blenders, hotels, casinos, restaurants, shoes, ...

Notice what's missing? He's more a businessman than a musician now. Like that article in USA Weekend a few weeks ago said , he's become a "multimillionaire brand." That's the problem.

[LIPH]

I know that "Take The Weather With You" isnt *brand* new, but I really like a lot of the songs on that album...

But there are 14 songs on that album (15 if you count the video for "Here We Are") and Jimmy only co-wrote 5 of them. Two of the 5 are "Party At The End Of The World" and "Everybody's On The Phone", which I think are probably the 2 worst songs on the album.

[AlbatrossFlyer]

I don't know if he's lost his knack for songwriting. I think, and this is just my opinion, music has taken a back seat to all the other crap the last few years. Bad tequila, bad beer, overpriced blenders, hotels, casinos, restaurants, shoes, ...

Notice what's missing? He's more a businessman than a musician now. Like that article in USA Weekend a few weeks ago said , he's become a "multimillionaire brand." That's the problem.

ditto.....

[C-Dawg]

I don't know if he's lost his knack for songwriting. I think, and this is just my opinion, music has taken a back seat to all the other crap the last few years. Bad tequila, bad beer, overpriced blenders, hotels, casinos, restaurants, shoes, ...

Notice what's missing? He's more a businessman than a musician now. Like that article in USA Weekend a few weeks ago said , he's become a "multimillionaire brand." That's the problem.

I agree also....I miss the old days when wearing a JB shirt was a cool "outsider" thing to do....now they, along with the other stuff mentioned above are all over the place. I find myself not wearing recent concert or Caribbean Soul T's, and wearing the old stuff that the new casual fan wouldn't have.

[CaptainP]

Without reading comments from anyone else....



Jimmy has not lost his knack for songwriting.
His lifestyle has simply changed.

To elaborate...
When he was in his 20s, he lived on the beach, had the beach bum lifestyle, and wrote about it. These are the songs we love from A-1-A and such.
Now, he's a very rich man, lives in large houses, has a wife and 3 kids.
His life experiences are much different, and therefore, the tone and subject matter of the songs he writes.

[PartofthePhlock]

Without reading comments from anyone else....



Jimmy has not lost his knack for songwriting.
His lifestyle has simply changed.

To elaborate...
When he was in his 20s, he lived on the beach, had the beach bum lifestyle, and wrote about it. These are the songs we love from A-1-A and such.
Now, he's a very rich man, lives in large houses, has a wife and 3 kids.
His life experiences are much different, and therefore, the tone and subject matter of the songs he writes.

Well said CaptainP.

[chippewa]

Honestly I feel that way about many recording acts. There were usually a series of albums in mid-career that were stellar, but nothing they've released since then equals those standards. Obviously every release can't always top the one before. Mostly, the songwriters are in a different place in their lives. Is any successful act going to write a believable song about living in tough times standing in line at the soup kitchen? I think it's the fire inside, wondering if you'll ever make it in the business, that produces great songs. Once you've made it, that's a hard feeling to duplicate.

It's not that I don't care for the new stuff by some artists. It just doesn't compare to my favorites. And I've changed, too.

[AlbatrossFlyer]

somehow i don't think jimmy's financial status or current "place in life" would preclude him from writing SOASOAS or CILCIA today. as long as parrotheads will buy anything he slaps his name on he only needs to go thru the motion and keep cashing all those "silly checks" as he calls them.

hell the last concert i went to, the first 5 songs he opened the show with were covers.

[tgr8one]

Welcome to this morning's edition of Scenic BN Tours. We'd like to thank you for your business. As we cross the 59th Street Bridge, you'll notice we have a new troll. Feed him all you like, he'll be here all week.