Fan vs. Parrothead

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » December 13, 2004 1:17 pm

Just curious, what is everyone's idea of the difference between a Jimmy Buffett fan and a Parrothead? And which category do you fall in?

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » December 13, 2004 1:23 pm

I'd have to say I'm both.

A Buffett fan would be someone who enjoy's Bubba's work
and may be a follower of his performances, a supporter of
his enterprises, a poster on related boards, a stalker, etc.
(Kinda like you, Larry.)

A Parrothead is something else altogether. Heck, you don't
even have to know who Buffett is to be one, but it certainly
helps! (He's kind of like a "gateway drug" on the path to all
that is Parrothedonism...

) I like to think that Parrot-
heads are some of the nicest, most fun and laid-back people
around, and some of the most charitable in their "official" form.
(Kinda like you, Larry.)

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 1:34 pm

A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.

st.somewhere · Post by **st.somewhere** » December 13, 2004 1:41 pm

Jahfin wrote:A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.

That's crap. I say, if you like his music and go to his shows then you are a Parrothead. That's it...

Ummm... What's window dressing anyway?

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » December 13, 2004 1:45 pm

Jimmy Buffett fans like the music they hear, and are sometimes happy to join in the party atmosphere of an area concert.

Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed. And they expand their boundaries and travel to new places either for concerts or phlockings, or to see some of the sites they've sung about, read about, and dreamed about through the words of Jimmy Buffett.

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » December 13, 2004 1:51 pm

Tiki Bar wrote:
Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed.

I guess that kind of makes us the authentic tropical-themed girl/boy scouts, huh?

citcat · Post by **citcat** » December 13, 2004 1:53 pm

Desdamona wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:
Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed.
I guess that kind of makes us the authentic tropical-themed girl/boy scouts, huh?

Uh...would it be tacky to make a joke here about 'do you like my cookies?'...?

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » December 13, 2004 1:53 pm

Desdamona wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:
Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed.
I guess that kind of makes us the authentic tropical-themed girl/boy scouts, huh?

Yep!

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 2:03 pm

st.somewhere wrote:
Jahfin wrote:A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.
That's crap. I say, if you like his music and go to his shows then you are a Parrothead. That's it...

Ummm... What's window dressing anyway?

I was going to shows well before there was such a thing as a "parrothead" so I'm merely saying it doesn't take dressing up in loud Hawaiian shirts (or however you chose to dress) to prove you're a fan.

redwinemaker · Post by **redwinemaker** » December 13, 2004 2:08 pm

Desdamona wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:
Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed.
I guess that kind of makes us the authentic tropical-themed girl/boy scouts, huh?

Sorry Des no booze allowed in the scouts

Otherwise a pretty good description

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » December 13, 2004 2:09 pm

Jahfin wrote:
st.somewhere wrote:
Jahfin wrote:A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.
That's crap. I say, if you like his music and go to his shows then you are a Parrothead. That's it...

Ummm... What's window dressing anyway?
I was going to shows well before there was such a thing as a "parrothead" so I'm merely saying it doesn't take dressing up in loud Hawaiian shirts (or however you chose to dress) to prove you're a fan.

I disagree - many of the people you're referring to are just fans by my definition. (I repeat - by my definition.) You have to earn your parrot head feathers, just as you do badges in scouting!

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 2:26 pm

Tiki Bar wrote:
Jahfin wrote:
st.somewhere wrote:
Jahfin wrote:A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.
That's crap. I say, if you like his music and go to his shows then you are a Parrothead. That's it...

Ummm... What's window dressing anyway?
I was going to shows well before there was such a thing as a "parrothead" so I'm merely saying it doesn't take dressing up in loud Hawaiian shirts (or however you chose to dress) to prove you're a fan.
I disagree - many of the people you're referring to are just fans by my definition. (I repeat - by my definition.) You have to earn your parrot head feathers, just as you do badges in scouting!

Well, I've never once dressed up in the garb associated with parrotheads when attending a Buffett show and I'm as big a fan as you're ever likely to find so I don't think your fandom has anything to do with how your dressed. Hell, I don't think you even have to attend a show to be considered a fan but it would probably help so you could see that side of the craziness too.

NYCPORT · Post by **NYCPORT** » December 13, 2004 2:53 pm

I'd say a fan is someone who knows SYKBH material. A parrothead is a much more knowledgeable a fan no matter what they look like at a show. Just my 2 cents.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 3:00 pm

NYCPORT wrote:I'd say a fan is someone who knows SYKBH material. A parrothead is a much more knowledgeable a fan no matter what they look like at a show. Just my 2 cents.

I have way more knowledge of JB's recordings than just Songs You Know By Heart but I still don't consider myself a "parrothead". This has more to do with being pigenholed (pardon the pun) as a music fan than anything else. I also like the Grateful Dead but was never fond of the term Deadhead because that tends to imply that's the only music I'm interested in when I actually like all kinds of music by many artists. "Deadhead" came to take on negative connatations towards the end of the Grateful Dead's career as well when fans began appearing at the shows that had little interest in the music itself but were only there for the party. Their gate crashing was something that had never been associated with Deadheads before and left a pockmark on the reputation of the fans that actually "got" what the Grateful Dead were about. Just my three and half pesos...

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » December 13, 2004 3:08 pm

Jahfin wrote:I have way more knowledge of JB's recordings than just Songs You Know By Heart but I still don't consider myself a "parrothead".

Do you do any of this stuff?

"I like to think that Parrotheads are some of the nicest, most fun and laid-back people around, and some of the most charitable in their "official" form."

"Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed. And they expand their boundaries and travel to new places either for concerts or phlockings, or to see some of the sites they've sung about, read about, and dreamed about through the words of Jimmy Buffett."

Then you might be a parrothead!

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 3:19 pm

Tiki Bar wrote:
Jahfin wrote:I have way more knowledge of JB's recordings than just Songs You Know By Heart but I still don't consider myself a "parrothead".
Do you do any of this stuff?

"I like to think that Parrotheads are some of the nicest, most fun and laid-back people around, and some of the most charitable in their "official" form."

"Parrotheads are incredibly generous, and happily share what they have with fellow parrot heads, and charitable organizations. They are friendly and helpful, and lend a hand where they see it's needed. And they expand their boundaries and travel to new places either for concerts or phlockings, or to see some of the sites they've sung about, read about, and dreamed about through the words of Jimmy Buffett."

Then you might be a parrothead!

I take part in plenty of those type of things but it's not limited to Jimmy Buffett related charities. In fact, this coming weekend a music discussion group I belong to is going to be raising money for the Coats for Kids program for the Salvation Army.

sonofabeach · Post by **sonofabeach** » December 13, 2004 4:26 pm

it's this simple:
If you're a Buffett fan, "fan" being short for "fanatic", I'd say you're a parrothead.
No need to be in a club or even dress up.
Heck I considered myself a parrothead before I even attended a show and still would be even if I never did.
If you're always posting on a Jimmy Buffett website I'd say you're a parrothead. is that so bad?

DeactiveCarib · Post by **DeactiveCarib** » December 13, 2004 4:48 pm

Jahfin wrote:
st.somewhere wrote:
Jahfin wrote:A Parrothead is just a Jimmy Buffett fan with window dressing, it's the music that matters most to me. If you wanna go completely coastal with the type of garb associated with Parrotheads, go for it but it doesn't make you any less of a fan if you chose not to.
That's crap. I say, if you like his music and go to his shows then you are a Parrothead. That's it...

Ummm... What's window dressing anyway?
I was going to shows well before there was such a thing as a "parrothead" so I'm merely saying it doesn't take dressing up in loud Hawaiian shirts (or however you chose to dress) to prove you're a fan.

but why don't you dress up in parrothead attire, it's fun!!! Join in on the PARTY!!!! ITS FUN AND HARMLESS!!!! Thats what half of a buffett concert is all about.

I consider myself a Parrothead by all means . . .. . a fan is someone who enjoys the music, a parrothead in my opinion goes beyond that. A parrothead is someone who enjoys the music, the lifestyle, the party atmosphere of the concerts, the escapism, the hedonism, the reckless-abandon, the message, the phellow parrotheads, the clothing, the license plates, etc. . . . .

but everyone has a different opinion

DeactiveCarib · Post by **DeactiveCarib** » December 13, 2004 4:50 pm

more realistically though, with my personal views put aside, a parrothead is just a common term for a buffett fan. Honestly, most people wouldn't recognize a difference.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » December 13, 2004 5:06 pm

DsilCaribe wrote:but everyone has a different opinion

Exactly.