It’s funny how different music has an impact on your life. Sometimes you hear a song and you immediately recall a time that elicits powerful memories. This is especially true when you get older and have a breadth of experience.
That’s what happens to me when I listen to Jimmy Buffett. When I first heard him, it was special. I don’t want to say the clouds parted, the skies ripped opened, heaven’s light directed my attention in a profound way, but it was pretty close. It was one of those times in life where life was just tough. Relationship problems, work problems, and facing dilemmas of my future and where my life was going were all the order of the day.
During that time, I met a guy who helped me through it. Bob, who we affectionately called “Gator Man” due to his passion for all things University of Florida, was my neighbor and experiencing the same things. We would sit in the backyard and listen to tunes and the evenings slipped away along with the pain and heartache of the misery treadmill. As I reflect, I think back to those sleepy hot summer nights in the backyard with the Citronella tiki torches, flip flops and cool grass beneath our feet, sipping cold beers and laughing as the tunes boomed from the speakers. The neighbors came together and stopped for one or two while we conjured how we could take advantage of the blessings of this life and create some new adventures and misadventures of fun.
The company inspired us to see life in a different way and create, but the music was the secret elixir in taking things to another level. Bob was a big fan of Buffett and would play a tune or two to lighten the mood. Slowly the catchy music with the bouncy beat and soothing vibes got to me. I’m one of those listeners that goes all in when I hear something engaging. This music had a spirit about it – escapism at its finest. “Don’t worry, be happy,” better times are right around the corner. It was fantastic silliness. Every aspect of it had the makings of channeling your energy to something beyond the mundane.
“It’s those changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane”
Buffett created a beach culture with exotic strains using guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, xylophones, harmonicas and tin drums, but his homespun optimistic philosophy was equally brilliant. A Jimmy Dean quote sums up island thinking and his intriguing beach philosophy. “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Buffett sang about the everyday guys and gals who had trouble getting ahead but never stopped trying.
I saw him perform at Blossom Music Center June 19, 1998. The stage was replete with a volcano, beach huts and beachy vibes with colorful ocean breeze aesthetics. The mood was easygoing and fun-loving with a hint of carnival in it. People wore shark heads, parrot heads, basketball heads throwing out balls for people to take layups and any strange getup in between that looked interesting or elicited a cartoon conjuring of another world. Entering the show felt like entering an amusement park with the thrill and anticipation of riding that coaster that was going to take you where you needed to go mentally. Donning Hawaiian shirts, Bahama hats, lathering the sun tan lotion on your face, you could smell the cotton candy weed and feel the slow dance of intoxication in literal and figurative ways. One trick thinking. “Here we go. Please keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride.”
If I’m not mistaken, Buffett was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and was barefoot as he kicked beachballs from the stage. I remember running into a guy who was a serious straightlaced accountant who lived like a drone. He went to work and straight to his little cubical, did the numbers, didn’t communicate with anyone and looked miserable doing it. There he was in his “parrothead” gear at the Jimmy Buffett concert dancing on the lawn seats. He assumed a completely different persona and had a few margaritas going, so the alter ego was that much more in play. It was like watching Bruce Wayne transform into Batman before my eyes only this Batman was a helluva good time. We saluted our friend, Richard “The Shark” attorney, another serious guy with “fins to the left, fins to the right.” He obliged in playing along.
“Fruitcakes in the kitchen (fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin’ naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (people on the bus)
There’s a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us
That’s right, you too, yeah, those crumbs are spread all around this universe.”
Buffett recently passed away September 1st at the age of 76. What a legacy he left, though. That impish smile and devil may-care glint in his eyes inspired millions of people to think differently. I didn’t know the man personally, and I’m sure he had some demons, but you would never know it from watching him on stage. He was in his glory and it all came out there. What more can a guy do than bring some well-intentioned blessings with love bombs of hope in his tunes? His philanthropic work with saving manatees and other environmental causes add to the legendary mystique of the man. That’s a life well lived.
It’s been a while since I had a taste of that lighthearted no nonsense backyard dreaming and tomfoolery. It looks like that time has had its way in the scheme of things, but what a magical experience and alluring place to camp for a time. Jimmy’s artistry reminds me that there’s new destinations to see with a pirate’s eye, new dimensions to move through and with a sing along school boy heart more voyages on the great sea of escapism and fantastic denial.
I hope Jimmy’s trip to paradise is as rewarding there as it, seemingly, was on earth. I’m gonna listen to his songs, tip back a margarita in his honor and be immature for a few hours and dream of better days to come. “Bubbles up.” Sail on….
spirit beat 