Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett

Ask Jimmy Buffett where Margaritaville is, and he’ll probably tell you it’s a state of mind rather than a location. But it may be no surprise to learn that the song was recorded in Miami.

It was the last song that Buffett brought into recording sessions for his seventh album (Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes), when his producer felt that he still needed a hit single. “Margaritaville” was finished in only three takes with Buffett singing live in the studio, within a half-hour of him first playing it for the producer.

The single was released in time for Spring Break in 1977, and no spring break since has been complete without it.

The drummer on the “Margaritaville single” was Kenny Buttrey, who did a lot of studio work with Neil Young around the same time.

Drum parts on Buffett songs are the toughest because they’re more about feel than pure dexterity: Note how the drummer here lays slightly behind the beat to give it that loping Caribbean groove.

Instead of a long run of blue notes, you’ll get a single accent that hits the rhythm in just the right place. While the basic rhythm isn’t too tough, the fills are tricky and require your foot to break out of the basic pattern just as you’re comfortable with it.

On vocals, don’t stick too close to your memories of the original record: This is a brand new version that Buffett recorded with his Coral Reefer Band for us, and contains some vocal ad-libs (“Salt! Salt!”) that weren’t part of the original.

And whatever you’re playing, remember this: Don’t blow out your flip-flop!

In Margaritaville, where else?

"Margaritaville"
(Jimmy Buffett)
(c) 1977 Renewed Coral Reefer Music courtesy of Mailboat Records