The Chicken Whisperer

Will Iraq be OK?

Mark Steyn thinks so.

But, as it happens, it's not true. The Afghan election worked so well that, there being insufficient bad news out of it, the doom-mongers in the Western media pretended it never happened. They'll have a harder job doing that with Iraq, so instead they'll have to play up every roadside bomb and every dead poll worker. But it won't alter the basic reality: that today's election will be imperfect but more than good enough. OK, that's a bit vague by the standards of my usual psephological predictions, so how about this? Turnout in the Kurdish north and Shia south will be higher than in the last American, British or Canadian elections. Legitimate enough for ya?

I'm not sure I share the full extent of his optimism. Yesterday was inspiring to be sure. But, I'm sure their will be some nasty bumps in the road. Like, when those who have won the vote go to write a constitution. I'm partial to a rebublican form of government with a high dose of decentralized federalism. I'm also kind of big on the inalienable rights that were in the Bill of Rights. Will Iraq follow that model? Unlikely, and therein will lie the rub. But, all things considered, I do think Iraq will be far better off than it was before and the impact its liberation (see April 9th, 2003) and its subsequent revolution (yesterday's raised finger to the terrorists) will have in an impact on the middle east that will bring much instability, but as Steyn says in the article above, that's a GOOD thing.

The Moving Site of Democracy in Action

I have nothing eloquent to say about the Iraqi elections. It is a wonderful thing to behold and should remind all of us just how precious the right to vote is. The symbol of the purple ink finger is very powerful. Instapundit and Jeff Jarvis (one of the few reasonable lefties who understand the full significance of what's taking place). Go Here, Here, Here and Here. Ah hell, just go to Instapundit and scroll down. It's full of awesome stuff.

And don't let the news media spoil it for you. They can't produce accounts like this, from a Sunni in Baghdad, whose proud as hell to have voted:

The voting center that was chosen in our district is a high school in the middle of the Neighborhood . This was the same place I went in 1996 to cast my vote in a poll asking if we wanted to have Saddam as a president for life or not. I had to go at that time. The threats for anyone who refused to take that poll were no less than the death penalty. Still our district was one of the places were one could vote secretly, occasionally though. They trusted our neighborhood because it's mainly Sunni military officers who live here with their families. I and some of my friends chose "NO" but we were scared to death as we marked the paper and remained so for days.

This time we went by choice and the threat was exactly the opposite. As I was walking with many people towards the center explosion hit and gun fire were heard but most were not that close. People didn't seem to pay attention to that. Some of them even brought their little kids with them! It's like the Eid but only a thousand times better.

I entered the school and the supervisors showed me the way to were I should vote. They and the ING guys were so polite and gentle. I cast my vote and got out, not in a rush at all. This is my Eid and I felt like a king walking in his own kingdom. I saw the same look of confidence and satisfaction in the eyes of all people I met. As I left one of the guards said to me as he handed me back my cellular phone,"God bless you and your beloved ones. We don't know how to thank you. Please excuse any inconvenience on our part. We wish we didn't have to search you or limit your freedom. You are heroes" I was struck with surprise and felt ashamed. This man was risking his life all these hours in what has become the utmost target for all terrorists in Iraq and yet he's apologizing and calling us heroes. I thanked him back and told him that he and his comrads are the true heroes and that we can never be grateful enough for their services.

Lots of brave people mustering courage most of us simply can't imagine. And there are many many blogs in Iraq now, from Iraqis, from soldiers, from foreign contractors, that really give us a glimpse into the day to day of modern Iraq. Its inspiring.

The Kids are Alright

So, a majority believes private accounts should be part of Social Security reform. Its radically divided between age groups with the youngsters displaying a market savvy that would make liberal anti-capitalists' head spin. They believe SS is more risky than private accounts. Probably because they've heard enough dissertations on their company's 401K plans to understand the impact of long term growth has on stock values. Here's how Cato, the libertarian think tank that commissioned the study, sums up things.

Despite a drumbeat of criticism for weeks by congressional Democrats and a concerted public relations campaign by powerful interest groups such as the AARP against Social Security choice, 51 percent of those polled by Zogby support the introduction of individual accounts. Only 39 percent opposed individual accounts being part of any Social Security reform.

Not surprisingly, the results showed a split along age lines, with younger voters (61 percent among those under 30, 58 percent of those under 50) strongly in favor of individual accounts, while those over 65 were opposed (55 percent against). However, opposition by seniors dropped to just 45 percent if they were assured that their own benefits would not be affected.

Reflecting the sharp partisan divide nationally, opinion of individual accounts also split along political lines. Republicans were overwhelmingly united behind the reform proposal, which is a priority of President Bush's second-term agenda (74 percent supporting, 14 percent opposed). Most Democrats remain opposed with 61 percent saying they are against individual accounts. However, a surprisingly strong minority among Democrats (more than 30 percent) favor individual accounts.

Independents polled leaned toward individual accounts, 45 percent to 40 percent, with a high proportion of undecided.

What will be interesting will be how the media plays this up. My bet is you won't hear a peep on this survey, except possibly on Fox News (of course). This is great news and one hopes that the Bushies are reading this with glee. The battle over Social Security reform will make recent battles over Welfare and Health Care reform seem like childs play. The scare tactics employed by the Democrats and the AARP will be breathtaking. Believe me, I see the literature my mom gets and have to answer the questions like "is it true the Republicans want me starve?" (OK, slight, very slight exageration there).

But, buck up little campers. Generation X & Y seem to understand the simple math involved and may even be in favor of self-reliance instead of spoon-fed government dependence. This despite the best efforts of public school teachers and college professors nationwide. The kids may just be alright.

When Condi Speaks...

....Its good to give a listen.

No Thanks AARP

While I'm not a big believer that online petitions make a bit of difference in the grand scheme of things, this site is still worth visiting and signing because, well, just because. It's the principle of the thing you know. Tell the AARP to stop with the scare tactics and to the encouragement of dependency it has created among our senior citizens. The the AARP No Thanks, that when you are old enough, you hope to be joining investment clubs instead entitlement clubs.

Pollution Saves Lives

Don't tell Stephen Spielberg, but humans may be saving lives with our propensity to industrialize. This has the makings of a Hummer commercial:

The findings from a team of American climate experts suggest that were it not for greenhouse gases produced by humans, the world would be well on the way to a frozen Armageddon.

Scientists have traditionally viewed the relative stability of the Earth's climate since the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago as being due to natural causes, but there is evidence that changes in solar radiation and greenhouse gas concentrations should have driven the Earth towards glacial conditions over the last few thousand years.

What stopped it has been the activity of humans, both ancient and modern, argue the scientists.

Funny, funny stuff and just the latest example that climatologists don't know jack squat about what is going on. I take this with same grain of salt that I take the global warming doom-and-gloomers. Still, it's a reminder that alterring our economy (and limiting individual liberty in the process) through a global one-size-fits-all solution (a la Kyoto) for a problem people are unable to clearly understand is simply nuts. (via Instapundit)

I'm Ready for Some Football

Sports Guy has his weekly football preview (aka, his advice to degenerate gamblers). It's especially funny this week:

5 [of the weekend subplots]. A classic collection of coaches: Andy Reid looks like the star of a CBS sitcom where the portly guy is married to an improbably hot chick; Mora looks like one of those clean-cut porn stars who isn't quite reliable enough to get his own one-on-one scene; Bill Belichick dresses like the lead singer of an '80s cover band; and Bill Cowher looks so much like Sergeant Slaughter, you keep waiting for the Iron Sheik to attack him. Just a fantastic group. If only we could get Bill Parcells' body involved somehow.

And he doesn't leave off Tony Saragusa (the strangest sideline reporter in the history of sports:

Most Awkward Moment that Didn't Include Belichick, Dungy, Boomer, Marino or my Mom: Tony Siragusa's William Hung Imitation
I'm 99.999-percent sure that I didn't hallucinate this, although I can't really remember because I tried to swallow my own tongue immediately after it was over. But here's what I remember ...

Coming back from commercial, Dick Stockton is reading Fox's 1,200th promo of the weekend for "American Idol." Suddenly, the Goose (roaming the sidelines in that goofy "I'm the third guy in the booth, but not really" role) starts singing "She bangs! She bangs!" at the top of his lungs. Everyone gives him the obligatory fake laugh. Then Goose keeps screaming "She bangs! She bangs!" another 10-or-12 times ... followed by a delightfully uncomfortable silence. That's what I remember. And that's why Van Damme needs to make "Sudden Death 2" -- about a retired cop desperately trying to shut the Goose's mike off during a playoff game before it's too late. Wouldn't you pay $8.50 for that?

There's lots more good stuff in here. Which brings me to the weekend picks. Bill Simmons, who wrote the above, was originally called The BOSTON Sports Guy, so you can guess who he picks in the Steelers/Pats game. However, I can't argue. Until they lose in the playoffs with this team, you just can't pick against them. Last weekend proved that without a doubt. It's a similar rule to all those loser baseball writers who keep picking the Braves to finish 3rd in their division. Given the history, until it happens, don't put a lot of money on it (especially when it means you are betting on the Mets or a team from Philly).

But what about my Falcons. I've looked for optimism here. All year long (well, at least since it was apparent the Falcons were probably the 2nd best team in the conference), I've been saying the Falcons could beat the Eagles because they could run the ball and the Eagles have had problems in that defensive area. Well, according to all the experts they are stopping the run better now with Trotter back in the lineup, so maybe that plan goes out the window. Also, it looks like it'll be snowy and Atlanta is a dome team. Of course, they did beat Green Bay in Lambeau two years ago.

Unfortunately, I come back to Vick on this game. He has the ability to open up the game, but he also has the ability to look God awful when he's contained behind the line of scrimage. Somehow, I suspect Jevon Kearse and Co will look a little better than the Rams. And since Vick continues to refuse to tuck the ball even after he's way past the point of being able to throw it, I foresee him putting it on the carpet at least two times.

I honestly would be shocked if we score two touchdowns. Now, I do think the Eagles will have a tough time against our defense as well. I think it'll be a slug-fest, but one where the Eagles will bust open a few big plays while we'll have a few backbreaking turnovers. I just keep seeing a 17-6 final score, followed by two weeks of insufferable Terrell Owens coverage and at least five major newspapers digging up the Rush Limbaugh/Donovan McNabb stuff. Ugh. Either way, I think it'll be ring #3 for Tom Brady and Co. when its all said and done.

Bill Gates Erotica?

What was Bill Gates thinking when he agreed to this photoshoot way back when? (see the link for "photo"). Be sure to check out the caption contest.

Best of Buffett, Albums Part 3

NOTE: This is the 3rd and final part of my ranking of Jimmy Buffett's Albums. Please read this first to understand how I'm ranking them and what I mean by the categories of songs (like Best, Favorites, Songs I Dig, or Take it or Leave It) that I refer to. You can view my discussion of his other albums here and here.

Banana Wind (#5) is the most recent album of the top ten. The title track is the only instrumental song on any of the nineteen albums listed. However, despite the lack of Buffett’s signature banter, it gets entered into the best Buffett songs sweepstakes. I listen to it and I imagine myself in a beach chair, cooler to my side, feet buried in the sand, the breeze of the gulf blowing the rim of my oversized beach hat while I lose myself in a book. The song, perhaps better than any other, communicates Buffett’s ability to help us escape the crazy world we live in. "False Echoes" is a moving tribute to his father who was nearing the end of his battle with Alzheimer’s. The song, among others on the album really shows Buffett’s maturity as a musician (yeah, maturity may seem like the wrong word for the guy). To round out the trifecta of truly great songs on the album, "Happily Ever After (Now and Then)" displays Buffett’s talent for augmenting a cliché with a new twist and a personal story. It’s probably my single favorite song on the album. Tunes like "School Boy Heart" and "Only Time Will Tell" also show that Buffett is fairly well beyond the party-til-you-drop persona but still able to remind us of the importance of living a full and fun life. He borrows from his novel Where Is Joe Merchant in telling the story of Desdamona and her rocket ship. The song, aptly titled "Desdamona’s Building her Rocket Ship" is a nonsensical story, but has some very cool music to go with it. "Holiday" and "Cultural Infidel" complete the songs I consider Favorites on this fine album. Both are fun songs that can only fit in the music genre that is Jimmy Buffett. The reason the album can’t be ranked higher is that the remaining songs don’t hold up to the test of time. "Mental Floss" is a cute song but when compared to the rest of the album it comes across as filler. The "Bob Robert’s Society Band" is a nice homage to the big band sound but really wouldn’t flow on any mix CD. Finally, "Overkill" is one of my least favorite Buffett songs and the interesting back story of "Jamaica Mistaica" (Buffett’s plane getting shot at by Jamaican authorities while taking Bono on a joy ride) can’t make up for the fact that the music gets old real quick. Still, that said, Banana Wind shows that Buffett managed to be putting out amazing songs nearly a quarter century after his first album.
Notable Verse (from Happily Ever After (Now and Then))

Take it from me 'cause I found
If you leave it then somebody else is bound
To find that treasure, that moment of pleasure
When yours it could have been

At No. 4, we have Son of a Son of a Sailor. The only mediocre song on the album is "Fool Button" which is a typical Jimmy-on-a-bender song, but a not particularly good one. Then there is "The Last Line" which is a Song I Dig, but not a truly distinguished song. It’s got a slow country rhythm that is decent when it catches me in a mood. After that its all uphill from there. "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is fun song about, well, cheeseburgers and while I’m a big fan of chicken, I certainly think beef deserves its share of shout outs as well. My friend Tony and I have eaten a real Cheeseburger in Paradise at the original Margaritaville in Key West after getting hammered at the Econolodge Tiki bar. Good times. Good times. The album also has my single favorite foot-tapping country song in "Livingston Saturday Night". (Editor’s Note: yes, this last line was originally used to describe the album Living and Dying in ¾ Time, but I realized that album actually had "Livingston’s Gone to Texas", which is only a Song I Dig. I’ve been looking at a lot of Buffett song lists. Cut me some slack.) Then we have three songs that just missed getting included in the best Buffett songs breakdown. "Manana" (“please don’t say manana if you don’t mean it”) is a personal favorite. "Cowboy in the Jungle" was possibly my favorite Buffett song for a time, but over the years I’ve cooled on it just a bit. Finally, "Coast of Marseilles" is a wonderful ballad about a Buffett island excursion but I feel it lacks that extra something (of which I can’t describe naturally) that puts it in the best category. The album’s title song, "Son of a Son of a Sailor" is a classic Buffett tune which must be considered in any best of Buffett rundown as should "African Friend", which, like "Coast of Marseilles", describes a (fictional?) Buffett trip to a Caribbean island (this time to Haiti). It’s a lovely song that is one of his best. The album Son of a Son of a Sailor is quintessential Buffett, to say the least.
Notable Verse (from "Cowboy in the Jungle"):

Roll with the punches
Play all of his hunches
Made the best of whatever came his way
What he lacked in ambition
He made up with intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may.

Now we have probably the most contentious selection, Floridays (#3). I love this album. Always have. You’ll note in the comments of Part 2 that my friend and longtime Buffett fan Geb can’t believe I put it this high. Online, a lot of the old school Buffett fans point to this album as being where Buffett went off the rails and buried his classic country musical roots. As I noted before I like all the genres that Buffett covers and I really do like the island calypso beat that he goes for. Also, this album has a definite soft rock sound as well, but it really works here. There is not a bad song on it. "You’ll Never Work in Dis Business Again" is easily my least favorite, but I still kind of dig its beat. "First Look" and "No Plane on Sunday" have a great mellow vibe that hits me right when I listen to the album, but aren’t songs that I individually pick out to listen to. I really like "Meet Me in Memphis" which is more of a country pop song but incorporates some nice horns in the background. "Creola" is a totally groovy song. It’s rather long but is one of those songs that just gets you kind of moving your head to its mellow beat. It also has some of the best steel drum work of any of his songs. Another personal Fav is "If it All Falls Down" which has some of my favorite lyrics. "When the Coast is Clear" is kind of like "Coast of Marseilles" in that I really like this song but it lacks something that says “this is one of Buffett’s best songs.” The three songs off this album that are among his best are "Floridays", "I Love the Now" and "Nobody Speaks to the Captain No More". "I Love the Now" has a good poppy tune but it’s the optimism of its lyrics that gets me. Buffett’s music is, in many ways, like what the Simpson’s and Seinfeld are to our pop culture fabric. There is a line or a situation (regardless of the surrounding circumstances) that just fits in every person's life. “I Love the Now” is a great way to say “things are great.” "Floridays" is a song title that can only be described as a “Buffettism”. Describing “better days” as “floridays” is perfect for any Georgian who drives down to the Florida panhandle to recharge and this song conveys that perfectly, with a melody that is also inspiring. Finally, "Nobody Speaks to the Captain No More" is a song that perfectly hits the Buffett formula where a boat, a sailor, a musical instrument and an island setting are all mentioned. The difference is that it is one of Buffett’s few sad songs. Great lyrics and great ballad with a beautiful and heartbreaking story. This is the song that pushes this album up the list.
Notable Verse (from "If it All Falls Down")

Guidance counselor said
Your scores are anti-heroic
Computer recommends
Hard-drinking calypso poet
Studied life at sea
Studied life in bars
Never passed my S.A.T.'s
So I thought I'd study extra hard

Now we get to the big two. These should be fairly uncontroversial since most Buffett fans I know think highly of these two classics. White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean, (#2) other than being a mouthful of an album title is classic Buffett. The album has a great country sound but also hints at his affinity for taking a different musical route. We really get to see his talent for using song as a vehicle for story telling. The only mediocre song on the disk is "I Have Found Me a Home". "Railroad Lady" which has boilerplate country lyrics is a Song I Dig, but one that when I see it I figure I’ll fast forward and then I start listening to it and I remember this song isn’t that bad. What’s left is all really really good. "The Great Filling Station Holdup" and "Peanut Butter Conspiracy" are his two best traditional country songs. They are funny, with rhymes that display a true talent for poetry and musical ability. "Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit" has a better tune than lyrics but it’s a favorite Song You know by Heart. "They Don’t Dance Like Carmen No More" is a song that you figure he wrote after talking to an old guy on a street corner during Mardi Gras. "Why Don’t We Get Drunk" (and you know what) is a crowd favorite and is really sung like a man with a golden heart is just a little too inebriated to beat around the bush. "My Lovely Lady" is the first of FOUR songs I’ll put into the discussion of Best Buffett song. It might be my favorite of Buffett’s country songs. It might be anyway. "Cuban Crime of Passion" is one of Buffett’s earliest forays into trying something different. He really incorporates a Cuban/Miami sound that just makes you tap your feet and wish you were good enough to do the mamba. "He Went To Paris" is another Buffett classic that most people have heard of and with good reason. It’s a beautiful song with a touching story. Finally, "Death of an Unpopular Poet" is Buffett’s longing for modern literary genius. What would happen if a guy died before his great poetry became a cultural phenomenon. Never mind the absurdity of straight poetry leaving a cultural mark in this day and age (outside postmodern literature departments), the story is interesting and sort of sad, but also a bit silly. The ballad is so beautiful though that the discussion of his dog Spooner living off the royalties never strikes you as nutty. Its Buffett at his best (or nearly his best, not to give to much away).
Notable Verse (From "He Went to Paris")

He went to Paris looking for answers
To questions that bothered him so
He was impressive, young and aggressive
Saving the world on his own.
But the warm Summer breezes
The French wines and cheeses
Put his ambition at bay
And Summers and Winters
Scattered like splinters
And four or five years slipped away.

And the #1 Best Buffet Album ever is A1A. Now it only has three songs that I put in the Best Buffett songs of all time category, one less than the #2 album mentioned above. But those three songs are so good and combined with the fact that this album has none that I would fast forward through and only one (Dallas) that I wouldn’t put on a mix CD, this album an easy choice for the top spot. "Making Music for Money" is the song that many will gripe with the content of considering Jimmy, over the last few years, has really jumped in with both feet on the commercialization of the Buffett “brand.”  Still, it’s a patented Buffett is “everyman” song. "Door Number Three" is what we would now call a period piece. He’s referring to going on the “Let’s Make a Deal” game show, which I don’t think has been on TV with Monty Hall for something like 20 years. It’s a funny song, especially if you’ve seen the show. “Presents to Send You”, “Stories We Could Tell” and “Nautical Wheelers” as pleasing to the ear as any Buffett song, all with a great story to tell (pun intended). “Life is Just a Tire Swing” is another one of those classic “Buffettisms.” It describes Buffett’s journey from his humble beginnings to famous musician, and creates a great phrase to couch in conversation as well. "Tin Cup Chalice" is rounds out the “Favorites” off this album and this batch of Favorites, in the aggregate, are better than any of the other songs I have listed as Favorites on his other albums. Really, this whole album is just better than any other. Which brings us to the three “Best” songs. The song “Migration”, besides coining the title of his Caribbean Soul clothing line, has all the qualities of a great Buffett song. A great tune with lyrics that mention, in some form, the Jimmy staples: the sun, the beach/coast, an alcoholic beverage, his partying lifestyle, his care free perspective, and Buffett’s “how did I ever make it this far” introspection. I mean, don’t we all have a Caribbean Soul we can barely control, with that little bit of Texas hidden in our heart? It’s just an awesome song. "Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season" is kind of the title track of the album since it’s the only that refers to A1A, the stretch of highway that goes along Florida’s beaches (and in this case, I’m sure he’s referring to the section of A1A in Key West). This song is like the lyrical equivalent of "Banana Wind". It’s a song that totally transplants your senses to the coast on a stormy day. You completely imagine the storm that’s a brewin.’ You can feel the ocean wind on your face and imagine the sound of the crashing waves that hint at the nastiness that’s about to hit. Throw in the perception of Jimmy fighting a hangover yet catching an inspiration to write this song and you see that Buffett is really nothing more than the musical equivalent of a great painter. He sings about what he sees, but is able to adds a unique personal touch that makes it timeless. Then you have a "Pirate Looks at Forty".  Its distinctive opening line of “Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call”, is like Buffett’s “Who Is John Galt”; an opening line that defines Buffett and his work. Similar to “Treat Her Like a Lady” it displays his incredible reverence for the sea. And he makes you sympathize with the criminal “lead character” of the song, and has you feeling sad for this anti-hero. This is a song that I think most longtime Buffett fans see as one of his signature songs, much more than "Margaritaville" I think (or rather, hope). Really, when I look at the totality of A1A, it’s really head and shoulders above the rest of Buffett’s excellent work. And one of these last three songs I mentioned is my favorite Buffett song, though I’m not gonna say which just yet. That’s for another post.

Notable Verse (from "Door Number Three")

I chose my apparel, wore a beer barrel
And they rolled me to the very first row
I held a big sign that said "Kiss me I'm a baker,
and Monty I sure need the dough!"
Then I grabbed that sucker by the throat
Until he called on me
Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three

That raps my ranking of Jimmy Buffett's best albums (which does exclude a few albums, as mentioned here). Comment early and often and hopefully it’ll rekindle your love of Jimmy Buffett as much as it did me. Were I a better organized weblogger, I would have done this over Christmas since that was his birthday. Alas, I’m a month late. Oh well, it’s no less fun to talk about, especially considering how friggin cold it is.

The Final Scorecard

Rk	Album	Best	Favs	SID	TIoLI
5	Banana Wind (Margaritaville/MCA).....1996 PLATINUM	3	5	2	2
4	Son Of a Son Of a Sailor (ABC).....1978  PLATINUM	2	5	1	1
3	Floridays (MCA).....1986	3	5	2
2	A White Sport Coat & A Pink Crustacean (Dunhill).....1973	4	5	1	1
1	A1A (Dunhill).....1974	3	7	1

Best of Buffett, Albums Part 2

NOTE: This is the 2nd part of my ranking of Jimmy Buffett's Albums. Please read this first to understand how I'm ranking them and what I mean by the categories of songs that I refer to. You can view my discussion of the albums outside the top 10 here.

Ok, the Top Ten baby. We count down to Jimmy Buffett's sixth best album.

One Particular Harbor (#10) has two distinctly poor songs ("I used to have Money One Time" and "Livin’ It Up"). After that, its textbook Buffett: The song about the stars and the water (naturally called "Stars on the Water"), the heartbreak song with bad grammar ("Why you Wanna hurt my Heart"), and the token remake (a nice rendition of "Brown Eyed Girl"). Then there’s the great ballad that makes no real since at all ("Twelve Volt Man"). We have the upbeat and mostly acoustic love song about the boy losing the girl ("Distantly in Love") with its melodic counterpart ("California Promises"). We have Buffett playing with clichés in We are "The People Our Parents Warned Us About" and "Honey Do". And then there is the title track which is often one of the best songs on the album. This is Buffett’s version of Rocky, the formula driven album. And, like Rocky, it’s a formula that works quite well. The title contenders for best Buffett song are "One Particular Harbor" because of it’s great lyrics and the fact that its my favorite live Buffett song. Great song for a conga line. Also moving on is "Distantly in Love", a song with some of the best and, I bet, difficult to play acoustic work, complete with a great storyline that’s about a guy who hasn’t quite figured out that his woman ain’t coming back. And it has lots of big words sung to music, which always impresses a simpleton like myself. This is one of my favorite verses:

I heard it from a friend of ours
I saw in Timber Bay
That you had a new lover who had
Stolen you away
That could be be the reason that
I never got in touch
And may present slight problems
If he loves you half as much

Her current boyfriend MAY present slight problems if he loves you half as much. Great understated verse that’s really about a guy whose having a hard time moving on, I’d say.

Havana Daydreamin’ (#9)  has the fewest songs in the Best and Favorites categories (total of 6) of any other top ten albums, but it also has none I place in the Take It or Leave It category. "Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street" is my least favorite song on the album but I’ll still let it ride when it comes on. What this album does have is a couple of truly great songs that balance out the fact that half of it contains Songs I merely Dig. "This Hotel Room" is a quick little diddy that is about…his hotel room. It’s literally a description of his room, but sung perfectly to the twang of his guitar and some backup fiddling. "My Head Hurt, My Feet Stink, and I Don’t Love Jesus" is quite possibly the single best description of a hangover ever put forth. "Cliches" is a cute set of lyrics about a boy and a girl (like a clichéd country version of "Jack and Diane"). This album also has two songs that are among his best ever. "Havana Daydreamin’" is wonderful tune about the modern pirates (i.e. smugglers) of the Caribbean. This is a common theme of Buffett’s and this one is probably his high note on the subject. "Something So Feminine About a Mandolin" is one of his most poetic pieces and a genuinely lovely song.
Notable Verse (from "Something so Feminine about a Mandolin"):

Cause there's somethin' so feminine,
about a mandolin;
the way that they feel,
the way that they ring.
Just to see slender fingers,
movin' so fluid,
made this poor heart to sing.

At No. 8, we have Living and Dying in ¾ Time. This is an album with a lot that I really like but little that I consider truly great but nothing that I don’t enjoy listening to. The scorecard is four Songs I Dig (SID), six Favorites and one that can be considered among his best. It’s a solid all around album. "Come Monday" is its most notable track and I believe it’s his only song to ever make the Billboard charts (no, "Margaritaville" did not). "Come Monday" is the sole representative of the best of Buffett on the album. "Pencil Thin Mustache" a neat little tune as well. "The Wino and I Know" is probably my second favorite song on the album, though "Ringling, Ringling" (about a ghost town) isn’t too far behind. This album also has probably my favorite Buffett remake in "God’s Own Drunk" (“and that’s when I first saw the bear”). As I said, it’s “a solid effort” (spoken in snotty music critic voice). Notable Verse ("from The Wino and I Know"):

And the Wino and I know the pains of street singin'
Like the door-to-door salesman knows
the pains of bell ringin'
It's a strange situation,
a wild occupation,
Living my life like a song.

Coconut Telegraph is one that I just knew I’d rank higher than No. 7. It was always one of those CDs I always kept at the ready when I was in Buffett mode (pre-mix CD era). But, when I started looking at it I realized that the album actually didn’t really rank above the next six. Still, it’s a favorite and has possibly the best name of any Buffett album (with apologies to the album I’ll rank #2). Naturally, the Buffett fan club newsletter takes its name from this album as well. My least favorite song is "The Good Fight". Just does nothing for me. However, after that there is not a bad one in the bunch. Now, I know that some people will be surprised that I don’t rank "Island" as one of the best Buffett songs but gets back to what I said about the being more of a music guy than a lyrics guy. And while the lyrics are great, the song itself is just OK and one that I really can’t put above Songs I Dig standing. "Incommunicado" is well done and "It’s My Job" is a nice song as well and it is surprisingly is devoid of any sort of class warfare given the route he takes in the song. "Little Miss Magic" is a song that anyone who becomes a dad appreciates more as we get older (even though I don’t have a daughter. Yet). "Stars Fell on Alabama" takes a nice stroll across Buffett’s home state. "The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" is a tribute to vacation benders (among other things) and is a personal favorite. The best songs off the album are "Coconut Telegraph" and "Growing Older But Not Up". One has a funny story to tell and the other really does convey a good credo to live by.
Notable Verse:

I'm growing older but not up
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck
So let the winds of change blow over my head
I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead

Fruitcakes (#6) was Buffett’s return to recording after a five-year layoff (mostly spent writing his novel). "Apocalypso" is the album’s only song that’s close to a letdown. In fact, the album has nine songs I’d rank as Favorites or better. His remake of "Uncle John’s Band" is a good way for Parrotheads to give homage to their…er…more dedicated brethren of the Deadhead clan. "Vampires, Mummies and The Holy Ghost" doesn’t have much in the way of composition, but it’s got a good beat. "Frenchman for the Night" continues Buffett’s uncomfortably obsession with all things French, but its still a good song. After that, Fruitcakes really hits it on all notes. From the typical theme of sun and leisure in "Sunny Afternoon" to the melody of "Love in the Library", the music sticks with Buffett’s specialty of calypso fun and soft rock without the cheesiness of the genre. "Delaney Talks to Statues" is another tribute to one of his kids and paints a visual image of childhood joy. "She’s Got You" is a remake of a Patsy Cline song, one of Buffett’s favorite singers and he gives it his unique touch. "Six String Music" and "Fruitcakes" are the other Favorites. The first song I consider one of his Best songs is "Lone Palm", which is beautiful song with lots of big words like Papayas and Crescendo. As I’ve noted before, big words put to song impress me. My wife and I liked it so much we used a verse from this song on our wedding invitations. Also, this is his one album where the White Man’s Rap I’ve previously mentioned doesn’t actually detract from the songs. The rant that precedes "Fruitcakes" is actually kind of funny. And that brings me to other song on the album that I count among his best. "Everybody’s Got a Cousin in Miami" begins with Buffett giving a rambling, yet somewhat humorous lead in, but it’s the music and the lyrics that set it apart. I can say that it’ll rank fairly high in my best songs list because this contains perhaps my single favorite set of lyrics that he put to music:

I am umbilically connected to the temperate zone
It brought me life, it brought me love
I never have outgrown
It brought me one too many nights along that Biscayne shore
And one too many mornings in the Grove Drug Store
In one way or the other we're all refugees
Living out this easy life below the banyan trees
Smoothing off the rougher edges of the culture clash
We got a style, we got a look
We got that old panache

Some might say “I love the beach”, but Buffett says “I am unbilically connected to the temperate zone.” Love it.

Coming tomorrow: The Best Five Albums by Jimmy Buffett.

The Scorecard

Rk	Album	Best	Favs	SID	TIoLI
10	One Particular Harbour (MCA).....1983	2	5	2	2
9	Havana Daydreamin' (ABC).....1976	2	4	5
8	Living & Dying in 3/4 Time (Dunhill).....1974	1	6	4
7	Coconut Telegraph (MCA)....1981	2	4	1	2
6	Fruitcakes (Margaritaville/MCA).....1994 PLATINUM	2	7	3	1