Some of the Best Advice I ever Received - Came From Jimmy Buffett

The passing of one of my music icons, Jimmy Buffett, last week brought me to tears.

I was attending college in East Tennessee many years ago, more than I’d like to remember when one of my good friends introduced me to music I immediately loved. Though I had heard songs by the Caribbean crooner, I never really listened to entire albums of his music, and once I did, I was hooked. I became a Parrothead and proud of it.

 It seems we all have soundtracks through which we can retell much of the history of our lives, and Jimmy is one of my storytellers. I am not alone since millions of people have the same sentiment. Jimmy coined his own brand of music and turned the laidback, carefree lyrics accompanied by steel drums and masterful harmonica playing of Greg “Fingers” Taylor. Some of Mr. Buffett’s songs are whimsical and funny, but others tell great stories and profound life lessons.

Jimmy’s most famous single only hit number eight on the charts, and yet countless people can recite dozens of lyrics from his vast musical catalog. It also became one of the most recognizable brands in the world – Margaritaville. His music felt like warm breezes, sandy beaches, and sailing on open seas in search of adventure. His signature Hawaiian shirts, leisure shorts, and tanned skin were the expression of many a dream.

But his talent transcended music to writing three New York Times bestsellers and creating a business brand around Margaritaville that left his net worth around a billion dollars. He was one of the wealthiest entertainers in the world. Like myself, Jimmy’s followers were deeply attached to his music and brand.

 I remember late one night while I was in college working nights at the Hyatt in downtown Knoxville, and a long travel bus drove up to the front door. I was cleaning the kitchen in the lobby restaurant when I noticed this fellow and his entourage sauntering to the reception desk. I took a second take and realized this was the man himself, Jimmy Buffett. Woot!  Woot! I wanted to run across the vast lobby yelling, “Mr. Buffett, Mr. Buffett, it’s me, one of your faithful Parrotheads!” However, I refrained. Knowing this would be rude and not a wise move for job security. I regret it to this day. It would have been worth it!

His music was never critically acclaimed by those who know about such things. I often wonder what makes a book, movie, or piece of music “good.” Should it be judged by the number of people who find the work engaging and desirable or by some “snob’s” idea of quality? I think you know my conclusion, but who am I to judge such matters?

Many of the Gulf Coast’s native sons' songs are memorable to me, but one stands out as a mantra I’ve chosen for myself for many years. The chorus goes like this:

 We've gotta roll with the punches
Learn to play all of our hunches
Make the best of whatever comes your way
Forget that blind ambition
And learn to trust your intuition
Plowin' straight ahead come what may.

Not bad advice, in my opinion. Hundreds of times in life, the best reaction to the hand you’re dealt is to simply roll with the punches and keep plowing forward no matter what. And as importantly, do it with a smile on your face and hop in your step.

We can’t always control our situation, but we can control how we react. I’ve not always followed my own advice, but the times I did, I came out better for it. I distilled the idea into one of my most helpful motivators – just go on anyway. It’s also the theme of the book I am now back to writing. Next time the light at the end of your tunnel turns out to be a train coming at you, just go on anyway.

At the time of, my “Jimmy Sighting,” another theme song for my life, was also meaningful.

In the middle of late last night, I was sittin' on a curb
I didn't know what about but I was feeling quite disturbed
A street sweeper came whistlin' by
He was bouncin' every step
It seemed strange how good he felt
So I asked him while he swept

He said "It's my job to be cleaning up this mess
And that's enough reason to go for me
It's my job to be better than the rest
And that makes the day for me"

The song concludes like this.

It's my job to be different than the rest
and that's enough reason to go for me
It's my job to be better than the best
and that's a tough break for me
It's my job to be cleaning up this mess
and that's enough reason to go for me

It's my job to be better than the best
and that makes the day for me.

At the time, this song was highly apropos since I spent eight hours each night cleaning the greasy, grimy, messy results of daily cooking in three large kitchens in this busy hotel. I often went home with layers of skin on my hands, shedding due to the strong chemicals used to clean these food preparation and cooking surfaces. But, when I left the Valledor, Garden, and main kitchens at five in the morning, they shined in the bright lights, and I was proud of it. Then, off to a full day of college classes, learning to be a pastor.

This song validated my sentiment that there is no ignoble labor if it is done with gusto and purpose. People deserve to eat food prepared in a clean environment, and somebody’s got to make it that way. And it is not going to be chefs because they are notoriously messy and expect someone else to clean it all up. I was good with that.

The Apostle Paul put it this way. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it as unto to the Lord.” In other words, put even the most mundane tasks into a larger perspective, and you will likely do a better job. As a pastor, I spent much of my life helping people clean up their messes, and it was a noble task worth taking pride in performing well.

There are other influential lyrics from the Son of a Son of a Sailor.

With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of my running and all of my cunning
If I couldn't laugh I just would go insane
If we couldn't laugh we just would go insane
If we weren't all crazy we would go insane.

I read an article written by the CEO of a large corporation who was one of Jimmy’s friends. He pondered three life lessons he learned from Mr. Buffett that had served him well throughout his endeavors. One of them was, “Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh a lot.”

There is a little bit of crazy in all of us, and it’s often what keeps us sane. Some of my most miserable moments in life are when I refused to laugh, especially at myself. If there is one trait common to humanity, it is that we all do a plethora of stupid things and often end up paying the price. The ability to step outside oneself and recognize the humor of it all is a precious gift.

I believe the Creator has an abundant sense of humor, and we are lucky He does. I cannot imagine how many times my Heavenly Father must say to Himself, OMG, I can’t believe he is doing that again. Did I really create him? I must have been having a bad day.” Actually, I suppose God doesn’t say, “OMG,” He must say, “Oh Myself,” I guess.

Locations and attitudes never stop changing, and we often end up somewhere less than optimal, but our ability to put it into perspective and have a good laugh about it has no limitations.

One of my Buffett favorites is “He Went to Paris.” The song tells the story of a person’s life not unlike our own. The final verse goes like this.

Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin's
And drinks his green label each day
He's writing his memoirs and losing his hearing
But he don't care what most people say
Through 86 years of perpetual motion
If he likes you he'll smile then he'll say
Jimmy, some of it's magic, some of it's tragic
But I had a good life all the way

And he went to Paris looking for answers
To questions that bother him so.

“Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic. But I had a good life all the way.” Not a bad sentiment for the gift of life God has offered us all.

I hope the soundtrack for your life is equally as rewarding.

By the way, Jimmy’s sister told of the last words the singer uttered to her. They were, “Have fun.”

Live Inspired!

Don Mark