Customer Reviews

Living & Dying in 3/4 Time

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album may not be a favorite of some younger parrotheads, but lyrically it represents some of Jimmy's best work. "Pencil Thin Moustache" is an ode to the "Boston Blackie" series that will have youngersters scratching their heads, but hopefully they'll research it for themselves. I especially love the reference to "Sky King's Penny", obscure except to those of us who watched the "Sky King" episodes. "The Wino and I Know" is one of my personal favorites. "Ice Cream man, he's a hillbilly fan. Got '78's by Hank Snow", is telling of Buffett's musical influences. The best rendition of "God's Own Drunk" can be found here also. Jimmy had to give up performing it in concert when the estate of Lord Buckley sued him for 'willfully and maliciously mutilating and adulterating' the original version. A real shame he is forbidden to perform it; it was a real hoot. Musically, this is perhaps one of his most ecletic efforts, sure to satisfy country fans and old Buffett fans alike. And no, a real Buffett fan from the '70's DOES NOT refer to himself as a "Parrothead". I leave that moniker to the youngersters who "recently" discovered Buffett, and think that such mediocre efforts as "Banana Wind" and "Beach House on the Moon" are classic Buffett. Sorry to dissappoint you, but classics must first stand the test of time. Most of Jimmy's work from the '70's (including this one) has done just that.

1974's Living and Dying in ¾ Time was Buffett's second major label album and fourth overall release. The quality of the music is 5 star material, as Buffett was at his singer/songwriter peak.

I would love to give a review that deals with the music contained within, but I must make a point of stress on this CD release. It's just plain bad. The sound quality is full of tape hiss, which contrary to what the disclaimer says on the back of the case, does NOT have to be heard when analogue recordings are transferred to digital. All it takes is finding the master tapes and preparing the tracks for a higher resolution format.

Don't expect to get any more artwork or liner notes with the disc either. What you see in the image at the top of this page is the only thing left from what was included in the original 1974 package. Gone is the rear cover photograph of a shark, a beautiful Key West sunset painting form the gatefold, a photo of Jimmy form the insert, band credits and complete lyrics to each song. Not to faithful to the original release, eh? Maybe that was excusable in the 80s when the CD boom was still taking place, but now... No.

Please, if your an MCA executive and are reading this, it's time to re-release.

It's a toss up between this album and A-1-A for Buffett's best. But, I have to give the edge to Living and Dying and 3/4 Time for "God's Own Drunk," the quintessential Jimmy Buffett song. He's tried a lot of different things in the years since, but nothing compares to the bar room banter that can be found in this song. Buffett could also dig deep inside himself and pull out such ballads as "Come Monday." From top to bottom this is a great album and went a long way toward establishing Buffett's storied career. He continues to draw on these songs in his concerts, but for some reason has relegated "God's Own Drunk" to the past. Too bad because it combined the humor and pathos he is most famous for. Buffett could always play the crowd, and give them what they wanted to hear, but in this album one finds a bit of personal introspection and some of the finest Buffett ballads to be had.

And still my favorite. This is Buffett before he became popular, bordering on caracature. Seems he was living what he was singing about. I used to listen to this over and over on 8 track (along with Gord's Gold) in a cabin in the Canadian wilderness. For some reason, it seemed to fit that environment. Not a lot of distraction or amenities, just family, nature and some countrified music. Simple pleasures.

It's a bit country and a bit more but what makes this album so great is the fact that he's a phenomenal storyteller. He writes stories about people and places nobody writes songs about.

'Come Monday' is the song that put him on the map and it never ceases to get old yet there are some true gems on here. He's got moments of lyrical comedy that are pure gold (and not the lyrics that are comedy in the 'clown' sense that seems to characterize his later work). 'God's Own Drunk' has to be one of the best (and funniest) songs ever recorded.

If you haven't dug into his old stuff, you're missing out.

Living & Dying in 3/4 Time is Jimmy Buffett's last recording that concentrates on country music. He would still keep a country flavor in his music, but this album contains none of the Caribbean rhythms or beach themes that would permeate his future work. The album opens up with the vaudevillian "Pencil Thin Mustache" which is one of his more enduring classics. "Come Monday" is a trippy folk number that deservedly became his first Top 40 hit. "Ringling, Ringling", "Brahma Fear", "Brand New Country Star" and "Livingston's Gone To Texas" all are in the country theme and take on subjects such as the circus, rodeo riding, the Nashville music scene and head out to the range. "The Wino & I Know" speaks of the wisdom of old drunks. "Saxophones" and "Ballad Of Spider John" are slight numbers, but the album closes out with Mr. Buffett's take of Lord Buckley's "God's Own Drunk". It is a perfect song for Mr. Buffett as it fits perfectly into his storytelling persona and he more speaks the story than sings it.

On "Living & Dying In 3/4 Time", Jimmy Buffett's fourth LP overall and his second release on the now defunct ABC/Dunhill label, it would appear that Buffett had for the most part traded in his homespun lyrical sense of humor in favor of a more serious and sentimental side, which many of JB's fans never fully saw or heard until this sophomore effort. But, that's not to say that Jimmy Buffett can't compose a humorous song without sounding too mish-mosh or overbearing, which in either case he doesn't. Whatever few humorous songs there are on "Living And Dying...", the combination of these with the more straightforward, subtle selections works wonders on an album of fine caliber such as this. Buffett felt he had something to prove to his increasingly growing audiences, and therefore needed to make a statement by writing wholehearted, contemporary ballads, such as "Come Monday" and "Ringling, Ringling", although the latter number is more of an up-tempo sort of ballad. "Come Monday" was also Buffett's first hit single, reaching the Top 30 of the Billboard pop charts in early 1974. JB's lightweight humor on "Pencil Thin Mustache" looks good on both paper and in the music itself, while "God's Own Drunk" is 360 degrees of pure comic relief, combined with masterful, impressionistic humor performed in classic Jimmy Buffett style! Not one bad moment can be found on "Living And Dying...", and that includes all the other compositions as well, which makes it the best of the early Buffett CD's. A word of caution for the younger generation of "ParrotHeads" - due to the nature of the heavily influenced country sounds as featured on this selection, you might find "Living And Dying..." a bit hard to digest at first. But, once you begin to understand its unique nuances and down-home charm, you'll definitely take it at face value, and will want to add it to your must have Jimmy Buffett collection. Since this title is virtually out of print in most areas, you should order it soon, although there's a rather distinct possiblity that either MCA Records or Jimmy Buffett himself will re-release his catalogue of older JB titles on his own label (Margaritaville), complete with the remaster treatment, including the original artwork and liner notes in the CD booklet. But, as they say, there's nothing like an original. Thus, MCA's "Compact Disc-Compact Price" edition of "Living And Dying In 3/4 Time" is destined to become a collector's item. It's the best "old school" Buffett money can buy!

Ah yes... a beanbag, earphones, a supply of Jack Daniels and Jimmy on the stereo.. I have found me a home! I just love this guy... I can listen to him all day. This is one of Jimmy's earlier albums and it is one of the best. If you've never heard him before... then you will never know what you are missing. Listen to this album and change your outlook on life ...Once a parrot head, always a parrot head.

This is the album that really gave Buffett his start. Come Monday actually made the top 40, it would be a while before that was to happen again. Yet, there is more to this album than one song. The stories are what continues to make me listen. Less the beat than the words. Brand New Country Star is a wonderful parody about success. And God's Own Drunk is just fun, when taken at face value. I believe everyone who would give this a listen would find at least one song that really appeals to them.

This album is one of Buffett's earlier ones but its got some great songs that aren't on any of his greatest hits albums.
My personal favorite is "God's own drunk", its very funny and I haven't seen it on any other album.

Love this album. Not to take away from James Ferguson's sentiments for God's Own Drunk, but I feel it's only right to point out that this is not Buffett's song. It was written and originally performed by Lord Buckley I believe. But none the less, a great song and a good choice by Jimmy. Brahma Fear, Livingston's gone to Texas, love it all.