Take The Weather With You

Jimmy Buffett | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000I0QK7E
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,918 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Bama Breeze

2. Party at the End of the World

3. Weather With You

4. Everybody's on the Phone

5. Whoop de Doo

6. Nothin' But a Breeze

7. Cinco de Mayo in Memphis

8. Reggabilly Hill

9. Elvis Presley Blues

10. Hula Girl at Heart

11. Wheel Inside the Wheel

12. Silver Wings

13. Breathe in, Breathe Out, Move On

14. Duke's on Sunday

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

What you see is rarely what you get with Jimmy Buffett. While he may contend that he is the king of slackers, a modern day Dean Martin whipping up fizzy rum drinks under the palm trees in a silk Hawaiian shirt, this best-selling author and raconteur is actually the thinking man's party animal. His deceptively breezy lyrics and lazy charm belie a shrewd social commentator and a man not at peace with his world or his own mortality--taking well-aimed potshots at everything from cell phone culture to ancient Greek history to the threat of terrorism, as on the sharply ironic "Party at the End of the World." But having said that, all the unrest exhibited in these 14 songs makes for a far more interesting album than he's made in over two decades. Reflective, unstinting, and often nostalgic, the musician changes the tempo and the subject matter, swapping his usual languid island exhortations of alcohol and brief bikini tops for the fascinating emotional ambiguity of "Whoop De Doo," or the simple charm of "Nothing but a Breeze," which seems so autobiographical it's hard to believe that Buffett didn't write it. But the standout track is his chilling cover of Mary Gauthier's "Wheel Inside the Wheel," revealing exactly what kind of demons have been residing under the singer's ever-present baseball cap. --Jaan Uhelszki

Product Description

Take The Weather With you returns Buffett back to his country foundation with breezy ballads, interpretations of alt-country songs, a version of Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" and mariachi horns in "Cinco De Mayo In Memphis." A tribute to the historic bars along the Gulf Coast in "Bama Breeze" is flavored with sublime Southern riffs, and Buffett fulfilled a dream of playing with Mark Knopfler, who wrote and guests on "Whoop De Doo." Jimmy's first country release, the now platinum License To Chill, debuted at #1 on both the country and overall soundscan charts. This album features Mark Knopfler, Gomez, Jake Shimabukuro, Bill Payne, and Sonny Landreth. The album was recorded in Key West, Muscle Shoals, and London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The weather is here, I wish I was beautiful..., October 10, 2006

By 

Dr. Emil "Tom" Shuffhausen (Central Gulf Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take The Weather With You (Audio CD)

OVERVIEW

Jimmy Buffett writes songs like he talks; never pompous, but often profound, and occasionally profane. His modus operandi is so laid back that one sometimes forgets what a stellar storyteller he truly is. This collection of songs, moods, tunes, and vibes began at the end of the world; that is, not a point in time so much as a physical location in Tierra del Fuego, where Antarctica is just around the block. And before you start envisioning our favorite Tropical Troubador cavorting with penguins, you'll be relieved (and delighted) to know that this Perpetually Peripatetic Parrothead is back to doing what he does best. And what is that, you may ask? Read on ....

SONGS

With his umpteenth album (really, who's counting) TAKE THE WEATHER WTIH YOU, Buffett serves up a fine smorgasbord of original and cover songs. I've never heard a bad Buffett album, although some of them can stand accused of being bland at times. But this album really raises the bar (pun intended); Buffett is here to have a good time, but he reminds us that "one day soon, I'll be a grandpa." In short, a bit of wisdom has crept into the Buffett paradigm, and his work is all the richer for it. Witness the songs here:

"Bama Breeze" - a spicy slice of salty southern soul, tinged with some country blues and tropical breezes courtesy of some very tasty guitar and warm keyboard/organ work (kudos to Mr. Utley). Surprisingly, given it's authentic feel for the Alabama Riviera, it wasn't actually written by JB (but you gotta love the shout out to Lulu).

"Party at the End of the World" - JB did write this one, and it's a very cool Robert Greenidge steel drum workout that will make you want to dance and even think...despite the party atmosphere, Buffett is actually tapping into the whole "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die" vibe.

"Weather With You" - As a huge fan of New Zealand's Finn Brothers (Crowded House, Split Enz), I approached Buffett's cover of their classic song with some trepidation. But, it turns out to be one of the best recordings of Buffett's entire career. He is obviously simpatico with the lyrics, and while he is faithful to the Finn's original, he also blends in his own unique stylings to concoct a libation that goes down smooth and pleasing.

"Everybody's On the Phone" - Loaded with some of Buffett's best one liners, it's a brilliant commentary on the wonders and perils of our interconnected little world. "I'm ADD on AOL and trying to read the writing on the wall," he muses. And, my oh my, does Greg "Fingers" Taylor wail on the harmonica!

"Whoop de Doo" - Buffett pairs perfectly with Mark Knopfler (himself a briliant songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire) on Knopfler's bluesy tearjerker. His words may say "Whoop de Doo," but his heart is still bleeding all over the floor. This reminds me somewhat of Buffett's classic "Coast of Marseilles."

"Nothin' But a Breeze" - Is a perculating little Jesse Winchester number that could have been a massive hit for JB back in the 70s...it's got that nice little bouncy-funky Carribbean Soul thing working on all cylinders.

"Cinco de Mayo in Memphis" - Written by maestro Guy Clark with Chuck Mead, it's a brilliant fusion of Tex-Mex, Key West, and Mississippi River ambience. It's brand new, but it already sounds like classic Buffett to me.

"Regabilly Hill" - Another cover, with a great title, this song is pleasant enough musically, though the background "whoo-hoo" vocals sound a little forced; overall, it's not a stand out track. The lyrics are enigmatic and certainly intriguing.

"Elvis Presley Blues" - Musically, this homage to the Sun sound (with some of that Johnny Cash boom-chicka-boom happening) is a definite winner; lyrically, it's a little strange, in that I think The King would take a bit of umbrage at the idea that "he shook it like a chorus girl/he shook it like a Harlem Queen." If he were alive to hear that, it's likely that Elvis would give our JB a swift karate chop and then eat his Cheeseburger n' Parrot Ice.

"Hula Girl at Heart" - This Buffett original shows JB at the absolute top of his game lyrically, vocally, melodically, instrumentally; this is everything a Buffett song ought to be. It has an underlying sweet innocence befitting its subject matter.

"Wheel Inside the Wheel" - While JB didn't write this one, it's about a subject near and dear to his heart: the Big Easy, New Orleans. It's an impassioned tribute, but with too many disparate musical influences fighting for the fore; it's attempting to be a great gumbo, but at the end of the day, it's not quite the sum of it's parts.

"Silver Wings" - After the complexity of the previous cut, this Merle Haggard classic is just what the doctor ordered. Buffett's voice is well-suited for Haggard's oeuvre and the easy-going country-reggae shuffle is just right.

"Breathe In, Breathe out, Move On" - This Hurricane Katrina remembrance really should be considered for a Song of the Year Grammy. It's incredibly moving--not just emotional, but a song to help you "move on" after great trial and tragedy. Musically, it's just gorgeous. It ranks with the best of the best of Buffett; it's at least the equal of "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Changes and Lattitudes," or "Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season."

"Duke's On a Sunday" - A perfect closer; lighthearted, but mellow. It's Hawaiian, but without any cliched island trappings, just some fine picking, sweet harmonies, and understated percussive brilliance.

RECOMMENDATION

Buffett pals Michael Utley and Mac McAnally have given this CD a really clean, rich sound, and have brought JB gently back to the Tropical Cowboy Pop sound that his longtime fans know and love. It certainly ranks very high in the Buffett canon, right alongside some of his best 70s work.

Jimmy Buffett has always made some of the best "feel-good" party music, but it's rarely mindless drivel. On this album, he makes you want to dance and think, and that's a winning combination. In short, get this CD, plug in your headphones, kick off your shoes, and wiggle your toes in the sand.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good...but still not like his old stuff, December 15, 2006

By 

S. Leslie (Ocean Springs, MS.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take The Weather With You (Audio CD)

I know that I'll get hammered on the "was this review helpful" poll, but that's the way it goes. This is simply my opinion.

I've gotta go against the grain with most people that have reviewed the CD and give it simply 3 stars. As a Buffett fan for 30 years, I'm one of many that have become disillusioned by his recent work. Things seem to have changed around "Barometer Soup" which was still a very good CD, but after that, it went downhill. "Beachhouse on the Moon" really did it in for me. I took a 3 CD break, but decided to jump back in with "Take the Weather With You".

In my opinion, the CD is good, but not great like many have said. If you're looking for Jimmy to return to his old roots of beach music, there is some of that, but there's also a lot of songs that do nothing for me. I'm definitely not throwing it into the CD player to listen to when I get in the car.

Definitely two thumbs up for Bama Breeze, Party at the End of the World, Nothin' But a Breeze, Hula Girl at Heart, Reggabilly Hill, and Breathe In, Breathe Out. All of these are very good songs with Hula Girl and Breathe In Breathe Out probably being the best of this group.

Others such as Whoop De Doo, Silver Wings, Weather With You, and Cinco De Mayo in Memphis are pretty good songs. They weren't my favorites, but I think you, the listener, will fairly enjoy them for the most part. Cinco de Mayo in Memphis is probably the best and could probably be in my top group.

The rest on the CD I could do without (Everybody's on the Phone, Wheel Inside the Wheel, Dukes on Sunday, Elvis Presley Blues). Probably the worst of them all is Wheel Inside a Wheel. Jimmy talks much of the song and the style didn't appeal to me. Dukes on Sunday was sort of dull. I've been to Dukes so I was looking forward to hearing it.

So in my opinion, some songs are very good, some are average, and some I really didn't care for at all. To me, there were more average and dull songs over the very good ones.

If you like Buffett, go buy it. I don't think you'll feel like you've wasted your money. However, I'll bet you a 6 pack you'll end up saying, "It was ok, but not great".

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great choice of cover songs and...the harmonica is back!, October 10, 2006

By 

K. Bortz "fins up!" (Delmont, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Take The Weather With You (Audio CD)

First, the songs that Jimmy has written on this album are, by far, the weakest moments on the record. There are some GREAT cover songs, including a spectacular cover of Crowded House's "Weather with You" (featuring the British electonic/hippie band Gomez on vocals, which helps cover Jimmy's lack of singing prowess). Also, Gillian Welch's "Elvis Presley Blues" is very nice, and Mary Gauthier's "Wheel Within a Wheel" is an acutal rock'n'roll JAM song about New Orleans (and it does, indeed, rock, with Jake S. playing the ukelele like a banjo and Sonny Landreth ripping on slide guitar).

The rest of the album is solid, if not remarkable, but I noticed on track 4, "Everybody's on the Phone"....that harmonica sound. Could it be??? I checked the liner notes, and yes, Greg "Fingers" Taylor is back blowing the harp. The sound that had been missing from Buffett's songs for so long is back on a couple tracks, and it is indeed a welcome sound.

So the definite high points are the 3 cover tunes mentioned above, and even though Jimmy's own songs pale in comparison, there are no real weak spots like on previous albums (Math Sucks, Simply Complicated, Mental Floss, for example). Thus, a rather solid CD with a nice blend of traditional country, alt-country, and island sounds.