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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "Buffett" complete with all the trimmings!, July 13, 2001
"A1A" features some mighty fine classic Jimmy Buffett-styled songwriting with a little bit of that ol' Buffett humor interspersed throughout each and every track. A prime example is "Door Number Three" - a song about the long lost game show "Let's Make A Deal". Gee, I hope Monty Hall's all right, after Jimmy got through with him! Of the few less humorous songs on "A1A", "A Pirate Looks At Forty" is probably the most prospective, and is a companion song both musically and lyrically to "The Captain And The Kid, from "Havana Daydreamin'". "Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season" has its wonderfully tense moments, as the citizens of the island of Kaua'i have been in the same situation with Iniki in '92. With "A1A", Buffett still finds himself in his country phase, and the rest of the songs here are fine compositions as well. Pretty much from this point forward, Buffett would delve into more Caribbean influences in further developing his sound, which would net him a new "flock" of fans known as "ParrotHeads". If you're unable to make it down to Key West, just play "A1A" on your stereo, fill a "Tin Cup Chalice" with good red wine, or fire up some lime daiquiris in the ol' blender, whichever you prefer, chew on some honeysuckle, and you'll think you're in paradise, on the beach, away from your hectic and hurry world. With "A1A", you'll never have to worry about this "Buffett" filling you up. You can come back for more...and more... and more... Once you're in paradise, you'll never want to leave. Take that trip down "A1A" real soon! Can't you just feel the wind at your back, with the sun in your eyes?
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the quintessential Buffett Record, July 9, 2002
I have bought (and subsequently lost, broke, or Lord knows what) many Buffett records, but the only one I keep in my collection through it all is this one. Here is Buffett the southern boy with a knack for country western songs who wandered too far south in Florida one day as a young man, discovered rum, sand, sun, boats, and women (in some mixed up order) and ...Buffett has had some low points, some commercial points, some high points, but on this record we find Buffett the 20-something singer-songwriter at his best: one foot in Alabama, one foot on a caribean island... sometimes nostalgic, sometimes wild and crazy, but sincere through it all.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Classic Buffett Album, July 4, 2005
I thought about the title of the review, because you could say the same for "Livin' & Dyin'," and "Changes in Latitudes.' In fact, I would say "Changes in Latitudes" was his most important work, but A-1-A really was the album that showed he was an exceptional talent. Or something like that. You couldn't quite figure out what his music was, exactly; you just knew it was damned good.
It's kind of ironic, too, because the opening cut on side one, "Making Music for Money," is kind of the antithesis of what he's become, musically speaking. But you can't blame a guy for giving the people -- er, ah, the "Parrotheads," that is -- what they want. What the hell, it's hard to duplicate your best work, just like it's hard to duplicate the best of anything you've ever done. We all chase that high, though, don't we?
In any case, this album has some of his best-ever tunes, such as "A Pirate Looks at Forty," "Migration," and "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season." Side one has a bunch of sleepers on it that you never hear in concerts, but "Makin' Music for Money," "Dallas," and "Stories We Could Tell," are terrific, too.
There isn't a weak cut on the album, period. The musicians -- among them, Nashville studio vets Reggie Young (great guitar work -- check out the into to "Door Number Three"), Doyle Gresham (pedal steel -- the guy who really helped Jimmy make his signature sound), Tommy Cogbill and Sammy Creason -- and of course, Mr. Utley -- all make big contributions. And you've got to give major kudos to producer Don Gant, too, who seemed to be the man behind his great early stuff.
This album captures the basically unclassifiable aspect of Jimmy Buffett's music. Country? Rock? Who knew, but hey, it sounded good and that was the point. Then you listened to the lyrics closely and you realized this was a guy with more than just a good time on his mind.
I wore out two vinyl copies of this album. I didn't get tired of it for years. I still listen to it occasionally and even though the tunes are more than 30 years old, they still sound good -- even though the fictional "pirate" now approaches 70. YIKE!
"White Sport Coat," was fun, catchy and interesting. "Livin' & Dyin'" showed us this guy was for real. It all came together for Buffett on "A-1-A."
Five stars.
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~ Jimmy Buffett
~ Jimmy Buffett
~ Jimmy Buffett
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