Living and Dying in 3/4 Time

Jimmy Buffett

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: February 1974
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000002PBH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,169 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Jimmy Buffett's third album, Living and Dying yielded the hit single "Come Monday," which still ranks among his finest compositions. As wistful and romantic as that number may be, the dominant feeling of the album is gentle good humor, as on songs like the richly detailed "Brand New Country Star," the nostalgic "Pencil Thin Mustache," and a recitation of the Lord Buckley tall tale "God's Own Drunk." Buffett approaches country & western-style topics on "Livingston's Gone to Texas" and "Brahma Fear" without succumbing to the blandness of de rigueur Music City product. "West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown," meanwhile, has to be considered the definitive song of debutante rebellion. It's a thin field, admittedly, but a song worthy of the title nonetheless. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n Roll..., December 1, 2000

By A Customer

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CD Release Doesn't Do Justice, March 13, 2005

By	Parrot Monkey (Florida) - See all my reviews

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Songs you should know by heart, May 29, 2004

By	James Ferguson (Vilnius, Lithuania) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.