Havana Daydreamin'
Jimmy Buffett Lyrics
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Bought a good suit of clothes
Flew on up to Mexico standin' by the shore
Waiting for some mystery man
To pay him for his time
Thinkin' about all the money he'd made
Couldn't help to ease his mind
Havana daydreamin'
Daddy shucked that sugar cane
One day he fell dead
Jesus had a wanderin' feelin'
Swimming around in his head
Sailin' on a midnight boat
There were no questions asked
Water's so green and the air was so clean
That he stuck right to his task
Havana daydreamin'
Oh he's just schemin' his life away
Ceilin' fan stirs the air
Cigar smoke did swirl
A fragrance on the pillow case
And he thinks about the girl
Spillin' wine and sharin' good time
She sure could make him smile
He pays her well but what the hell
He'll be movin' in a little while
Havana daydreamin'
Oh he'll be dreamin' his life away
Havana daydreamin'
Oh he'll be dreamin' his life away
The song Havana Daydreamin' by Jimmy Buffett tells the story of a man who has made a lot of money, but is still not content with his life. He has traveled from Ecuador to Mexico awaiting a mysterious man to pay him for his time, and is lost in his thoughts about his wealth. The lyrics “Havana daydreamin’, oh he’s just dreamin’ his life away” portray the man’s desire for a better life as he is looking for an escape from his current situation. He is not satisfied with his life, and it is as if he is waiting for something to happen, a change, however small, that can bring him closer to his dreams.
The second verse of the song alludes to the main character's history and his family. His father was a sugar cane farmer who died one day, while he struggles to find his own path in life. The lyrics "Jesus had a wanderin' feelin' swimmin' around in his head" could imply that the main character himself is looking for something to fill the void in his life, much like a character searching for a higher power. The man's dreams of escaping to Havana to be with a woman who makes him smile further suggest that he is searching for love and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Stashed his trash in Ecuador
He left his belongings behind in Ecuador before moving on.
Bought a good suit of clothes
He purchased some nice clothes for his next adventure.
Flew on up to Mexico standin' by the shore
He flew to Mexico and stood by the beach.
Waiting for some mystery man
He was waiting for someone he didn't know.
To pay him for his time
He was waiting to be paid for his services.
Thinkin' about all the money he'd made
He was reflecting on the money he had earned.
Couldn't help to ease his mind
Even though he had made money, it didn't make him worry any less.
Havana daydreamin'
He was lost in thought about Havana.
Oh he's just dreamin' his life away
He spends too much of his life daydreaming.
Daddy shucked that sugar cane
His dad worked on a sugar cane farm.
One day he fell dead
His dad died suddenly.
Jesus had a wanderin' feelin'
He compares himself to Jesus, who was restless.
Swimming around in his head
He was constantly trying to come up with new ideas and plans.
Sailin' on a midnight boat
He was traveling by boat at night.
There were no questions asked
He had no trouble traveling unnoticed.
Water's so green and the air was so clean
The water and air were very beautiful and refreshing.
That he stuck right to his task
He remained focused on what he needed to do.
Havana daydreamin'
He was still lost in thought about Havana.
Oh he's just schemin' his life away
He was constantly planning and scheming.
Ceilin' fan stirs the air
The fan on the ceiling is blowing the air around.
Cigar smoke did swirl
Smoke from his cigar filled the air.
A fragrance on the pillow case
The pillowcase smelled nice.
And he thinks about the girl
He was remembering a girl he had spent time with.
Spillin' wine and sharin' good time
They had enjoyed each other's company while sharing a bottle of wine.
She sure could make him smile
She had a way of making him happy.
He pays her well but what the hell
He was willing to spend a lot of money on her.
He'll be movin' in a little while
He knew he wouldn't be staying in one place for very long.
Havana daydreamin'
He was still daydreaming about Havana.
Oh he'll be dreamin' his life away
He'll continue to spend too much of his life lost in thought.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jimmy Buffett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind