Buffett began playing guitar during his first year at Auburn University before continuing his college years at Pearl River Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi. He began his musical career in Nashville, Tennessee, during the late 1960s as a country artist and recorded his first album, the country-tinged folk rock record "Down to Earth" in 1970.
Moving to FLorida, Buffett's second release was 1973's A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean. Albums Living & Dying in 3/4 Time and A1A both followed in 1974, Havana Daydreamin' appeared in 1976, and Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes followed in 1977, which featured the breakthrough hit song "Margaritaville".
Buffett's album License to Chill, released on July 13, 2004, topped the U.S. pop albums chart for the first time in his career.
Buffett continued to tour regularly until shortly before his death, although later in his career, he shifted to a more relaxed schedule of around 20–30 dates, with infrequent back-to-back nights, preferring to play only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This schedule provided the title of his 1999 live album.
In August 2006, he released the album Take the Weather with You.
On April 20, 2010, a double CD of performances recorded during the 2008 and 2009 tours, called Encores, was released.
In 2020, Buffett released Songs You Don't Know by Heart, a fan-curated collection of his lesser-known songs rerecorded on his collection of notable guitars.
Illness and death:
In May 2023, Buffett was hospitalized to "address some issues that needed immediate attention" and rescheduled tour dates. In late August, he entered hospice care and had a final meeting with family and friends, in which his last words to his sister were "have fun". Buffett died on September 1, 2023, age 76, at his home in Sag Harbor, New York, due to complications from Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer, with which he had been diagnosed four years earlier. He was surrounded by his family, friends, music, and dogs at the time of his death.
Mañana
Jimmy Buffett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So goddamn cold, it's gonna snow until June
Yeah, they're freezin' up in Buffalo, stuck in their cars
And I'm lyin' here 'neath the sun and the stars"
Customs man tell her that she's gotta leave
She's got a plan hidden up her shrewd sleeve
Wants to find her a captain, a man of strong mind
So please don't say mañana if you don't mean it
I have heard those words for so very long
Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up being wrong
I tried and I tried but I don't understand
Never seemed to work out the way I had it planned
Hangin' out in a marina when Steve Martin called
Singin', "Anybody there really want to get small?"
But women and water are in short supply
There's not enough dope for us all to get high
I hear it gets better, that's what they say
As soon as we sail on to Cane Garden Bay
So please don't say mañana if you don't mean it
I have heard your lines foe so very long
Don't try to describe the scenery if you've never seen it
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up in my song
Alright, let's reggae, Reefers
Called all my friends on those cheap nightly rates
Sure was good to talk to the old United States
While the lights of St. Thomas lie twenty miles west
I see General Electric's still doing their best
I've got to head this boat south pretty soon
New album's old and I'm fresh out of tunes
But I know that I'll get 'em, I know that they'll come
Through the people and places and Callwood's Rum
So please don't say mañana if you don't mean it (don't mean it)
I have done your lines for so very long
Don't try to describe a Kiss concert if you've never seen it
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up being gonged
And I hope Anita Bryant never ever does one of my songs
No, no, no
The song "Mañana" tells the story of a woman who is hesitant to return to the cold weather of America and has a plan to find herself a captain and sail to wherever the wind takes them. The singer encourages her not to make empty promises and to choose her words carefully. Throughout the song, the singer also reflects on his own experiences on a boat, trying to write new songs and enjoying the warmer weather. Despite his own struggles, he hopes to meet new people and find inspiration for his songs.
The chorus of the song serves as a warning against making false promises and assumptions about things that one has never experienced. The singer warns against using the word "mañana" or "tomorrow" if you don't really mean it. He also advises against trying to describe something like the ocean or a concert if you haven't truly seen it or experienced it firsthand. This line of thinking reflects the larger theme of the song, which is about seeking true experiences and not just empty promises.
Overall, "Mañana" is a song that celebrates the joys of travel and adventure, but also warns against the dangers of making false promises or assumptions about the world around us. Through the story of the woman seeking a captain and the singer's own experiences on a boat, the song encourages listeners to seek out new experiences and perspectives, but to do so with a sense of honesty and humility.
Line by Line Meaning
She said I can't go back to America soon
She shared that she cannot return to America anytime soon
It's so goddamn cold it's gonna snow until June
She expressed her concern over the extremely cold weather in America, which she believes will last till June
Yeah, they're freezin' up in Buffalo stuck in their cars
People in Buffalo are freezing in their cars due to the cold weather
And I'm lyin' here 'neath the sun and the stars
The artist is resting under the sun and stars, in a comparatively warmer place
Customs man tell her that she's gotta leave
The customs official informed the woman that she has to leave
She's got a plan hidden up her shrewd sleeve
She has a cunning plan up her sleeves
Wants to find her a captain, a man of strong mind
She desires to find a strong-willed captain
And any direction he blows will be fine
She is content with any route the captain wants to take
Chorus: Please don't say manana if you don't mean it
The artist requests not to be lied to about the word 'tomorrow'
I have heard those words for so very long
The artist has heard such empty promises for a long time
Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it
The singer warns against describing something without experiencing it first-hand
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up being wrong
The artist warns about the danger of being mistaken
Tried and I tried but I don't understand
The singer is struggling to grasp a situation
Never seems to work out the way I had it planned
Things never seem to turn out according to the singer's plans
Hanging out at a marina when Steve Martin called
The singer was at a marina when Steve Martin contacted them
Singin' anybody there really want to get small
Steve Martin asked if anyone wanted to unwind or loosen up
But women and water are in short supply
There is a shortage of women and water around
There's not enough dope for us all to get high
There are not sufficient drugs for everyone to get high
I hear it gets better, that's what they say
The singer has heard that things get better with time
As soon as we sail on to Cane Garden Bay
The situation is expected to improve once they reach their next destination
Chorus: Please don't say manana if you don't mean it
The artist repeats their request not to be misled
I have heard your lines foe so very long
The artist has heard these fake lines for a while now
Don't try to describe the scenery if you've never seen it
The warning against describing without first-hand experience is reiterated
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up in my song
The artist warns that people are likely to appear in their songs
Called all my friends on those cheap nightly rates
The singer contacted their friends using affordable night rates
Sure was good to talk to the old United States
They enjoyed speaking to people back in the United States
While the lights of St. Thomas lie twenty miles west
St. Thomas island's lights can be seen from where the singer is, 20 miles towards the west
I see General Electric's still doing their best
The artist observes that General Electric is working as hard as ever
I've got to head this boat south pretty soon
The artist needs to sail the boat south soon
New album's old and I'm fresh out of tunes
The singer has a new album but has run out of songs to perform
But I know that I'll get 'em, I know that they'll come
The singer is confident that they will come up with new songs
Through the people and places and Caldwood's Rum
The inspiration for new songs will come from people, places and Rum
Chorus: So please don't say manana if you don't mean it
The artist reiterates their request not to be lied to about the word 'tomorrow'
I have done your lines for so very long
The artist has been entangled in these insincere promises for a long time
Don't try to describe a Kiss concert if you've never seen it
The warning against talking about unexperienced things is reiterated
Don't ever forget that you just may wind up being gone
The artist warns that someone's influence may stop being felt
And I hope Anita Bryant never does one of my songs
The singer hopes Anita Bryant, who they dislike, never sings their song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jimmy Buffett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind