When we lost Jimmy Buffet, it struck me as it did many. I
decided as a tribute, I would write a song that maybe he would have sung had
he still been alive. It started there, but morphed into a song where he, and
snippets of his life, made it to the lyrics. I thought Key West was a great place to start.

The Boca Chica lounge (closed in 1989) was listed as one of the10 most
notorious bars in the south. The bio said even the cops felt out gunned.
Jimmy used to live in an apartment out back and played there many times.

Lyrics

Verse 1: There’s a place where history was made, not exactly in a good way
Pirate ships called it home… important novels were born
People just can’t stay away
Yeah, it used to be called Bone Island, but that’s not its claim to fame
It’s got stories to tell and more hell to raise
Key West is a much better name

Chorus 1: Jimmy’s still lookin’ for that shaker of salt
Hemmingway’s gonna finish that book
At night pirate ghosts, still frequent the bars
Paying with silver doubloons
Bottles of rum mix with nighttime fun
Buried treasure from Ol’ Captain Kidd
All the crazy things that could happen
In Key West, they already did

Verse 2: Boca Chica lounge’s where many a night, ended before it began
Not sayin’ its rough, it’s a hell of a ride
I’m sure all those rumors are lies
Go deep in your pockets for the good stuff or take a chance on what the hell’s in that jar
Sleep it off on the porch in a hammock
After you get a tattoo at the bar

Chorus 2: Yeah, Jimmy’s still lookin’ for that shaker of salt
Hemmingway’s gonna finish that book
At night pirate ghosts, still frequent the bars
Paying with silver doubloons
Bottles of rum mix with nighttime fun
Buried treasure from Ol’ Captain Kidd
All the crazy things that could happen
In Key West, they already did

Bridge: Parties move through the streets
Palm trees sway in the breeze
If you make it ‘til midnight,
Hear everyone cheer
When the ghosts of dead pirates appear

Alt Chorus: If a pirate ghost named Jimmy, shows up looking for a shaker of salt
Buy him a drink and say thanks from us all, for all those great songs that he wrote
The reason I know he’ll visit again, is he left his blender behind

Outro: One more Ode to Key West, one more legend to tell
I can’t believe he left that blender behind