I sort of missed the prime Jimmy Buffett years, but still grew up with his tunes blasting through the yard on weekends. He managed to sell a lifestyle along with his music that really speaks to people (and sells hamburgers at his Margaritaville chain of restaurants!). As far as marketing goes, he’s a genius.
His number one hit in all of its simple glory is, at its heart, a three chord song. Play A instead of A7 and even a beginner can strum along.
To play the picking intro, just use the thumb and index of your right hand together to pinch the strings. The thumb plays the C-string, index plays the E-string. These double-stops add harmony to a simple melody and emulate the steel drum/keyboard line at the beginning of Margaritaville.
Intro:
D G D
A |-------------------------2-2-2-------|
E |-5-5-5-3--5--5-5-5-3--5--3-3-3-5-3-2-|
C |-6-6-6-4--6--6-6-6-4--6--------6-4-2-|
G |-------------------------------------|
D
Nibblin' on sponge cake,
watchin' the sun bake;
A7
All of those tourists covered with oil.
Strummin' my six string on my front porch swing.
Smell those shrimp
D (D7)
They're beginnin' to boil.
Chorus:
G A D (D7)
Wasted away again in Margaritaville,
G A D (D7)
Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt.
G A D A G
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame,
A7 D
But I know it's nobody's fault.
D
Don't know the reason,
Stayed here all season
A7
With nothing to show but this brand new tattoo.
But it's a real beauty,
A Mexican cutie, how it got here
D (D7)
I haven't a clue.
Chorus>
D
I blew out my flip flop,
Stepped on a pop top,
A7
Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home.
But there's booze in the blender,
And soon it will render
D (D7)
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on.
Chorus>