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Segment 4, September 16th, 2023
When Jimmy Buffet passed away on September 1st of this year the entire music community mourned. This singer-songwriter, born in 1946, helped define something that’s been called tropical rock & “island escapism.” He sold over 20 million albums of his 30 released. Eight of them are certified gold and nine are platinum or multi-platinum.
He was known as an outdoorsperson. His love of surfing, fishing, & living the outdoor lifestyle were a big part of his persona & music.
In fact, it was a change to a lyric of his first Top 40 hit, “Come Monday” that helped shine a light on his love for the hiking. In fact, Buffet recognized “Come Monday” as a special song to him because of when it was written & to whom it was written. He told David Letterman in an interview that it was written to his girlfriend while he was “heading up to San Francisco for the Labor Day Weekend show.” At the time he had been away from loved ones, his dog was in the pound, & he didn’t have much money.
He was staying in a Howard Johnson’s in Mill Valley, California, and opening for Country Joe McDonald in San Anselmo, CA.
The song’s initial single release had the song’s third line, “I’ve got my hiking shoes on.” However, Buffet changed in to the now iconic, “I’ve got my Hushpuppies on” referring to the brand of leather, leisure shoes that began in 1958.
The success of that single in 1974 helped bring money, fame, & adoration that lasted throughout his career.
Inside the hiking shoe & hiking boot store, Jesse Brown’s, we think the lyric change was a good one. However, it is also nice to know that the sailor, angler, & performer, also like to wear his hiking shoes.