Description
Jimmy Buffett – A White Sport Coat And A Pink Crustacean – Vinyl Record
NEWLY REMASTERED
Back on Vinyl for the First Time in Decades!
Jimmy Buffett’s A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean, released on June 4, 1973, is the album that truly introduced the world to Buffett’s unique blend of island escapism, Gulf Coast storytelling, and sly humor. While not his debut (that would be Down to Earth in 1970), this third studio album is widely considered his breakout record, laying the foundation for the “Gulf & Western” sound and carefree persona that would define the rest of his career.
The title—a playful twist on Marty Robbins’ A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation—immediately signals Buffett’s light-hearted tone and his penchant for poking fun at traditional country tropes. Recorded in Nashville with a group of session musicians soon to be dubbed The Coral Reefer Band, the album finds Buffett at a transitional moment: still rooted in country-folk storytelling, but already drifting toward the laid-back, tropical lifestyle imagery that would become his trademark.
Musically, the album is a mixture of country, folk, and Caribbean-influenced acoustic rock, with storytelling at its center. Songs like “Grapefruit – Juicy Fruit” and “Cuban Crime of Passion” showcase his flair for character sketches and sense of place, while “Why Don’t We Get Drunk (and Screw)” became a tongue-in-cheek cult classic—controversial at the time, but undeniably part of his rebel charm. The standout “He Went to Paris” is one of the most poignant and underrated songs in Buffett’s catalog, demonstrating his ability to write with genuine emotional depth beneath the humor and margaritas.
The album also includes “Railroad Lady”, co-written with Jerry Jeff Walker, and “I Have Found Me a Home,” a gentle declaration of contentment that reflects Buffett’s growing attachment to Key West and the coastal life. The presence of steel guitar, harmonica, and simple, organic production ties the album firmly to the early ‘70s country-rock scene, but Buffett’s voice—both literal and artistic—is already heading toward the tropics.
Though A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean didn’t chart significantly upon release, its influence has only grown over time. It set the stage for Buffett’s rise as a cultural icon of escapism, eventually leading to albums like Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes and the anthemic “Margaritaville.” Today, this 1973 record stands as a seminal moment in Buffett’s transformation from Nashville songwriter to beachside philosopher, and remains essential listening for fans of his deeper cuts.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
The Great Filling Station Holdup
Railroad Lady
He Went To Paris
Grapefruit – Juicy Fruit
Cuban Crime Of Passion
Why Don’t We Get Drunk
Peanut Butter Conspiracy
They Don’t Dance Like Carmen No More
I Have Found Me A Home
My Lovely Lady
Death Of An Unpopular Poet
