To a lonely island in a very special place
An atoll with a blue lagoon, a point break full of grace
Lava flows from long ago, bubble up this place
Ou la
Ou lé
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Ou lé
And thank the Lord for a watering hole open night and day
Where buccaneers can sip their rum in the old Ti Punch Cafe
Above the entrance curtain hangs a well-used frying pan
The owner's not the Aga Khan, it is the Jolly Mon!
Ou la
Ou lé
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Houéssivo lo dji houé, minbi nin djawa loo
Houéssivo lo dji houé é minbi nin wa douwé loo
Houéssivo lo dji houé, mnibi nin djawa loo
Houéssivo lo dji houé é
I scoped the sky for passersby, Jolly Mon planned the trip
From the Pleiades, Desdemona came in her rocket ship
Eddie brought them burgers, Banky brought his band
And the Little Prince said, "Tout le monde" did the begune in the sand
Ou la
Ou lé
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Now the party's done, fun tickets gone, we sang and loved and hoped
And I woke up back in twenty, beneath my teloscope
Galaxies and nautilus shells look the same to me
So ask yourself this question, "How couldn't it be?"
Ou la
Ou lé
Ou la
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Ou la
Ou lé
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Ou lé
Ou la
Ou lé
Ou la
James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter. He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapism" and promoted enjoying life and following passions. Buffett recorded many hit songs, including those known as "The Big 8": "Margaritaville" (1977), which is ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century"; "Come Monday" (1974); "Fins" (1979); "Volcano" (1979); "A Pirate Looks at Forty" (1974); "Cheeseburger in Paradise" (1978); "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (1973); and "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" (1977). His other popular songs include "Son of a Son of a Sailor" (1978), "One Particular Harbour" (1983), and "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Alan Jackson (2003). Buffett formed the Coral Reefer Band in 1975.
Of the over 30 albums released by Buffett, eight are certified gold and nine are certified platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA. In total, Buffett sold over 20 million certified records worldwide, placing him amongst the world's best-selling music artists. In addition to two Grammy Award nominations, Buffett will be posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category in 2024.
Buffett also parlayed the "island escapism" lifestyle of his music into several business ventures, including Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant chain, the now-defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain, and ventures in hotels, casinos, liquor, and retirement communities. Buffett was one of the world's richest musicians, with a net worth of $1 billion. He was also a bestselling author. His devoted fan base are known as "Parrotheads".
