More Trivia than U ever wanted to know about Margaritaville

[rmissbrook]

I gleanned the following trivia about Margaritaville from the early recordings stored on Jokelben. These recordings are pretty sparse during the early years, so may not be completely accurate as far as when the “first” of something happened, but it was the best way I could think of to find the answers to some recent questions. Those of you who have been following Jimmy since the beginning may well have additioinal memories about when some of these “firsts” actually occurred. And this info refers only to live concerts and not any recorded material.

First Play: According to Mr. Utley in the San Diego interview on March 10, 2012, the first time Margaritaville was played was in the spring of 1976 at the Coffee House on the San Diego State Universaty campus. The song was not recorded until November, 1976.

Speed: Sung as more of a ballad through 1977. Starting in 1978 the song is sped up much more like what we hear today.

Lost Verse: Was sung starting with 10/26/76 concert through the 1978 concerts and then it disappears for years. Also, the old men in tank tops were originally looking for "seafood” not “chiquitas”.

Yes I am x2: First appeared in the 6/1/77 concert in Portland and has been pretty much a permanent refrain since then.

Bubble x4: First heard on the 6/20/78 concert in Las Angeles and with very few exceptions has also been a permanent refrain since then.

Pain/Cocaine: the last verse with “…still feel pain…wish I had some cocaine…” is used regularly through the 1981 concerts.

Broke my leg twice: First heard on the 7/29/79 concert in Berkeley.

Hang On x 3: Hang On, Hang On, Hang On was started by Jimmy in 1982. First concert on Jokelben was 6/12/82 in Irvine. Pain/Cocaine was dropped as part of the last verse and blender/render/hang on version was used from that point on until today.

Tourists/Turkeys/Parrotheads covered in oil: Through 1980 tourists were covered in oil. Starting with the 6/8/81 concert in Atlanta Turkeys were covered in oil. Finally in the April 4, 1987 concert Parrottheads were covered in oil and still are today. (In the 8/17/85 Live by the Bay concert he does sing “hang on you Parrottheads, but it is not heard again until the 1987 concert.)

Salt x3: While Salt, Salt, Salt can sort of be heard faintly in the 10/4/95 concert in Mountain View, CA, it is not until the 8/2/96 concert in Pittsburgh that it is heard again and becomes a regular part of the song, along with Hang On x 3. This seems to tie in with the time that Nadirah and Tina joined the band. By the end of 1998 it is a permanent fixture.

[surfpirate]

Ha! Good stuff rmissbrook ......

And I do remember seeing Jimmy in concert
the summer of 1978,
wearing a cast onstage ....

[Nighthawk]

Pain/Cocaine: the last verse with “…still feel pain…wish I had some cocaine…” is used regularly through the 1981 concerts.

[

This has always been my favorite add in.... Especially when he broke his leg and was in cast.

[Bicycle Bill]

Hope someone sees this ...

Since the song became a hit for Jimmy, has there ever been a concert during which he did NOT perform some version of "Margaritaville"?

-"BB"-

[jbfins]

During the first Montessori benefit show, which was just him and his guitar, we tried to get him to NOT play Margaritaville. He was shocked. He said "is this the beginning of the end?" It was funny. He played it anyway.