What's wrong with Jimmy Buffett? - Beyond Tiki

J johntiki Member MD Joined: Mar 31, 2002 Posts: 1528	J johntiki Posted posted on Thu, May 16, 2002 9:13 AM In my opinion there are different tropical motifs and styles that by themselves stand up pretty well and can be enjoyed on their own levels but should NOT be combined. When I first started building my tiki bar the uninitiated began fantasizing about sitting down, having a cocktail and listening to reggae music! I was quick to point out that they would never hear reggae music in my tiki bar. I am a huge reggae fan and have a ridiculously large collection of music but the two genres will never mix! For one thing, the revolutionary messages and songs of hardship and suffering do not belong in the same place with a tropical fantasy paradise. I guess that just goes to show that most people assume reggae is always happy music with happy themes - the rythmns and tunes are uplifting but its all in the lyrics. I remember once in college, I was a devote reggae enthusiast and champion of human rights and equality and a guy in one of my classes asked me if I was going to see Buffet that weekend. What?? Why the hell would I want to hear about Cheeseburgers in Paradise or Wasting Away in Margaritaville??? Well anyway, I digress... Here's my point...reggae music would be at home in a tropical bar that is going for a Caribbean theme not a Tiki bar. The same goes for Jimmy Buffet - if I was building a Key West themed bar with parrots and Ernest Hemingway morif, ole Jimmy would be fine but not in a Tiki bar. If I was building a Mexican themed bar with sombreros and bullfight posters - mariachi music would be great - but not a Tiki bar. The same goes for a the recently popular Cuban themed joints! Believe me, I enjoy all of those things on their own individual levels. There is a place in Ocean City Maryland called Seacrets that sticks to the Jamaican theme 100% and I love the place! I would be lying if I said that Jimmy Buffet didn't sound great while sitting at Sloppy Joe's in Key West, or mariachi doesn't sound sweet at a well-done family owned Mexican restaurant, or Afro-Cuban All-Stars doesn't sound wonderful while sipping a Mojito and enjoying a cigar. They are great on their own individual levels!! I have found that the problem with most restaurants and bars that go with a tropical motif is that everything is bastardized! In my opinion it makes things less authentic or special and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. How many times on the East Coast (fellow east coast Tiki Centralites know what I'm talking about) has something been proclaimed a tiki bar when it is nothing more than a thatched bar serving up $1.00 Budweiser longnecks, margaritas from a Slurpee machine, clientele looking for their next sexual conquest and blasting that southern twanged Jimmy Buffet from every available speaker. It needs to stop! If its called a tiki bar than damnit, make it a tiki bar!! No reggae, no Jimmy Buffet, no mariachi, no Cuban music, no dance music, no Guns and Roses nothing but the soothing artificial Polynesian lull of exotica and the caressing embrace of tikis. Keep it real! Johntiki :drink:

In my opinion there are different tropical motifs and styles that by themselves stand up pretty well and can be enjoyed on their own levels but should NOT be combined.

When I first started building my tiki bar the uninitiated began fantasizing about sitting down, having a cocktail and listening to reggae music! I was quick to point out that they would never hear reggae music in my tiki bar. I am a huge reggae fan and have a ridiculously large collection of music but the two genres will never mix! For one thing, the revolutionary messages and songs of hardship and suffering do not belong in the same place with a tropical fantasy paradise. I guess that just goes to show that most people assume reggae is always happy music with happy themes - the rythmns and tunes are uplifting but its all in the lyrics. I remember once in college, I was a devote reggae enthusiast and champion of human rights and equality and a guy in one of my classes asked me if I was going to see Buffet that weekend. What?? Why the hell would I want to hear about Cheeseburgers in Paradise or Wasting Away in Margaritaville??? Well anyway, I digress...

Here's my point...reggae music would be at home in a tropical bar that is going for a Caribbean theme not a Tiki bar. The same goes for Jimmy Buffet - if I was building a Key West themed bar with parrots and Ernest Hemingway morif, ole Jimmy would be fine but not in a Tiki bar. If I was building a Mexican themed bar with sombreros and bullfight posters - mariachi music would be great - but not a Tiki bar. The same goes for a the recently popular Cuban themed joints!

Believe me, I enjoy all of those things on their own individual levels. There is a place in Ocean City Maryland called Seacrets that sticks to the Jamaican theme 100% and I love the place! I would be lying if I said that Jimmy Buffet didn't sound great while sitting at Sloppy Joe's in Key West, or mariachi doesn't sound sweet at a well-done family owned Mexican restaurant, or Afro-Cuban All-Stars doesn't sound wonderful while sipping a Mojito and enjoying a cigar. They are great on their own individual levels!!

I have found that the problem with most restaurants and bars that go with a tropical motif is that everything is bastardized! In my opinion it makes things less authentic or special and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. How many times on the East Coast (fellow east coast Tiki Centralites know what I'm talking about) has something been proclaimed a tiki bar when it is nothing more than a thatched bar serving up $1.00 Budweiser longnecks, margaritas from a Slurpee machine, clientele looking for their next sexual conquest and blasting that southern twanged Jimmy Buffet from every available speaker. It needs to stop! If its called a tiki bar than damnit, make it a tiki bar!! No reggae, no Jimmy Buffet, no mariachi, no Cuban music, no dance music, no Guns and Roses nothing but the soothing artificial Polynesian lull of exotica and the caressing embrace of tikis.

Keep it real!
Johntiki :drink:

Post #1521 by johntiki on Thu, May 16, 2002 9:13 AM