Take The Weather With You returns Buffett back to his country foundation with breezy ballads, interpretations of alt-country songs, a version of Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" and mariachi horns in "Cinco De Mayo In Memphis." A tribute to the historic bars along the Gulf Coast in "Bama Breeze" is flavored with sublime Southern riffs, and Buffett fulfilled a dream of playing with Mark Knopfler, who wrote and guests on "Whoop De Doo."
Buffett reinvents Mary Gauthier's "Wheel Inside The Wheel" with swampy rhythms crafted by Lafayette, Louisiana slide guitarist Sonny Landreth. "That song summed up the French Quarter when I was 18 years old," Buffett said. "Without realizing it, I went to my roots on this record. It's not a stretch for me to do country music."
On Take The Weather With You, he takes a philosophical look at the devastation of the Crescent City in the ballad "Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On," which Buffett wrote with former drummer Matt Betton. "When the storm hit New Orleans, I was performing at Wrigley Field in Chicago" said Buffett. "I go back to the emotions I was feeling on stage there during the biggest show of my life. That spilled over into this record. People still don't understand the devastation along the Gulf Coast. I was angry and started writing about it, but Matt sent me the first makings of 'Move On' and that calmed me down."
Take The Weather With You combines a variety of styles and sounds from Nashville, New Orleans and Key West. It's a smooth sail for Buffett.
- Bama Breeze
- Party At The End Of The World
- Weather With You
- Everybody's On The Phone
- Whoop De Doo
- Nothin' But A Breeze
- Cinco De Mayo In Memphis
- Reggabilly Hill
- Elvis Presley Blues
- Hula Girl At Heart
- Wheel Inside The Wheel
- Silver Wings
- Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
- Duke's On Sunday