Hot Water is the sixteenth studio album by American popular music singer-songwriter
Jimmy Buffett. It was released in June 1988 by
MCA 42093 and was produced by
Coral Reefer Band members
Michael Utley,
Russell Kunkel, and
Ralph MacDonald.[1] The album was engineered and mixed by
Jay Rifkin. The album was Jimmy's first album recorded at his new studio in Key West, Florida called Shrimpboat Sound.[3] The LP continues Buffett's use of a wide variety of
musical instruments than was typical for Buffett's earlier works, notably
horns and percussion. Buffett shaved off his trademark mustache for the album.
Songs
All but two of the album's songs were written or co-written by Buffett. The other two songs are
cover songs: "Great Heart" originally by South African
Johnny Clegg and Savuka and "L'Air de la Louisiane" by
Jesse Winchester, one of several Buffett covers of Winchester songs recorded throughout his career. "L'Air de la Louisiane" An admitted francophile, Buffett has sung several songs in French. The album's Final Song, "That's What Living is to Me" references Mark Twain's Travelogue "
Following the Equator" and Jimmy often included praise and recommendation of the book when introducing live performances of the song.
The Neville Brothers – background vocals on "Bring Back the Magic", "Great Heart", "Homemade Music", "My Barracuda", "Smart Woman (In a Real Short Skirt)"
James Taylor – background vocals on "Prince of Tides", "Pre-You", "Great Heart", "L'Air de la Louisiane"
Rita Coolidge – background vocals on "Bring Back the Magic"
Singles
"Homemade Music" b/w "L'Air de la Louisiane" (Released on
MCA 53360 in May 1988)
"Bring Back The Magic" b/w "That's What Living Is To Me" (Released on
MCA 53396 in August 1988)
Tour
1988 brought yet another summer tour, this time to promote the Hot Water album, with all the usual stops.[4]
1988 Coral Reefer Band
Jimmy Buffett: Vocals and guitar
Tim Krekel: Guitar
Tim Drummond: Bass
Matt Betton: Drums
Michael Utley: Keyboards
Vince Melamed: Organ
Greg “Fingers” Taylor: Harmonica and background Vocals
Sam Clayton: Congas
Robert Greenidge: Steel Drums
Wayne Jackson: Horns
Andrew Love: Horns
Marshall Chapman: Vocals
Set list
Towards the beginning of the tour, the set list was a bit different than the majority of the tour with "
Son of a Son of a Sailor" as the opener and "
Margaritaville" as the set closer. For most of the tour, however, the
Mac McAnally cover "It's My Job" opened the show and "
Where's the Party" closed the set. "
Fins" was the show closer pretty much every night, with the exception of
Van Morrison's "
Brown Eyed Girl" closing the
Kings Dominion show on the
fourth of July, its only known appearance of the tour.
^
abMacDonald produced the songs "Pre-You", "King of Somewhere Hot", and "That's What Living Is to Me." Utley and Kunkel produced the remainder together.