Can you imagine a world where the soundtrack to getting absolutely hammered by the pool or sipping a drink dockside is sung by none other than Elvis Presley?
This wild story has been circulating and believed to be true by many since 2009, when Jimmy Buffett himself revealed that his 1977 hit, “Margaritaville,” was originally intended to be recorded by Presley. Somewhere, by chance in an alternate universe, the king of Rock and Roll is probably serenading the world with the yacht rock classic; however, this narrative ended up being one of Buffett’s most convincing and lingering tall tales.
According to a CMT Crossroads episode in 2009 alongside Zac Brown Band, Buffett told the audience that his fellow Mississippian, Presley, was offered the song first but never fully got the opportunity to jump on it, given he passed a few months after its February release on August 16, 1977. However, later down the line, many realized that the whole bit may have just been a joking rumor started by the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” singer.
Of course, Presley was unable to confirm or deny this story at the time, but Buffett fans quickly ran with it as the truth, especially since he said it in such a convincing manner on the CMT taping. Even John Driskell Hopkins, the bass player for the Zac Brown Band, sported some Elvis aviator shades during the show and showcased some Elvis vocals.
However, with many taking the bit a little too seriously, the mayor of Margaritaville got a bit fed up with the story. During a 60-minute interview, the mayor of Margaritaville later said, “On some days, I want to go to [the fans] and [say], ‘Get a life,’ you know? It’s just made up, you know?” Beyond being a music legend, Buffett had a pretty successful career as a three-time number one best-selling author as well. He was also a big Elvis fan, paying tribute to the king with his song “Elvis Imitators” and covering “Elvis Presley Blues.” So, given his wide imagination and Elvis ties, it makes sense why this lie ended up becoming such a convincing story.
Fable or not, it’s still pretty hilarious to imagine what Elvis’ swanky soulful “Hound Dog” voice would have sounded like singing along to the iconic chorus, “some people claim that there’s a woman to blame, but I know, it’s nobody’s fault.” Honestly, there’s real potential for that classic ’60s sound to work well with the track. Somewhere out there, there’s got to be an AI mockup of what this early rock n’ roll meets tropical paradise crossover would sound like.
Given that Buffett started writing the song in a tiny tequila bar in Austin, Texas (with the help of a margarita, of course) and later finished up in Key West, I also highly doubt he’d give up such a gem that was so uniquely him. However, it wasn’t off base for Buffett to write songs for other artists. He penned quite a few hits beyond his own, including Lefty Frizzell’s “Railroad Lady,” James Taylor’s “Sugar Trade,” and even Blake Shelton’s theme song for “Bargmageddon.”
While the late singer has always defined both himself and his fan base through a beachy, tropical, carefree lifestyle filled with tiki huts, tiny umbrella drinks, and the feeling of getting blissfully lost at sea, this track truly took it to the next level. Naturally, “Margaritaville,” since its release in February 1977, became a defining staple and famous motif of Buffett’s brand. So much so that the single off of his seventh album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, inspired a whole wave of chain restaurants, resorts, and countless marketing ventures for the Mississippi native.
With now over 240 million streams on Spotify alone, after its release, the song charted at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and peaked at #13 on the Hot Country Songs Chart, making it his highest charting solo single. While the mystery remains unsolved on this Presley-Buffett song exchange, nonetheless, take this as your sign that we’re only a few months away from peak summer margarita-sipping-Buffet-listening-sessions in his honor.