Jimmy Buffett - Ballad Of Spider John

Jimmy Buffett performs 'Ballad of Spider John' November 4, 2000 in East Hampton, NY at a special acoustic show. This entire concert will be posted on JimmyDreamz.com in late March 2009. Stay tuned!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jimmy buffett
• buffett
• acoustic
• corona
• landshark
• tequila
• parrothead
• jimmydreamz
• beach

[peteberwick]

Lyrically this song is brilliant, and that's why Jimmy recorded it, being a brilliant songwriter himself. Willis Allan Ramsey is living proof that the greatest artists never become household names.

[netw52]

As much as I love Jimmy Buffett - and I do love Jimmy - he really doesn't really come close to delivering the lyrics. I saw Willis Alan this summer. He opened the second half of the show with this and it was very, very special. No one moved.

[fearthetube]

he sings it differently on the JB box set...I like both versions, depending on my mood, although the original gets the nod. What's a motor bank stool pidgeon though? that one stumped me

[syntonik]

@davemann36

He does make a lot of his own music, however, he has remade some classics, such as this. Some others that come to mind is Van Morrison's classic "Brown Eyed Girl", Patsy Cline's "She's Got You" and even one of Grateful Dead's songs, "Uncle John's Band". Almost all singers do this these days, but I see it as kind of a challenge to put their own style into a song sung by vocalists with a far different style. No disrespect to JB, as he gives credit where due.

[nootaramus]

this is a great song but not an easy song to sing- the lyrics don't rhyme exactly. and JB labors a bit to sing it...course most of the audience is drunk and doesn't care if he misses here and there.

willis allen ramsey has a better voice and is the only one who can do it right..and probably the only one who understands all the lyrics.

[00kell]

A lady from TX told me about hanging out with JB and WAR during the 70's. This was her favorite song and the stories she had were amazing. She passed away about a week after the Frisco, TX show. One of my favorites....

FINZUP

[jbails007]

He definitely messed up.

[bluesky8921]

Jimmy sounds a lot better in this setting than he does electric with his band on tour.

The singing sounds better than what I've heard him do lately.

[JaydaBurnanator]

@daveman36

Are you being facetious? He didn't create this. Not the lyrics, music, not even the cadence. This is Willis Alan Ramsey. From the so titled album, the only one he made. JB stole this and ruined it in this rendition.

[davemann36]

I almost forgot how much I love Jimmy Buffet when he just plays and sings with no acompaniment. The thing I like the most is that he creates everything, lyrics and music...all by himself. Rare these days.

[bc78260]

Willis Alan is a household name around my home..........And has been for about 37 years !!