A Pirate Looks at Forty

"A Pirate Looks at Forty" is a song written and performed by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was first released on his 1974 album A1A and "Presents to Send You" is the B-side of the single.

Buffett wrote the song about Phillip Clark, at the Chart Room where Buffett first performed after his move to Key West, Florida.^[1] The song contains the bittersweet confession of a modern-day, washed-up drug smuggler as he looks back on the first 40 years of his life, expresses lament that his preferred vocation of piracy was long gone by the time he was born, and ponders his future.

For radio play, the song was shortened by deleting the fourth verse for the single release. The song is one of Buffett's more popular, and is part of "The Big 8" that he has played at almost all of his concerts, and always during the second set.^[2]

Chart performance

Chart (1974)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100	1

Cover versions

Ian McNabb included a cover on his CD single "I'm Game" in 1993 which was taken from his solo album "Truth and Beauty".

Jack Johnson has been known to cover this song in many of his smaller concerts. It was officially released on the soundtrack to The September Sessions in 2002.^[3]

Roger Creager, a prominent Texas Country performer, covers this song as well and is featured on his live album Live Across Texas.

Bob Dylan and Joan Baez performed the song during their 1982 reunion performance at the Peace Sunday rally in Pasadena, California.

Notes and references

↑ "Early Daze." at CoBO.org
↑ "Songs Played the Most." at BuffettNews.org
↑ "The September Sessions." at Amazon.com

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Jimmy Buffett

Coral Reefer Band	Michael Utley Greg "Fingers" Taylor Mac McAnally Robert Greenidge Deborah McColl Jim Mayer Peter Mayer Roger Guth Ralph MacDonald

Studio albums	Down to Earth High Cumberland Jubilee A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean Living and Dying in 3/4 Time A1A Rancho Deluxe (soundtrack) Havana Daydreamin' Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes Son of a Son of a Sailor Volcano Coconut Telegraph Somewhere over China One Particular Harbour Riddles in the Sand Last Mango in Paris Floridays Hot Water Off to See the Lizard Fruitcakes Barometer Soup Banana Wind Christmas Island Don't Stop the Carnival Beach House on the Moon Far Side of the World License to Chill Take the Weather with You Buffet Hotel Songs from St. Somewhere

Live albums	You Had to Be There Feeding Frenzy Buffett Live: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays Live at Texas Stadium encores

Sound board live albums	Live in Auburn, WA Live in Las Vegas, NV Live in Mansfield, MA Live in Cincinnati, OH Live in Hawaii Live at Fenway Park Live in Anguilla

Compilation albums	Down to Earth/High Cumberland Jubilee compilations Greatest hits compilations: Songs You Know by Heart Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads (box set) A Pirate's Treasure All the Great Hits The Great Jimmy Buffett Biloxi Great American Summer Fun with Jimmy Buffett (EP) Calaloo (EP) Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection

Soundtrack, Christmas, and Musical albums	Rancho Deluxe soundtrack Christmas Island (Christmas album) Don't Stop the Carnival (musical)

Songs	"Margaritaville" "A Pirate Looks at Forty" "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" "Volcano" "Hey Good Lookin'" "Trip Around the Sun" "Sea of Heartbreak" "Come Monday" "Knee Deep" "Cheeseburger in Paradise" "Fins" "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" "Why Don't We Get Drunk" "One Particular Harbour" "Southern Cross" "Brown Eyed Girl" "Son of a Son of a Sailor" "Pencil Thin Mustache" "Grapefruit—Juicy Fruit" "Boat Drinks" "Gypsies in the Palace" "He Went to Paris" "The Great Filling Station Holdup" "Math Suks"

Videos	Live by the Bay Parrot Heads in Paradise Tales from Margaritavision Music for Montserrat Minimatinee#1 Bridge to Havana Live at Wrigley Field Live at Fenway Park Live in Anguilla

Books	The Jolly Mon Tales from Margaritaville Trouble Dolls Where Is Joe Merchant? A Novel Tale A Pirate Looks at Fifty A Salty Piece of Land Swine Not?

Commercial endeavors	Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Margaritaville Records Margaritaville merchandising Mailboat Records Cheeseburger in Paradise Restaurant Margaritaville Casino and Resort Land Shark Lager

Related articles	Discography Parrothead Radio Margaritaville Hemisphere Dancer Savannah Jane Buffett Save the Manatee Club "Margaritaville (South Park)"

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