Fins (song)
Encyclopedia
"Fins" is a song performed by American
popular music singer-songwriter
Jimmy Buffett
. It was written by Buffett, Coral Reefer Band
members Deborah McColl and Barry Chance, and author Tom Corcoran. It was released as a single
(b/w "Dreamsicle") on MCA
41109 in July 1979.
It was first released on his 1979
album Volcano
. It reached #35 on the Billboard Hot 100
and #42 on the Easy Listening
chart.
The title refers to the fin
s of metaphorical shark
s, i.e. "land sharks," men who attempt to pick up the woman who is the subject of the song. She is said to feel like a remora
due to the proximity of the predators.
"Fins" is one of Buffett's more popular songs with fans, and is part of "The Big 8" that he has played at almost all of his concerts. Recorded live versions of the song appear on Feeding Frenzy
, Buffett Live: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
, and the video Live by the Bay
. Buffett usually begins the song with a few bars of the "Main Title
" theme from the movie Jaws
. Concertgoers typically respond to the chorus
line of "fins to the left, fins to the right" by extending their arms above their heads in a fin shape and moving them from left to right. Fin and shark themes have become a prominent part of parrothead (Buffett fan) clothing and gear and feature in several of Buffett's commercial ventures such as Land Shark Lager beer.
In 2009, Buffett wrote new lyrics to the song for the Miami Dolphins
football team. The song is played during home games at Sun Life Stadium, and is used in tandem with the Dolphins' fight song after every touchdown the team scores.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular music singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
. It was written by Buffett, Coral Reefer Band
Coral Reefer Band
The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Originally it was a fictional band consisting of the imaginary members Marvin Gardens, Kay Pasa, Al Vacado and Kitty Litter....
members Deborah McColl and Barry Chance, and author Tom Corcoran. It was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
(b/w "Dreamsicle") on MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
41109 in July 1979.
It was first released on his 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
album Volcano
Volcano (Jimmy Buffett album)
Volcano is the 10th studio album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and is his 11th overall. It was released in May 1979 as MCA 5102 and was his first release on that label after its absorption of ABC Dunhill....
. It reached #35 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and #42 on the Easy Listening
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
chart.
The title refers to the fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
s of metaphorical shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s, i.e. "land sharks," men who attempt to pick up the woman who is the subject of the song. She is said to feel like a remora
Remora
The remora , sometimes called a suckerfish or sharksucker, is an elongated, brown fish in the order Perciformes and family Echeneidae...
due to the proximity of the predators.
"Fins" is one of Buffett's more popular songs with fans, and is part of "The Big 8" that he has played at almost all of his concerts. Recorded live versions of the song appear on Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live!
Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live! is a live album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was initially released in October 1990 as MCA 10022...
, Buffett Live: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
Buffett Live: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
Buffett Live - Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays is a live album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was released on November 9, 1999. The album's material was culled from several concerts during the Don't Stop That Carnival Tour and Beach House on the Moon Tour ...
, and the video Live by the Bay
Live by the Bay
Live by the Bay is a live video by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was initially released in 1985 by MCA Entertainment. The 87-minute video was recorded from back to back concerts in Miami on August 16th and 17th 1985 at Miami Marine Stadium and is the first concert...
. Buffett usually begins the song with a few bars of the "Main Title
Jaws (soundtrack)
The original soundtrack for Jaws was released by MCA in 1975, and as a CD in 1992, including roughly a half hour of music that John Williams redid for the album...
" theme from the movie Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
. Concertgoers typically respond to the chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
line of "fins to the left, fins to the right" by extending their arms above their heads in a fin shape and moving them from left to right. Fin and shark themes have become a prominent part of parrothead (Buffett fan) clothing and gear and feature in several of Buffett's commercial ventures such as Land Shark Lager beer.
In 2009, Buffett wrote new lyrics to the song for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team. The song is played during home games at Sun Life Stadium, and is used in tandem with the Dolphins' fight song after every touchdown the team scores.
Chart performance
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 42 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 64 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 35 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 62 |
External links
- Lyrics at BuffettWorld.com