Riddles in the Sand
Encyclopedia
Riddles in the Sand is the 14th studio album
by American
popular music singer-songwriter
Jimmy Buffett
. It was released in September 1984
as MCA
5512 and was produced by noted country music
producer Jimmy Bowen
and represented a concerted shift toward a more country sound by Buffett. He appeared on the album's cover in typical country singer garb and promoted the album at Fan Fair
country music festival in Nashville, Tennessee
. The album was originally to have been titled Gulf and Western Music reflecting the fusion of musical styles seen in much of Buffett's music often called gulf and western music. In the album's liner notes, Jim Harrison says, "This album has a musical range expanding in an arc from Bob Wills
to Bob Marley
with the Gulf
somehow always there."
and Michael Utley
(one also with Josh Leo
) except for a song by Mac McAnally
and one by Rhonda Coullet. The album's final song, "La Vie Dansante," was later remade by Aaron Neville
for his 1991 album Warm Your Heart. That version contained an added background chorus in French
. Buffett recorded a new version of "Knees of My Heart" for his 2003 greatest hits
collection Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection
.
album chart and #18 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The song "When the Wildlife Betrays Me" hit #42 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, "Who's the Blonde Stranger?" hit #37 Country, and "Bigger Than the Both of Us" hit #58 Country.
Side 2:
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
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 released in September 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
as 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...
5512 and was produced by noted country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
producer Jimmy Bowen
Jimmy Bowen
Jimmy Bowen is an American record producer and former pop music performer.Bowen was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico. He began as a teenage recording star in 1957 with "I'm Stickin' With You," originally the flip side of the hit record "Party Doll" by Buddy Knox, but ultimately a Top 20 recording...
and represented a concerted shift toward a more country sound by Buffett. He appeared on the album's cover in typical country singer garb and promoted the album at Fan Fair
CMA Music Festival
The CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered around country music hosted each June by the Country Music Association in Nashville, Tennessee...
country music festival in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The album was originally to have been titled Gulf and Western Music reflecting the fusion of musical styles seen in much of Buffett's music often called gulf and western music. In the album's liner notes, Jim Harrison says, "This album has a musical range expanding in an arc from Bob Wills
Bob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
to Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
with the Gulf
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
somehow always there."
Songs
The album is the first of Buffett's not to contain a song written solely by him; he co-wrote all of the songs with Will JenningsWill Jennings
Wilbur H. "Will" Jennings is an American songwriter who is popularly known for writing the lyrics for "My Heart Will Go On", the theme for the film Titanic .-Life and education:...
and Michael Utley
Michael Utley
Michael Utley, often credited as Mike Utley, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. He is the musical director of the band...
(one also with Josh Leo
Josh Leo
Josh Leo is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer active in Nashville, Tennessee.Leo was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1973, he moved to Chicago, Illinois and subsequently became a guitarist of the short-lived Eddie Boy Band...
) except for a song by Mac McAnally
Mac McAnally
Lyman Corbitt "Mac" McAnally, Jr. is an American country music singer-songwriter, session musician and record producer. In his career, he has recorded ten studio albums and eight singles. Two of his singles were hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and six more on the Hot Country Songs charts...
and one by Rhonda Coullet. The album's final song, "La Vie Dansante," was later remade by Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville is an American soul and R&B singer and musician. He has had four top-20 hits in the United States along with four platinum-certified albums...
for his 1991 album Warm Your Heart. That version contained an added background chorus in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. Buffett recorded a new version of "Knees of My Heart" for his 2003 greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
collection Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection
Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection
Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection is a Jimmy Buffett greatest hits compilation album consisting of 2 compact discs and 38 songs. The album is notable for several newly recorded and updated versions of songs considered as classics in his repertoire...
.
Chart performance
Riddles in the Sand reached #95 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart and #18 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The song "When the Wildlife Betrays Me" hit #42 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, "Who's the Blonde Stranger?" hit #37 Country, and "Bigger Than the Both of Us" hit #58 Country.
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 18 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 95 |
Track listing
Side 1:- "Who's the Blonde Stranger?" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael UtleyMichael UtleyMichael Utley, often credited as Mike Utley, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. He is the musical director of the band...
, Will JenningsWill JenningsWilbur H. "Will" Jennings is an American songwriter who is popularly known for writing the lyrics for "My Heart Will Go On", the theme for the film Titanic .-Life and education:...
, Josh LeoJosh LeoJosh Leo is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer active in Nashville, Tennessee.Leo was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1973, he moved to Chicago, Illinois and subsequently became a guitarist of the short-lived Eddie Boy Band...
) – 3:44 - "When the Wildlife Betrays Me" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 2:51
- "Ragtop Day" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 3:03
- "She's Going Out of My Mind" (Mac McAnallyMac McAnallyLyman Corbitt "Mac" McAnally, Jr. is an American country music singer-songwriter, session musician and record producer. In his career, he has recorded ten studio albums and eight singles. Two of his singles were hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and six more on the Hot Country Songs charts...
) – 3:26 - "Bigger than the Both of Us" (Rhonda Coullet) – 3:57
Side 2:
- "Knees of My Heart" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 2:41
- "Come to the Moon" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 3:47
- "Love in Decline" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 2:42
- "Burn that Bridge" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 3:12
- "La Vie Dansante" (Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley, Will Jennings) – 4:02
Personnel
The Coral Reefer Band:- Jimmy Buffett: Guitar, vocals
- Matt Betton: Drums, saxophone
- Sam ClaytonSam ClaytonSam Clayton has been a singer and percussionist, primarily focusing on drums; conga and djembe, throughout his musical career. He is best known for his membership as percussionist and supporting vocalist with the American rock band Little Feat since 1972....
: Percussion - Emory Gordy: Bass
- Robert GreenidgeRobert GreenidgeRobert Greenidge is a steelpan player in the United States and a member of popular music singer Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band and the instrumental group Club Trini.-Career:...
: Steel drums - Greg "Fingers" Taylor: Harmonica
- Mike UtleyMichael UtleyMichael Utley, often credited as Mike Utley, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. He is the musical director of the band...
: Keyboards - Reggie YoungReggie YoungReggie Young was lead guitarist in the American Sound Studios Band , and is a leading session musician. He played on various recordings with artists such as Elvis Presley, B.J. Thomas, John Prine, Dusty Springfield, J.J...
: Guitar
- John Jarvis: Synthesizer, Keyboards
- Billy Joe Walker: Guitar
- Larry Lee: Background vocals
- Wendy Waldman: Background vocals
- Thomas Flora: Background vocals
- Mac McAnallyMac McAnallyLyman Corbitt "Mac" McAnally, Jr. is an American country music singer-songwriter, session musician and record producer. In his career, he has recorded ten studio albums and eight singles. Two of his singles were hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and six more on the Hot Country Songs charts...
: Background vocals
Singles
- "When the Wild Life Betrays Me" b/w "Ragtop Day" (Released on MCAMCA RecordsMCA 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...
52438 in August 1984) - "Bigger Than the Both of Us" b/w "Come to the Moon" (Released on MCAMCA RecordsMCA 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...
52499 in November 1984) - "Who's The Blonde Stranger" b/w "She's Going Out Of My Mind" (Released on MCAMCA RecordsMCA 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...
52550 in March 1985)