Jimmy Buffett never asked me to marry him. I never met him, but he and his music evoke a South Florida beachy vibe, which is exactly what I thought of when I heard the random three words given to me as a prompt for this song–“crocodile,” “any time” (given as one word), and “shallow.” These words landed my imagination in Key West, a place I have never been, but now would love to go. I would relish a visit to the La Te Da! Who knows what might happen?
Anne Page McClard · Looking For Jimmy B
Lyrics
I’ve been Askin’ friends I know
Lookin’ high and lookin’ low
For a man by the name of Jimmy B
We were friends, you see
Forty years ago, on a white sand beach,
He sang a little song, asked to marry me.
He sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?
I was thinkin’ t’was a joke
Comin’, from a shallow bloke
Wasted away in Margaritaville
With nothin’ but time to kill
Lost his mason jar, no shaker nor salt
Bet you money now, he’s lookin for it still
So I sang…
See you later alligator
After a while crocodile
Any place, any time,
Maybe I’ll see you down at the La Te Da
Long ago when I was young
Seemed like life was full of fun
For a man by the name of Jimmy B
He loved life, you see.
After all these years, I missed the Florida sun
I missed that silly man that asked to marry me
He’d sung…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?
I was Wandrin’ on the strand
Fallin’ down into the sand
Checkin’ out old dives, went to the La Te Da
La Te Dah, da-da
Forty years gone by, hope it’s not too late
It’s been a long wait, at the La Te Da
And, he sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?
And I sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
I will marry you
…Down at the La Te Da
