The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
There's a cowboy in the jungle
And he looks so out of place
With his shrimpskin boots and his cheap Cheroots
And his skin as white as paste
Headin' south to Paraguay
Where the gauchos sing and shout
Now he's stuck in Porto Bello
Since his money all ran out
So he hangs out with the sailors
Night and day they're raisin' hell
And his original destination's just another
Story that he loves to tell.
With no plans for the future
He still seems in control
From a bronco ride to a ten foot tide
He just had to learn to roll.
Roll with the punches
Play all of his hunches
Made the best of whatever came his way
What he lacked in ambition
He made up with intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may.
Steel band in the distance
And their music floats across the bay
While American women in muumuus
Talk about all the things they did today
And their husbands quack about fishing
As they slug those rum drinks down
Discussing who caught what
and who sat on his butt
But it's the only show in town.
They're tryin' to drink all the punches
They all may lose their lunches
Tryin' to cram lost years into five or six days
Seems that blind ambition erased their intuition
Plowin' straight ahead come what may.
I don't want to live on that kind of island
No, I don't want to swim in a roped off sea.
Too much for me, too much for me
I've got to be where the wind and the water are free.
Alone on a midnight passage
I can count the falling stars
While the Southern Cross and the satellites
They remind me of where we are
Spinning around in circles
Living it day to day
And still twenty four hours, maybe sixty good years
It's still not that long a stay.
We've gotta roll with the punches
Learn to play all of our hunches
Makin' the best of whatever comes your way
Forget that blind ambition
And learn to trust your intuition
Plowin' straight ahead come what may.
And there's a cowboy in the jungle.
And he looks so out of place
With his shrimpskin boots and his cheap Cheroots
And his skin as white as paste
Headin' south to Paraguay
Where the gauchos sing and shout
Now he's stuck in Porto Bello
Since his money all ran out
So he hangs out with the sailors
Night and day they're raisin' hell
And his original destination's just another
Story that he loves to tell.
With no plans for the future
He still seems in control
From a bronco ride to a ten foot tide
He just had to learn to roll.
Roll with the punches
Play all of his hunches
Made the best of whatever came his way
What he lacked in ambition
He made up with intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may.
Steel band in the distance
And their music floats across the bay
While American women in muumuus
Talk about all the things they did today
And their husbands quack about fishing
As they slug those rum drinks down
Discussing who caught what
and who sat on his butt
But it's the only show in town.
They're tryin' to drink all the punches
They all may lose their lunches
Tryin' to cram lost years into five or six days
Seems that blind ambition erased their intuition
Plowin' straight ahead come what may.
I don't want to live on that kind of island
No, I don't want to swim in a roped off sea.
Too much for me, too much for me
I've got to be where the wind and the water are free.
Alone on a midnight passage
I can count the falling stars
While the Southern Cross and the satellites
They remind me of where we are
Spinning around in circles
Living it day to day
And still twenty four hours, maybe sixty good years
It's still not that long a stay.
We've gotta roll with the punches
Learn to play all of our hunches
Makin' the best of whatever comes your way
Forget that blind ambition
And learn to trust your intuition
Plowin' straight ahead come what may.
And there's a cowboy in the jungle.
Lyrics submitted by EnjOy IncUbus, edited by eamaysyeti
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i was in rehab with a guy who said this song was written about him. can't remember his name but we called him "cowboy". he said he crewed on Buffett's sailboat before he was famous. they would sail to the Caribbean and back. he said that it was rumored that the fishing poles were filled with a certain substance but that he didn't have direct knowledge. he was only a deckhand. of course this story might be b.s. but the song is not that flattering to cowboy and he certainly wasn't saying it in a grandiose manner. regardless it's a hell of a story.
Not too difficult to figure out - this is a song for those who find themselves in unplanned places or circumstances. Like so many of Jimmy's songs, this song is a vehicle to convey life advice. The advice here is to "Roll with the punches; play all of your hunches. Make the best of whatever comes your way. Forget that blind ambition, and learn to trust your intuition, plowin' straight ahead, come what may". (Stay loose, do what you think is right, and keep going).
The second part of the song is also typical Buffett fare; something that he does so well: Here, Jimmy throws a sarcastic light on the downside of folks from up north, heading to the Caribbean ("While American women in muumuus Talk about all the things they did today. And their husbands quack about fishing As they slug those rum drinks down; Discussing who caught what and who sat on his butt...").
Finally, we get a little taste of what the quiet times in Jimmy's life are like, or maybe were like, before his music took off ("Alone on a midnight passage I can count the falling stars. While the Southern Cross and the satellites They remind me of where we are...").
@ddantos An underrated Buffett tune. <br /> <br /> I always enjoy when Jimmy gets critical in his songs. I relate to the embarrassing nature of wealthy American folks sometimes ... And the exhaustion of being around those who "keep up with the Jones'". <br /> That line exemplifies it perfectly, And their husbands quack about fishing.. as they slug those rum drinks down.