Fins

by Jimmy Buffett, Deborah McColl, Barry Chance, and Tom Corcoran

from the album Volcano

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Lyrics

She came down from Cincinnati
It took her three days on a train
Lookin’ for some peace and quiet
hoped to see the sun again
But now she lives down by the ocean
She’s takin’ care to look for sharks
They hang out in the local bars
And they feed right after dark

Can’t you feel ‘em circlin’ honey
Can’t you feel ‘em swimmin’ around
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
and you’re the only bait in town
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
and you’re the only girl in town

She’s savin’ up all of her money
Wants to head south in May
Maybe roll in the sand with a rock’n’roll man
Somewhere down Montserrat way
But the money’s good in the season
Helps to lighten her load
Boys keep her high as the months go by
She’s gettin’ postcards from the road

Sailed off to Antigua
It took her three days on a boat
Lookin’ for some peace and quiet
Hopes to keep her dreams afloat
But now she feels like a remora
’cause the school’s still close at hand
Just behind the reef are the big white teeth
of the sharks that can swim on the land

Jimmy’s Note:

I was in a bar somewhere up near Daytona Beach and saw a group of guys crowded around some girls who were obviously in town for a beauty contest. I sat back and listened to there conversation and took notes. For a moment I pictured that these guys had fins coming out of their backs as they hit on the girls. It was a pure feeding frenzy, and I scribbled down pieces of their conversation and wrote the song. Now it seems the “land shark” population has increased tremendously.