About the songs

Read Brent's musings on the creation and recording of each song. Click the CD cover to read about that CD's songs.

VACATION
"This was the last song I wrote for the album. I had worked on the idea a couple of times with no real progress, but time became a factor and we needed one more song. I guess it's really a collection of my observations of people on vacation. The mixture of fun and misery I've seen people go through is what made it fun and easy to write. Malcolm Bond's rhythmic arrangement really made this little song come alive."

SNOWBIRD SEASON
"Maybe you have to live in a tourist town to fully understand the frustration one can feel during our yearly infestation of northern visitors. Most are really nice people, but after all they are YANKEES and only two things scare a person bad where I live. That's a bank robber with a gun, and a Yankee pulling a U-haul south. Bring your wallet not your furniture! Seriously, I had a lot of fun writing this song and I hope people understand it's all for laughs and fun. Some of my best friends really are Snowbirds."

COMPASS AND ANCHOR
"Obviously, I was in a pretty dark and lonely place when this one came along. A long romance had just ended, (I thought for good) and a person can really feel lost at that time. I remember feeling so displaced and not knowing what to do. To me personally, the ocean makes my good times better, but when I'm feeling down the water can give me a real sense of melancholy. George Eberlein's arrangement was right on the money and fit the mood of the song perfectly."

LIVIN' THE LIFE
"I not only love Jimmy Buffett's music, but I respect what he's done with his career and life. He's active in charitable organizations and recently performed a concert in Mobile to help the victims of hurricane Georges.
His success is also amazing when you consider he hasn't had a hit single in years. Goes to prove that radio stations don't always play what people want to hear.
Since Buffett's a multimillionaire he has to make corporate decisions everyday. I would bet there are times when he misses those simpler days in Key West or Mobile. Jimmy, it's not too late. Come on back and hang out. We love you."

ALOHA BETTY
"I co-wrote this one with Anne Reeves, a great Nashville writer. She has two gold records ("Montgomery to Memphis" on Lee Ann Womack's last gold album, and "Fade to Blue" by LeeAnne Rimes)
You'll probably remember her father Opry star Del Reeves. He can still sing a country song with the best. Anne and Jim Allison were instrumental in the last phases of the album project. Thanks Anne."

NEON TAN
"An occasionally wise friend of mine once told me everybody who came to our coastal town was running from something. Every year there's a new crop of folks holding up a certain section of the bar for a few weeks. They soon disappear only to be replaced by another crop. I hope and assume they go back home to happier times, like the guy in 'Neon Tan'."

TOO LAZY TO WORK,TOO NERVOUS TO STEAL
"I guess I bring a little of myself to all my songs, but this one is so autobiographical that it's almost uncomfortable. I am so thankful to God that I'm able to make a living doing something I love. Talk about a blessing. It really is. Once and a while I run into an old friend and they'll ask if I'm still playing music. My reply is always "Yeah! It's all I really know how to do." I really do love it."

LITTLE GRASS HUT
"The really important things in life don't have a price tag dangling from them. I've seen so many people fight for money, compromise themselves for it, and in the end they are so unhappy. There's nothing wrong with money and I have a few moneyed friends who are the exceptions. Money has its place, but if it's in your top three, you're probably not very happy. Actually the things that give us true joy may have a price, but not measured in dollars. By the way, I would like my grass hut with central air, heat, and a nice cozy bed."

911
"I guess I was in a bluesy mood this day. I got exposed to real blues late in life and didn't start playing harp until recently. I hear this song a lot bluer than I can sing. I'm just too white I guess. I'd love to hear a real soulful artist sing this one someday."

DOWN IN PARADISE
"This is the only song on the album I didn't write in 1998. Jim Allison and I wrote this a few years ago and it seemed to fit the concept we were aiming for. Jim's a successful writer in Nashville with two gold records to his name. ('What Am I Gonna Do About You" for Reba McIntyre, and "Fade To Blue" on LeeAnn Rimes' first album which has sold six million copies so far) We mixed and mastered the album at Jim's studio in Nashville, TN. Jim was also a co-producer on the album.
Thanks Jim."