Would it be justified to start a petition to change our national anthem to “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett?
FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK ALAN. (Sorry, I had to).
Personally, I think that sounds like a great idea, and I’m celebrating today because on this date in 2003 the world-altering duet came out and forever changed how we as humans think about the work day and day-drinking.
Anyone and everyone loves this song, and if they say they don’t or that they’ve never heard of it, they’re lying.
“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” was a commercial success when it was first released, and will continue to be a staple of beachfront bars and island-themed kitchen decor for decades to come.
The hit song was written by Jim Brown and Don Rollins and was released the first single for Alan Jackson’s Greatest Hits Volume II compilation album. Country music fans absolutely loved it right off the bat, with the tune spending a total of eight weeks at the number one spot on the Hot Country Songs chart in 2003.
Buffett and Jackson’s duet even performed well in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with the song peaking at number 17 during September. At the end of the year, the song that hit home for so many people was number four on the year-end Billboard Hot Country charts.
The success the song had quickly made it Alan Jackson’s biggest pop music hit, and it even gave Jimmy Buffett his first top forty hit since his incredible run in the 1970s.
Don Rollins, one of the writers of the song, originally offered it to Kenny Chesney, but Chesney passed on the opportunity. When Jackson was approached with it, he absolutely loved it and felt it was perfect for him and Buffett, who had long been looking for a project to sing as a duet.
And what a good decision that was for the two artists, because the song eventually won the title of “Vocal Event of the Year” at the 2003 CMA Awards. As surprising as it sounds, that CMA Award was the first for Buffett in his 30 years of music.
The music video is just as good as the song, with Jackson performing most of it on his personal yacht before joining Jimmy on stage in front of a sea of the affectionately called “parrotheads.”
You just can’t help but sing the chorus when it comes around:
“I could call him something,
Think I’ll just call it a day.
Pour me something tall and strong.
Make it a hurricane, before I go insane
It’s only half past twelve. But I don’t care
It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” was a commercial success when it was first released, and will continue to be a staple of beachfront bars and island-themed kitchen decor for decades to come.
Take in the iconic music video and go ahead and pour yourself a drink, because hey, it’s five o’clock somewhere: