Search - Jimmy Buffett :: Last Mango in Paris

Calvin D. from BRATTLEBORO, VT
Reviewed on 10/16/2023...

Great!

1 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.

Not his best, but perhaps his most underrated

David A. Bede | Singapore | 12/08/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Music critics have never had much of anything good to say about Jimmy Buffett, and this album in particular seems to inspire negativity in many review columns. That's too bad, because while Last Mango in Paris doesn't measure up to his 1970s classics or even some of his more recent work, it's about as good as the '80s got for the Man from Margaritaville.To be fair, the opening track, "Everybody's on the Run," really is about as banal as Buffett gets. But once you get past that one, Buffett's vintage wry humor and storytelling flair are very much in evidence. "Please Bypass This Heart" is classic Buffett satire; his marriage was on the rocks at the time and you can hear the angst in his singing...but still, who else would ever think to compare a breakup with open-heart surgery in such literal terms? More seriously, despite its goofy title, "If the Phone Doesn't Ring, It's Me" is one of the most heartfelt ballads of Buffett's career. This one alone is worth $10 for the CD.If it's the swashbuckling outlaw style you're looking for, "Desperation Samba" is a great entry with a terrific refrain in (albeit poor) Spanish and hooks aplenty. Then there's the title track, which is probably the single best of his songs not to be included on the box set; it consistently finishes in or near the top ten in polls of Buffett's diehard fans. There's also the obligatory Carribbean song, "Jolly Mon Sing," a nice example of his fascination with the mystical and the triumph of good over evil.It isn't the best he can do, but if you've only got it in your budget for one 1980s-era Jimmy Buffett CD, this is probably the one to get."

In The Buffet Line

Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 01/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Last Mango In Paris is a classic Jimmy Buffett album. After the fairly putrid Riddles In The Sand, he comes back strong with the perfect mix of satire and Caribbean rhythms. He is at his storytelling best in songs like "Frank & Lola", "Desperation Samba", the hilariously heartbreaking "If The Phone Doesn't Ring, It's Me", the superb title track and the adventurous "Gypsies In The Palace" (which has Harrison Ford on the bullwhip). "Jolly Mon Sing" has taken a life of it's own becoming the basis for children's book he wrote with his daughter. It may well be the pinnacle of his calypso songs. Last Mango In Paris is often forgotten, but essential Jimmy Buffett album."