"Cheeseburger in Paradise" is a song written and performed by American popular music singer Jimmy Buffett. It appeared on his 1978 album Son of a Son of a Sailor and was released as a single, reaching No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Cheeseburger in Paradise" became one of Buffett's signature songs, and was selected as the first track on his greatest hits album Songs You Know by Heart.[1][2]
Content
"Cheeseburger in Paradise" is about a man who tries to amend his carnivorous habits by eating healthy foods such as sunflower seeds. The song was inspired by a boating incident in which Buffett was forced to eat only canned food and peanut butter. He eventually made it to Roadtown on the island of Tortola, and celebrated with a cheeseburger.[1][2][3]
Reception
Cash Box praised the bass line and vocals.[4]Record World said that it "rocks with a hint of country, and has a hand-clapping segment that is especially appealing" and that it makes for "most amusing listening."[5]
Chart performance
1978 chart performance for "Cheeseburger in Paradise"
In 2002, Buffett's company Margaritaville Holdings LLC licensed the name of the song to OSI Restaurant Partners as the name of the Buffett-themed Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain. In 2006, the restaurant had 38 locations in 17 states in the United States and one in Sydney, Australia. By 2018 only a single restaurant in Secaucus, New Jersey remained of the chain.[9] The last location closed in September 2020.
A Cheeseburger in Paradise is a menu item at Buffett-owned Margaritaville Cafes located in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as being on the menu at his sister Lucy's restaurant "Lulu's" in Gulf Shores, Alabama.[10][11]
Misheard lyrics
According to the lyrics found on the vinyl sleeve, Buffett sings "cheeseburger 'is' Paradise" twice throughout the song. It is unclear whether he is actually saying "in" or "is", but "cheeseburger "is" Paradise" can clearly be heard during live performances.[12] Whether this is a fact for the studio version has not been confirmed.
Also, another lyrical confusion is in the second chorus, during the line "medium rare with 'Muenster'd' be nice"; the line is commonly mistaken as saying mustard instead of Muenster.[13]
Footnotes
^The U.S. single did not have a picture cover but was issued with a standard ABC Records cover.
