Down to Earth is the first
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
by
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular music
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
Jimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer, songwriter, author, businessman, and recently a movie producer best known for his "island escapism" lifestyle and music including hits such as "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday". He has a devoted base of fans known as "Parrotheads"...
. It was produced by Travis Turk and was initially released in
1970- Events :* Charles Wuorinen becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.* January 3 - Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees...
on
Andy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" or "Paul" Williams is an American pop singer. Andy Williams has recorded 18 gold and three platinum certified albums. When Ronald Reagan was president, he declared Andy's voice to be "a national treasure". He had his own popular TV variety show from 1962–71...
's small
Barnaby RecordsBarnaby Records was an American record company founded by singer Andy Williams in 1963 with his purchase of soon-to-be-liquidated Cadence Records....
label as Z 30093. Parts of the album were re-released in various compilations until the album was issued in its entirety on
compact discA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
by
Varèse SarabandeVarèse Sarabande is a record label which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue of rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
in June 1998.
Due to its limited initial appeal (it only sold a few hundred copies), long periods out of general release, and stylistic differences with the rest of Buffett's work,
Down to Earth (along with the similar
High Cumberland JubileeHigh Cumberland Jubilee is the second album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was produced by Travis Turk, recorded in 1971, and initially released in 1976 on Andy Williams's small Barnaby Records label as BR/6014...
) was often not considered part of the chronology of Buffett albums by fans or even Buffett himself.
The 1998 re-release of the album contained an additional track, "Richard Frost," which was recorded for but not included on the original album.
Down to Earth is the first
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
by
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular music
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
Jimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer, songwriter, author, businessman, and recently a movie producer best known for his "island escapism" lifestyle and music including hits such as "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday". He has a devoted base of fans known as "Parrotheads"...
. It was produced by Travis Turk and was initially released in
1970- Events :* Charles Wuorinen becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.* January 3 - Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees...
on
Andy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" or "Paul" Williams is an American pop singer. Andy Williams has recorded 18 gold and three platinum certified albums. When Ronald Reagan was president, he declared Andy's voice to be "a national treasure". He had his own popular TV variety show from 1962–71...
's small
Barnaby RecordsBarnaby Records was an American record company founded by singer Andy Williams in 1963 with his purchase of soon-to-be-liquidated Cadence Records....
label as Z 30093. Parts of the album were re-released in various compilations until the album was issued in its entirety on
compact discA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
by
Varèse SarabandeVarèse Sarabande is a record label which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue of rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
in June 1998.
Due to its limited initial appeal (it only sold a few hundred copies), long periods out of general release, and stylistic differences with the rest of Buffett's work,
Down to Earth (along with the similar
High Cumberland JubileeHigh Cumberland Jubilee is the second album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was produced by Travis Turk, recorded in 1971, and initially released in 1976 on Andy Williams's small Barnaby Records label as BR/6014...
) was often not considered part of the chronology of Buffett albums by fans or even Buffett himself.
Alternate versions
The 1998 re-release of the album contained an additional track, "Richard Frost," which was recorded for but not included on the original album. (However, it had been released as a B-side to the
singleIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
of "The Christian?" from the album).
Songs
All of the songs on
Down to Earth were written or co-written by Buffett. "The Captain and the Kid," which originally appeared on this album, was later re-recorded by Buffett, first for 1976's
Havaña Daydreamin'Havaña Daydreamin' is the seventh album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and his fourth regular major label album...
when it was released as a single, and in 2002 for the greatest hits compilation
Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate CollectionMeet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection is a Jimmy Buffett greatest hits compilation album consisting of 2 compact discs and 38 songs. The album is notable for several newly recorded and updated versions of songs considered as classics in his repertoire...
making it (with "In the Shelter") one of only two of his songs with three different studio versions.
The folk-rock style of music and lyrics on
Down to Earth and
High Cumberland Jubilee differ greatly from Buffett's subsequent output. There is less of the
country musicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
feel and little of the
gulf and westernGulf and western is a term used to describe the music genre of American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and other similar sounding performers. The name derives from elements in Buffett's early music including musical influence from country and western, along with folk music and...
, Key-West-influenced sound and themes that have defined his musical career. Allmusic reviewer William Ruhlmann notes that "this is not the freewheeling Jimmy Buffett of '
Margaritaville"Margaritaville" is a 1977 song by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett from the album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes...
,' but rather a thoughtful folk-rock singer/songwriter of the early '70s, earnestly strumming an acoustic guitar over a rhythm section and singing lyrics of social consciousness with sly references to drugs."
An alternate take of
Captain America was released as the third single of the album.
Original release
Side A:
- "The Christian?" (Milton Brown, Jimmy Buffett) 3:54
- "Ellis Dee (He Ain't Free)" (Jimmy Buffett, Buzz Cason) 2:50
- "The Missionary" 3:33
- "A Mile High in Denver" 3:07
- "The Captain and the Kid" 3:18
Side B:
- "Captain America" 3:28
- "Ain't He a Genius" 2:43
- "Turnabout" 4:20
- "There's Nothin' Soft about Hard Times" 3:23
- "I Can't be Your Hero Today" 2:58
- "Truckstop Salvation" 5:48
1998 re-release
- 'The Christian?" (Milton Brown, Jimmy Buffett) 3:54
- "Ellis Dee (He Ain't Free)" (Jimmy Buffett, Buzz Cason) 2:50
- "Richard Frost" 3:29
- 'The Missionary" 3:33
- "A Mile High in Denver" 3:07
- "The Captain and the Kid" 3:18
- "Captain America" 3:28
- "Ain't He a Genius" 2:43
- "Turnabout" 4:20
- "There's Nothin' Soft about Hard Times" 3:23
- "I Can't be Your Hero Today" 2:58
- "Truckstop Salvation" 5:48
Compilations
Some, most, or all of the songs on
Down to Earth have been released on a number of
compilationA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
s authorized by Barnaby Records.
- Before the Salt
Before the Salt is a compilation album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It includes the entire original releases of his first two albums, Down to Earth and High Cumberland Jubilee with the addition of "Richard Frost" to Down to Earth...
(BarnabyBarnaby Records was an American record company founded by singer Andy Williams in 1963 with his purchase of soon-to-be-liquidated Cadence Records....
/JanusJanus Records was a record label owned by GRT Corporation, also known as General Recorded Tape. Artists who had hits on Janus included Mungo Jerry, Cymande and Al Stewart, and Ray Stevens. Chess Records was administered as a division of Janus in the early 1970s...
1979) — included all of the original release plus "Richard Frost"
- Before the Beach
Before the Beach is a compilation album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It includes the entire original releases of his first two albums, Down to Earth and High Cumberland Jubilee except for "The Christian?" but with the addition of "High Cumberland Dilemma" which was...
(MCAMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part...
1993) — did not include "The Christian?" or "Ain't He a Genius" from the original release; was the first CD release of Down to Earth material
- American Storyteller (Delta 1999) — did not include "The Missionary," "There's Nothin' Soft about Hard Times," or "Truckstop Salvation" from the original release
- There's Nothing Soft about Hard Times (Madacy
Madacy Entertainment is a company based in Montreal, Quebec that publishes DVDs, CDs, and formerly VHS tapes. Most of the products are frequently seen in Walmart, Best Buy and other discount stores in the United States and Canada, often at low retail prices, as compared to releases by major...
2000) — did not include "The Christian?" "Ellis Dee (He Ain't Free)," "The Missionary," or "Turnabout" from the original release
- Best of the Early Years (Delta 2000) — the one disk version only included "The Missionary" "There's Nothing Soft about Hard Times," and "Truckstop Salvation" from the original release
- Now Yer Squawkin' (Recall 2005) — included all of the original release plus "Richard Frost"
Personnel
- Guitars: Lanny Fiel, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Cook
- Piano: Lanny Fiel
- Bass: Dave Haney, Bob Cook
- Drums: Carl Himmel, Travis Turk, Paul Tabet
- Harmonica: Bob Cook
- Kazoo: Jimmy Buffett, Travis Turk
- Vocal backup: Buzz Cason
Buzz Cason is an American rock singer, songwriter, producer and author....
, Jimmy Buffett
Singles
- "The Christian?" b/w "Richard Frost" (Released on Barnaby ZS7-2013 circa May 1970)
- "Ellis Dee (He Ain't Free)" b/w "There's Nothing Soft about Hard Times" (Released on Barnaby ZS7-2019 circa September 1970)
- "Captain America" b/w "Truckstop Salvation" (Released on Barnaby ZS7-2023 in January 1971)