Jimmy Buffett - Son of a Son of a Sailor

Salt air, sunburn and a cheeseburger with your name on it: Jimmy Buffett's Son of a Son of a Sailor is the sound of the Gulf Coast at its most easygoing.

Released in 1978, this album followed the runaway success of Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes and confirmed that Buffett was building something bigger than a hit single. He was creating a whole world, a laid-back island republic of sailors, drifters and barstool philosophers, and fans were moving in for good. Producer Norbert Putnam keeps the sound warm and uncluttered, letting the storytelling lead.

The title track is a heartfelt sea shanty for the modern age, a tribute to the seafaring blood in his family and the restless pull of open water. Cheeseburger in Paradise became one of his signature anthems, a joyful ode to simple pleasures delivered with a wink. Livingston Saturday Night kicks up some honky-tonk dust, while Coast of Marseilles shows off his gentler, more wistful side, all soft guitars and longing.

Beneath the fun, there is real craft in these songs, plus a knack for melancholy that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

Drop the needle, pour something cold and let the tide roll in.