'It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere': The Story Behind Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett's Party Anthem

In 2003, Alan Jackson and pal Jimmy Buffett came together with "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" and the song became an instant hit for both of them. Released as the lead single for Jackson's compilation album Greatest Hits Volume II, they had a number one hit on the country charts, a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and were awarded Vocal Event of the Year at the CMA Awards. It became Buffett's first award in his three decades of recording music. So how did the song come to be?

The Story Behind 'It's 5 o'clock Somewhere'

According to songwriter Don Rollins, it all started with a concept. He had the idea of 'it's five o'clock somewhere' and went from there with his writing partner. He realized it was just one of those phrases everyone knew but he hadn't heard it in a song before.

"I had the idea just as a title with no concept of how it would work musically," he explained to American Songwriter.

"I was writing with Jim "Moose" Brown one morning, and he mentioned that he was playing keyboards on a project by a new artist named Colt Prather, and that Colt was looking for a song with a Buffett vibe. I mentioned the title that I had and we agreed that it was a good fit for that style. We wrote the song in about two hours."

Many songs go through multiple rounds of rewrites but that wasn't the case here. They flipped the order of the lyrics and that was about it. Rollins told The Boot that apparently, that Jimmy Buffett line was in there from the beginning as well.

"The "What would Jimmy Buffett do?" line in the bridge was there from the beginning. It was me being sarcastic, poking a little fun at the "What would Jesus do?" bumper stickers. It happened to be exactly the right thing for that situation. That was the way they brought Buffett into the song. It turned out to be the thing to make the song work for that situation."

Colt Prather passed on the song and it was apparently also offered to Kenny Chesney. After all, the Margaritaville vibes were perfect for his beachy country persona. But he ended up passing too. When Rollins heard that country music superstar Alan Jackson had it on hold, he was a bit confused.

"When Moose told me that Alan had it on hold and was about to record it, I remember thinking that Alan was way too country for that song. Then the duet with Buffett was mentioned and it started to make sense," he said.

The official music video premiered on CMT's Smash Hits of Country and was filmed at the Square Grouper Bar in Jupiter, Florida, the future location for Jackson's "Long Way to Go" video. Buffett got his first number one hit on the charts thanks to his duet with the Nashville legend and the duo earned numerous accolades including a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. It held its number one spot for 7 consecutive weeks until Dierks Bentley's "What Was I Thinkin'" pushed its way in, but it became an instant classic and new signature song for both performers.

Decades later, the song is the embodiment of having a good time with your friends and continues to make its rounds on party and vacation playlists. Does Kenny remember when he passed on this hit song? Who knows, but it feels meant to be that it ended up with Buffett and Jackson.

"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" Lyrics:

The sun is hot and that old clock is movin' slow
An' so am I
Work day passes like molasses in wintertime
But it's July

I'm gettin' paid by the hour, an' older by the minute
My boss just pushed me over the limit
I'd like to call him somethin'
I think I'll just call it a day

Pour me somethin' tall an' 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

But this lunch break is gonna take all afternoon
An' half the night
Tomorrow mornin', I know there'll be hell to pay
Hey, but that's all right

I ain't had a day off now in over a year
Our Jamaican vacation's gonna start right here
Hit the 'phones for me
You can tell 'em I just sailed away

An' pour me somethin' tall an' 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

I could pay off my tab, pour myself in a cab
An' be back to work before two
At a moment like this, I can't help but wonder
What would Jimmy Buffet do?

Funny you should ask that, I'd say

Pour me somethin' tall an' strong
Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane
It's only half-past twelve but I don't care

Pour me somethin' tall an' strong
Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane
It's only half-past twelve but I don't care
He don't care and I don't care
It's five o'clock somewhere

What time zone am on, what country am I in?
It doesn't matter, it's five o'clock somewhere
It's always on five in Margaritaville, come to think of it
Yeah, I heard that
You been there haven't you?
Yes, sir
I seen your boat there
I've been to Margaritaville a few times
All right, that's good
Stumbled all the way back

OK, I just wanna make sure you can keep it between the navigational beacons
Between the buoys, I tell you
All right, well, it's five o'clock, let's go somewhere
I'm ready, crank it up
Let's get out of here
I'm gone

READ MORE: 'Remember When': Alan Jackson Wrote the Heartfelt Song for His Wife Denise

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