Buffett, Jimmy - Everybody's Got A Cousin In Miami Lyrics






It was ninety miles to freedom but they took the risk
Though the ocean was all motion and the wind was brisk
The deadly gunboats never saw them in the pale moonlight
They were off to Cayo Hueso by the dawns early light
The gringo in the garden called the customs man
They answered all his questions, were allowed to land
The ladies shared a hairbrush and their husbands had a coke
Then they were taken up to Krome to meet with their kin folk

[Chorus:]
Everybody's got a cousin in Miami
Everybody understands the impromptu
Dancing in the heat to the beat
That turns your clothing clammy
Everybody needs to have a dream come true

In a third world jungle not so far away
Lives a natural drummer with a dream to play
He's the brother of the lizard and the flying fish
But he's been enchanted by the pictures
From the satellite dish
So his mama packs his bags, knots his red neck tie
Sends him north to her relations with a kiss good-bye
He's bewildered by the plane ride and the immigration line
Until he sees his Christian name upon a cardboard sign

Everybody's got a cousin in Miami
Everybody is an Aborigine
Dancing in the heat to the beat
That turns your clothing clammy
Everybody wants to win that lottery

It's hard to believe the city started as a trading post
Home to the Seminole, pirate and pioneer
Between the river of grass and the old mosquito coast
Before the railroad claimed the southernmost frontier

I am umbilically connected to the temperate zone
It brought me life, it brought me love
I never have outgrown
It brought me one too many nights along that Biscayne shore
And one too many mornings in the Grove Drug Store
In one way or the other we're all refugees
Living out this easy life below the banyan trees
Smoothing off the rougher edges of the culture clash
We got a style, we got a look
We got that old panache

[Chorus]





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Buffett, Jimmy Everybody's Got A Cousin In Miami Comments
  1. D.... K....

    First time hearing this song and loving it.

  2. C.... O....

    I too have a cousin In Miami

  3. H.... W....

    As a Miami native, grew up with this song. Such a special place in my heart. One of the best albums ever.

  4. R.... S....

    I was down on the equator, didn't know if I was up or down .

  5. J.... M....

    "Its hard to believe the city started as a trading post...home to the Seminole, pirates & pioneers.. " ty Jimmy for your history lesson.

  6. A.... S....

    The brother of the lizard of the flying fish?!!! Hahahahah!! My favorite part!!!

  7. J.... H....

    My Mother had this album and I also found it funny how he called the steel drummer "robot" and that he talks to himself in the begging of the song.

  8. S.... F....

    Found an immigrant boat washed up on the beach (Canaveral) one morning this past spring. We think they all made it and scattered 😂 I was thinking of this song

  9. R.... H....

    What horribly clunky lyrics !  No sense of poetry for the English language.

    R.... H....

    You totally don't get Buffett ....

    R.... H....

    He performed this song at his Minneapolis concert on June 30th 1992 and the album wasn't out yet. That was also a huge concert for me because he performed a pirate looks at forty and an hour and a half later I turned 40 on July 1st

    R.... H....

    He opened with this song in Dallas September 1992. Performed A Pirate Looks At Forty and Clint Black walks out on stage and does it as a duet with Buffett. I was also
    just shy of forty at that time; All us baby boomers are getting old!!

  10. J.... W....

    This song totally captures the essence of South Florida. It's one of my favorites!

  11. F.... P....

    I had the pleasure of seeing Jimmy Buffett perform this song.  Likely to have been the first known performance.  June 3, 1993 in Mountain View, CA

    F.... P....

    Frank Payton actually I just put a post on I saw him do it at the concert June 30th 1992 in Minneapolis when the album wasn't out yet. As I noted in my public post there was a big concert for me because he sang a pirate looks at forty and an hour and a half later I turned 40 on July 1st

  12. A.... ....

    This song almost makes me want to move back to florida. Almost.

  13. K.... S....

    Down south to those little latitudes/attitudes. Both are correct. xozone

  14. P.... L....

    This is one of my personal FAVs from Jimmy's Fruitcakes album!

  15. M.... C....

    I made a bad move.  I typo.  And that's my job.  Give me a break.

  16. M.... C....

    No true Cuban will ever share their thoughts.  

  17. P.... M....

    I've been waiting for years for someone to finally post this song from the album!!! Thanks!!! the BEST Jiimmy ever!