"Cheeseburger in Paradise" - the Roatan origin

[Doc]

From American Airlines "American Way" Magazine:

ONE HUNGRY DAY IN THRE CARIBBEAN, by Jimmy Buffet

"I can tell you how 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' got written. It was probably 1974, and I was on my very first boat, a 33 foot sailboat. We had gotten into some weather and I had to go to Ponce in Puerto Rico to get fixed. We sailed from Ponce with a rigged-up bow spread that was broken, and it was a rough passage.

We sailed to Roatan, got off the boat, and were starving. we were dying for a cheesburger after being at sea for 10 days eating fish. And there, like an oasis, was this brand new restaurant at the Village Cay Marina. We went in and just started gobbling cheesburgers and drinking pina coladas because we were so glad to be on land. We had about three cheeseburgers each. For some reason, as I was walking oiut I looked and saw a package in the kitchen and the label was written in French: Cuoderrie Produit de Cheval.

Do you know what Cheval is? Horse. I went back to the guy and said, "This will never do. You've got a good idea here, but you've got to take the horse meat off of the menu."

We went back the next day and the owner was very proud that he'd gotten real hamburger from Puerto Rico, and we sampled the cheeseburgers again. I wrote the song right there: "Cheeseburger in Paradise, heaven on earth with an onion slice."
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Just thought you might like to share this. There's any number of legends, but this comes from his own words in American Airlines. We can visit the restaurant- :11ztongue:

 

[archman]

Does horsemeat taste worse than beef? I thought it was more like buffalo, but leaner.

 

[Doc]

Does horsemeat taste worse than beef? I thought it was more like buffalo, but leaner.

Tastes like chicken? :007:

 

[DocVikingo]

I can think of at least 4 other islands within the greater Caribbean that (wrongly) claim being the impetus for the song.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[parrotheaddiver]

From American Airlines "American Way" Magazine:

ONE HUNGRY DAY IN THRE CARIBBEAN, by Jimmy Buffet

"I can tell you how 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' got written. It was probably 1974, and I was on my very first boat, a 33 foot sailboat. We had gotten into some weather and I had to go to Ponce in Puerto Rico to get fixed. We sailed from Ponce with a rigged-up bow spread that was broken, and it was a rough passage.

We sailed to Roatan, got off the boat, and were starving. we were dying for a cheesburger after being at sea for 10 days eating fish. And there, like an oasis, was this brand new restaurant at the Village Cay Marina. We went in and just started gobbling cheesburgers and drinking pina coladas because we were so glad to be on land. We had about three cheeseburgers each. For some reason, as I was walking oiut I looked and saw a package in the kitchen and the label was written in French: Cuoderrie Produit de Cheval.

Do you know what Cheval is? Horse. I went back to the guy and said, "This will never do. You've got a good idea here, but you've got to take the horse meat off of the menu."

We went back the next day and the owner was very proud that he'd gotten real hamburger from Puerto Rico, and we sampled the cheeseburgers again. I wrote the song right there: "Cheeseburger in Paradise, heaven on earth with an onion slice."
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Just thought you might like to share this. There's any number of legends, but this comes from his own words in American Airlines. We can visit the restaurant- :11ztongue:

The man is living the life I can only dream about. :guitarist

'I like mine with lettuce and tomato,Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes, big kosher pickle and cold draft beer good god a'mighty which way do I steer'

 

[Wendy]

9 more days and I will be singing this song at the concert in Tampa

 

[Doc]

I can think of at least 4 other islands within the greater Caribbean that (wrongly) claim being the impetus for the song.DocVikingo

You seem to be lumping Roatan into that category, thus I say once again, this was written by Jimmy in the "American Way" Magazine. I have the torn out page right here in front of me.

The bar still exists, but under a different name.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

9 more days and I will be singing this song at the concert in Tampa

I am a recovering 'Parrothead' (old fart). I don't go to the concerts anymore. I am content to listen to Raido Margaritaville every day.

I got tired of going to the concerts and sitting next to drunken "children" who pay big bucks to go to a concert and not even listen to the music.
The last concert I went to I sat next to some people that screamed and whistled throughout the concert and made 15 trips to get beer and 15 trips to the bathroom. In between those trips discussed what to do after the show.
Maybe again someday...
I have nothing against drinking and partying
but.....

People like you and me who go for the music are in the minority. Have fun

 

[parrotheaddiver]

This is on his website. boy a big ole greasey cheeseburger and Pina colada sounds good about now.

http://www.margaritaville.com/cocotel/top10.htm

 

[Doc]

This is on his website. boy a big ole greasey cheeseburger and Pina colada sounds good about now.

http://www.margaritaville.com/cocotel/top10.htm

The truth lies either there... or in the story from his article in American Airlines.

Here's my take on it (and I do this for a living): One little detail made no sense in his American Airlines article that I quoted...

He made reference to a Roatan establishment, way back then- that changed products on the behest of a patron, they accomplished this in one day, and they got the beef from Puerto Rico.

Knowing Roatan as I do, none of the above made any sense- but my hand to God, I have the original article torn out of the AA magazine, Jimmy's picture and all.

After the sixth beer, it makes no difference. Oh, BTW, we smell the delightful stench of fried mammal flesh every time we drive by his second CiP location in (next to) wealthy Lombard, Il.

I'm going to call them and see what they say!