# Off to See the Lizard

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Off to See the Lizard is the seventeenth studio album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Initially to be called Stranger than Fishing, it was released in June 1989 as MCA 6314 and was produced by Elliot Scheiner and Buffett. The album is the first to feature much of the Coral Reefer Band. Following the release of this album, Buffett paused his normal output of one album every year or two and did not release another album until 1994's Fruitcakes.

## Songs

All but one of the album's songs were written or co-written by Buffett. "Mermaid in the Night" was written by Coral Reefer Band members Roger Guth and Jay Oliver. "Boomerang Love" also appeared on the soundtrack to the 1989 movie Always. Buffett recorded a live version of "The Pascagoula Run" for his 2003 greatest hits collection Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection. Most of the songs are related to Jimmy's first book of stories, Tales from Margaritaville, released the same year. A music video for 'Take Another Road' was filmed at the abandoned Islander Drive-In Theater on Stock Island, just outside of Key West, Florida.

## Chart performance

Off to See the Lizard reached No. 57 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The song "Take Another Road" hit No. 18 Adult Contemporary.

## Personnel

The Coral Reefer Band:
* Jimmy Buffett – vocals, rhythm guitar
* Jay Oliver – keyboards, percussion
* Peter Mayer – backing vocals, guitars
* Jim Mayer – bass
* Roger Guth – drums
* Robert Greenidge – steel drums
* Michael Utley – organ
* Greg "Fingers" Taylor – harmonica
* Ralph MacDonald – percussion
* "The Nuff Brothers" – Alan Rubin, Birch Johnson, Lou Marini – horns
* Diana Canova, Sheryl Crow, Frank Floyd, Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals

## Singles

* "Take Another Road" b/w "Off To See The Lizard" (7" single released on MCA 53675 in May 1989)
* "Carnival World" b/w ? (cassette single released on MCA ?)

## Tour

1989 brought yet another summer tour, with all the usual stops, but this time Jimmy had brought back the Neville Brothers for an opening act. In April, Jimmy played Jazz Fest for the first time, while December brought the mini "Buffett Does Ballads" Tour with Mac McAnally and Larry Knight in support of the new book Tales from Margaritaville.

## Tour dates

North America :
| Date | City | Venue |
| April 30, 1989 | New Orleans | Fair Grounds Race Course |
| June 14, 1989 | San Diego | SDSU Open Air Theatre, San Diego State University |
| June 15, 1989 | San Diego | SDSU Open Air Theatre, San Diego State University |
| June 17, 1989 | Greenwood Village | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre |
| June 18, 1989 | Greenwood Village | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre |
| June 20, 1989 | Universal City | Universal Amphitheatre |
| June 21, 1989 | Universal City | Universal Amphitheatre |
| June 23, 1989 | Costa Mesa | Pacific Amphitheatre |
| June 24, 1989 | Costa Mesa | Pacific Amphitheatre |
| June 25, 1989 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre |
| June 28, 1989 | Concord | Concord Pavilion |
| June 30, 1989 | Auburn Hills | The Palace of Auburn Hills |
| July 1, 1989 | Hoffman Estates | Poplar Creek Music Theater |
| July 2, 1989 | Milwaukee | Marcus Amphitheater |
| July 3, 1989 | Cuyahoga Falls | Blossom Music Center |
| July 6, 1989 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion |
| July 7, 1989 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion |
| July 8, 1989 | Mansfield | Great Woods Amphitheater |
| July 9, 1989 | Mansfield | Great Woods Amphitheater |
| July 11, 1989 | Holmdel | Garden State Arts Center |
| July 12, 1989 | Holmdel | Garden State Arts Center |
| July 14, 1989 | Wantagh | Jones Beach Theater |
| July 15, 1989 | Bristol | Lake Compounce |
| July 16, 1989 | Philadelphia | Mann Music Center |
| July 21, 1989 | Antioch | Starwood Amphitheatre |
| July 22, 1989 | Memphis | Mud Island River Park |
| July 23, 1989 | Dallas | Coca-Cola Starplex |
| July 25, 1989 | Houston | Southern Star Amphitheater |
| July 27, 1989 | Pelham | Oak Mountain Amphitheatre |
| July 28, 1989 | Atlanta | Lakewood Amphitheatre |
| July 29, 1989 | Charlotte | Memorial Stadium |
| July 30, 1989 | Willamsburg | Cary Field |
| August 1, 1989 | Cincinnati | Riverbend Music Center |
| August 2, 1989 | Cincinnati | Riverbend Music Center |
| August 4, 1989 | Tampa | USF Sun Dome |
| August 5, 1989 | Miami | Miami Arena |
| August 6, 1989 | Orlando | Orlando Arena |
| December 5, 1989 | Milwaukee | Riverside Theater |
| December 6, 1989 | Milwaukee | Riverside Theater |
| December 7, 1989 | Pittsburgh | Syria Mosque Theater |
| December 8, 1989 | Columbus | Palace Theatre |
| December 10, 1989 | New York City | Beacon Theatre |

### 1989 Coral Reefer Band

* Jimmy Buffett: Vocals and guitar
* Peter Mayer: Guitar
* Jim Mayer: Bass
* Roger Guth: Drums
* Michael Utley: Piano
* Greg “Fingers” Taylor – Harmonica, Background Vocals
* Robert Greenidge: Steel Drums
* Jay Oliver: Keyboards
* Dena Iverson: Vocals

### Set list

Every night "Carnival World" was the opener and "Volcano" was the set closer. "Gravity Storm" and "A Pirate Looks at Forty" were played during the encore, with the latter closing the show. More often than not, "Changing Channels" would be added to the set after "Pirate" and would end the show. The Randy Newman cover "Louisiana 1927" was added to the set after "Pirate" for the Austin, TX show, its only appearance of the tour.
Average set list:
* "Carnival World"
* "Jolly Mon Sing"
* "Grapefruit—Juicy Fruit
* "Boat Drinks"
* "Cheeseburger in Paradise"
* "Off to See the Lizard"
* "That's My Story and I'm Stickin' to It"
* "Come Monday"
* "Son of a Son of a Sailor"
* "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes"
* "Why Don't We Get Drunk"
* "Twelve Volt Man"
* "He Went to Paris"
* "Take Another Road"
* "Boomerang Love"
* "Margaritaville"
* "Pencil Thin Mustache"
* "Fins"
* "Some White People Can Dance"
* "Volcano" Encore:
* "Gravity Storm"
* "A Pirate Looks at Forty"
* "Changing Channels" (played about 4/7 of the time)