Incidents -> Jamaica Mistaica


On January 16, 1996, Jimmy Buffett’s Grumman HU-16 Albatross, dubbed the Hemisphere Dancer was shot at by Jamaican authorities as it taxied in the water near Negril. The Jamaicans had mistaken it for a drug-runner’s plane, though Jimmy had “only come for chicken”, he was not “the ganja plane.”


U2’s Bono was on board the plane, as well as Island Records’ Chris Blackwell, but none were hurt. However, the Hemisphere Dancer did get a few bullet holes in the side of the fuselage.

Like the great songwriter he is, Buffett penned a tune about the incident: Jamaica Mistaica appeared on the 1996 album Banana Wind.






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Below is an excerpt from Buffett’s song “Jamaica Mistaica.” View the full lyrics here

It was a beautiful day
The kind you want to toast
We were treetop flyin’
Movin’ west along the coast
Then we landed in the water
Just about my favorite thrill
When some assholes started firing
As we taxied to Negril

Just about to lose my temper
As I endeavored to explain
We had only come for chicken
We were not the ganja plane
Well you should have seen there faces
When they finally realized
We were not some coked up cowboys
Sportin’ guns and alibis

Chorus
Come back
Come back
Back to Jamaica
Don’t you know we made a big mistaica
We’d be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky

Well the word got out
All over the island
Friends, strangers, they were all apologizing
Some thought me crazy for bein’ way to nice
But it’s just another shitty day in paradise

Come back
Come back
Back to Jamaica
Don’t you know we made a big mistaica
We’d be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky