The Story Behind “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” — When Country Met Island Time
Some songs don’t just climb the charts — they change the mood of an entire culture. That’s exactly what happened when Alan Jackson teamed up with Jimmy Buffett for the now-legendary anthem “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”
Written by Don Rollins and Jim Moose Brown, the song began as nothing more than a clever title — a phrase people had been saying for years. But one writing session, one spark of inspiration, and about two hours later, the song was finished almost exactly as we know it today.
At first, no one imagined Alan Jackson cutting the track. In fact, Rollins admitted he thought Jackson might be “too country” for such a laid-back tune. Everything changed when the idea of Jimmy Buffett joining the song came up. Suddenly, it made perfect sense: Jackson’s blue-collar country honesty paired with Buffett’s carefree island philosophy.
What happened next was almost unheard of in Nashville. Written in February 2003, recorded by April, on the radio by June — and by late summer, it was No. 1. After a show-stealing performance at the CMA Awards, the song returned to the top of the charts and went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
But the real magic of “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” isn’t the awards or sales. It’s the feeling. The song gave people permission to pause, to loosen their grip on the clock, and to remember that life isn’t only about deadlines and obligations.
Years later, with Jimmy Buffett gone but never forgotten, the song remains a toast to freedom, friendship, and that universal moment when the workday fades — and somewhere, somehow, it’s always five o’clock.