When Jimmy Buffett passed away in September 2023, I had a couple of friends ask me when there would be a blog highlighting Jimmy and his music. This was a legitimate question as I was a Parrothead 5 years before there was officially such a thing and I was once accused by a work colleague back in the 90s of “quoting Buffett like some people quote Shakespeare.” However, I didn’t think it was necessary as I have referenced his music several times in earlier blog posts – The Station, Trains and Boats, Lessons Learned, Passing Through, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and Mystical.
Then, divine guidance occurred. On a recent long car drive to an out of state sales call, Buffett’s song “Bubbles Up” – the last song he recorded and released shortly before his passing – came around on my Spotify playlist and I spent some time contemplating the lyrics and meaning of the song. Then I had dinner with a dear friend who truly needed the philosophy the song conveyed.
“Bubbles Up” lyrics are deeply reflective. The song’s title is based on a maritime phrase used to train people underwater. A diver’s reassurance, when lost beneath the waves, is simply to follow the bubbles to find the surface. Buffett turned a diving phrase into a metaphor for life. A way to regain our sense of direction and purpose when we feel lost or confused. When life throws us off course and turns us upside down, when we’re unsettled and don’t know where we are, just follow the bubbles.
Bubbles rise because of buoyancy. They are less dense than the surrounding dark and cold liquid. The upward buoyant force is greater than the bubble’s weight. Bubbles then burst at the surface, releasing their contained oxygen – life source – contributing to the greater collective environment.
Having a “true north” is being proactive in setting a direction or purpose; “bubbles up” is reactive to the current life circumstances. However, it is an important step to pause in the space of time between the event and our response to take the time to find the bubbles, follow what is lifted up. We can’t see them unless we look for them, intentionally, and with the forethought that they will be there.
The song conveys a different energy from Buffett’s usual songs of entertainment, mischief, and carefree living. It carries a heaviness with it. A sailor’s farewell or a poet’s last verse. A final message of peace, acceptance, and resilience that says, ‘do not fear.’ The way forward is clear. Follow the light. The philosophy suggests, and the song lyrics include, “just know that you are loved, there’s light above, and joy is always enough,” even in difficult times.
Bubbles up/They will point you towards home/No matter how deep or how far you roam
They will show you the surface, the plot and the purpose/So, when the journey gets long
Just know that you are loved/There is light up above/And the joy is always enough
Buffett attended Catholic school in his youth and although he was no longer actively practicing his faith, he had the groundwork, and it is echoed at times in his music. There is a religious consciousness in many of his lyrics, a broad concern for social issues and environmental protection. As well as a longing for the ideal, peaceful, and purposeful existence that desires real friendship and fellowship. His music resonates with the call to experience joy.
Rising bubbles illustrates the concept of God’s grace and love within us amid the dark and cold weight of the world. His grace and love – our life source – creates the buoyancy for us to rise to His light above the surface.
One interesting connection is the Hebrew word for “prophet” is Nabi, which literally means “to bubble up.” Prophets, in their role as messengers of God, were seen as those whose words bubbled forth from a place of spiritual stirring as written in Proverbs 18:4, “the words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook”.
We should have our eyes upward to God to seek the bubbles and His grace. We can’t find what we don’t intentionally look for, knowing it will be there. This practice is an invite for guidance and strength, particularly during difficult times or when seeking spiritual clarity. It is a powerful expression of faith and trust, acknowledging His presence and seeking His guidance.
Psalms 121 and 123 are part of the Psalms of Ascent, sung while pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem, located on a hill, so the term “ascent” refers to both the physical journey uphill and the spiritual journey upward, drawing closer to God.
Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Psalm 123, “Faith is the upward vision of the believing soul, looking beyond the circumstances of life to the Lord himself, who stands behind those events and presides over them for his glory. Faith sees that God has an eternal purpose in all things, an all-wise plan for all that occurs.”
The prodigal son in Luke 15 realized he was off course and turned upside down, he regained his orientation, returned home, and received the Father’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love.
Finding the bubbles is spending time with Jesus and allowing Jesus to spend time with us through Adoration, reflection, and contemplation. He will provide us with a sense of direction and purpose that cuts through the confusion.
Just know that you are loved, there’s light above, and joy is always enough. Bubbles up.
