A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean

A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean is the third album from American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, which was released on June 4, 1973. After leaving Barnaby Records in 1972, this was his debut album with his new label, Dunhill Records. This album features Buffett's famous mustache for the first time, which he grew in memory of Jim Croce after his tragic death in 1973.

The title of the album is named after the country song "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation" by Marty Robbins, and it contains several of what later became Buffett's most popular songs. The album was recorded at outlaw country singer Tompall Glaser's studio in Nashville, Tennessee. It marks the first reference to Buffett's backup band as "The Coral Reefer Band" and is the first album on which long-time Reefers Michael Utley and Greg "Fingers" Taylor play.

Chart performance
The album reached number 43 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, but did not make the Billboard 200 album chart, his last major release not to make that chart. The single of "The Great Filling Station Holdup" reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and "Grapefruit Juicy Fruit" was number 23 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.

Songs
All of the songs on A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean were written or co-written by Buffett.

The most well-known song of the album, the novelty "Why Don't We Get Drunk (and Screw)", was originally released as a B-side, backing the single "The Great Filling Station Holdup", and inspired some controversy at the time due to its lyrics. Buffett wrote "Why Don't We Get Drunk" and is credited with doing so, and with playing maracas and beer cans on the album, under the pseudonym Marvin Gardens; derived from a property on the original Atlantic City version of the Monopoly game board.

"He Went to Paris" is a perennial fan-favorite ballad, appearing on most of Buffett's greatest-hits collections. It was covered by Waylon Jennings in 1980 and Doug Supernaw in 1994. Buffett re-recorded it for his 2003 compilation Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection.

Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker co-wrote "Railroad Lady". Walker recorded the song a year earlier than Buffett, and it was later further popularized by Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson.

Critical reception
Although it was not successful commercially at the time of its release, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean is generally considered one of Buffett's better albums and the beginning of his success. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic argues, "while it still lies much closer to Nashville than Key West," the album "does begin to delineate the blowsy, good-timin' Key West persona that would lead him to summer tour stardom" and is "highly recommended for Buffett completists and those interested in his more introspective side."

Personnel
The Coral Reefer Band:
 * Jimmy Buffett – lead vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar
 * Steve Goodman – acoustic lead guitar
 * Reggie Young – electric lead guitar
 * Doyle Grisham – pedal steel guitar
 * Ed "Lump" Williams – bass guitar
 * Mike Utley – piano
 * Greg "Fingers" Taylor – harmonica
 * Sammy Creason – drums
 * Phil Royster – congas
 * Johnny Gimble – fiddle
 * Shane Keister – Moog synthesizer
 * Vassar Clements – fiddle
 * Ferrell Morris – percussion
 * Marvin Gardens – maracas and beer cans
 * Sand Key Chorale (Jimmy Buffett, Don Gant, Buzz Cason) – background voices
 * The Buffets; Carol Montgomery and Diane Harris – background voices

Singles

 * "The Great Filling Station Holdup" b/w "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (Released on Dunhill D-4348 in April 1973)
 * "Grapefruit Juicy Fruit" b/w "I Have Found Me a Home" (Released on Dunhill D-4359 in July 1973)
 * "He Went to Paris" b/w "Peanut Butter Conspiracy" (Released on Dunhill D-4372 in October 1973)