It’s rare that a song that felty like a missed opportunity gets a second chance to be the hit it should have been, but that’s exactly what’s happening for Eli Young Band with their 2016 song “Saltwater Gospel.” This past Friday, the band released a new Fins Up version of “Saltwater Gospel,” featuring Jimmy Buffett, as their new single. The idea came about when EYB’s record label started noticing a spike in streams and airplay for the four-year-old song, which never really got a shot on country radio. According to lead singer Mike Eli, “I think we’ve always known that there was something really special that ‘Saltwater’ had. ‘Saltwater Gospel’ felt like a big hit. Every time we play it live, I mean, it’s always felt that way. And for a song that never really was on the radio much it felt like the crowd sang it back to us like it had been at the top of the charts. And so, the fact that it’s gonna get a shot at being at the top of charts again is incredible. We’re super excited.”
Getting Jimmy Buffett to join them on the new version of “Salwater Gospel” is a bit of a dream come true for Eli Young Band. “From day one when we first heard the song originally, we always kind of thought of Jimmy Buffett,” says bassist Jon Jones. “It just sounds like what he embodies and that lifestyle and everything. And so it feels just so appropriate and full circle for him to be part of the project now.”
In fact, when the label asked them who their dream collaborator on the song would be, Eli Young Band said Jimmy Buffett, realizing they were swinging for the fences, and Jon says, “We really didn’t think there was any kind of chance that we could make that happen. And so we were beyond thrilled and honored that he said yes to being on board with it. And it’s just … I don’t know … This far into our careers it’s so cool to still have those moments where you go, ‘Really? We get to do that?!’ So, this is very exciting for us.”
Eli Young Band’s “Saltwater Gospel (Fins Up version)” featuring Jimmy Buffett is available now wherever music is streamed or downloaded.
Eli Young Band – Saltwater second chance with Buffett 1:07
Mike Eli – “We were super excited when it got brought up that we were gonna release the song. I think we’ve always known that there was something really special that ‘Saltwater’ had. ‘Saltwater Gospel’ felt like a big hit. Every time we play it live, I mean, it’s always felt that way. And for a song that never really was on the radio much it felt like the crowd sang it back to us like it had been at the top of the charts. And so, the fact that it’s gonna get a shot at being at the top of charts again is incredible. We’re super excited.”
Jon Jones – “From day one when we first heard the song originally, we always kind of thought of Jimmy Buffett. It just sounds like what he embodies and that lifestyle and everything. And so it feels just so appropriate and full circle for him to be part of the project now. And when we talked about, like, what kind of dream collaboration could we have on that song, there was no doubt that was our pick. And we really didn’t think there was any kind of chance that we could make that happen. And so we were beyond thrilled and honored that he said yes to being on board with it. And it’s just … I don’t know … This far into our careers it’s so cool to still have those moments where you go, ‘Really? We get to do that?!’ So, this is very exciting for us.”