The band was founded by Randy Owen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and his cousin Teddy Gentry (bass, backing vocals). They were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook (lead guitar, fiddle, and keyboards). First operating under the name Wild Country, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977 and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Nashville for a record deal.
Alabama's biggest success came in the 1980s, where the band had over 27 #1 hits, seven multi-platinum albums and received numerous awards. Alabama's first single on RCA Records, "Tennessee River", began a streak of 21 #1 singles, including "Love in the First Degree" (1981), "Mountain Music" (1982), "Dixieland Delight" (1983), "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" (1984) and "Song of the South" (1988). The band's popularity waned slightly in the 1990s although they continued to produce hit singles and multi-platinum album sales. Alabama disbanded in 2004 following a farewell tour and two albums of inspirational music but reunited in 2010 and have continued to record and tour worldwide.
Owen was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, but he was later given a clean bill of health, which led to the band's reunion, without Herndon. Following a series of tornadoes destroying homes and businesses throughout their state in 2011, Alabama assembled a benefit concert in Birmingham, called Bama Rising. Featuring the band's first set since 2004, alongside Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow and Brad Paisley, the concert raised $2.1 million. "I guess we realized that maybe we missed the playing ... and five or six years had gone by and we were like, 'Maybe that wasn't as bad as we remember it being,'" said Gentry. In celebration of the group's 40th anniversary, Alabama resumed touring in 2013 for the Back to the Bowery tour, referencing the Myrtle Beach club where they first became professional musicians. They also undertook a short cruise, The Alabama & Friends Festival at Sea, which left for the Bahamas on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Pearl ship. In addition, the band released Alabama & Friends, a tribute album encompassing covers from newer artists such as Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line, in addition to two new tracks by Alabama.
The band released their first new studio album in 14 years, Southern Drawl, on September 18, 2015, via BMG Chrysalis. In 2016, Alabama was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You" that celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.
In April 2017, guitarist Jeff Cook announced in a video that he would reduce the number of shows for which he would be in attendance while the band was on tour, due to his struggle with Parkinson's. He had been diagnosed four years prior, and this was his first public announcement about his condition.
In August 2021, the band sold its interest in its recorded music rights catalog to Reservoir Media. Cook died from complications of Parkinson's disease on November 7, 2022.
The band's blend of traditional country music and Southern rock combined with elements of bluegrass, folk, gospel and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their success. They also toured extensively and incorporated production elements such as lighting and "sets" inspired by rock concerts into their shows.
Alabama was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019 and were awarded with the first ever Life Time Achievement Award from this institution.
The members of Alabama are:
- Randy Owen (lead vocals and rhythm guitar)
- Teddy Gentry (bass guitar and backing vocals)
Fantasy
Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
Take me away, away.
Outside on a blanket in the moonlight, it feels right with my arns around you tight.
Laying under heaven watching the stars okay while me and you and mother
Nature drift away.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
Take me away, away.
Fantasy, midnight and you and me.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
Fantasy, midnight and you and me.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
Take me away, away.
Take me away, away.
The song "Fantasy" by Alabama is a romantic ballad that talks about escaping into a beautiful and dream-like world with the one you love. The lyrics describe a setting where two people are laying on a blanket under the moonlight, watching the stars, and being in each other's arms. The sense of freedom and euphoria brings the singers to a state of ecstasy, and they yearn for the moment to last forever. The repeated line, "Fantasy, midnight and you and me. Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free. Take me away, away" indicates the desire of the singers to stay in that moment and not let go of each other's love.
The lyrics of the song remind us of the importance of being in the present moment with our loved ones and cherishing every moment spent together. The song evokes feelings of happiness, love, and serenity, and it gives the listeners a sense of hope and optimism in the power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Fantasy, midnight and you and me.
Imagining a perfect world, in the midnight hours when it is just you and me.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
A feeling of overwhelming happiness, as our spirits are unbridled and uninhibited.
Take me away, away.
Let us be transported to that fantasy world.
Outside on a blanket in the moonlight, it feels right with my arns around you tight.
Outside, on a blanket, under the moon's light, feeling completenessed and completeness with my arms wrapped tightly around you.
Laying under heaven watching the stars okay while me and you and mother Nature drift away.
Lying beneath the vast expanse of sky and stars, we let ourselves loose in the lap of Mother Nature.
Take me away, away.
Let us be transported again to our utopia.
Fantasy, midnight and you and me.
Imagining a perfect world, again in the midnight hours when it is just you and me.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
A feeling of overwhelming happiness, where our spirits are free and uninhibited, once more.
Fantasy, midnight and you and me.
The persistent imaginings of a world where it is you and I in the midnight hours.
Ecstasy, spirits running wild and free.
The elation that comes from our happy spirits running rampant and free.
Take me away, away.
Let us be taken away once more, to that place of pure ecstasy.
Take me away, away.
A final plea to be taken back to our beautiful, high-spirited world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: COOK, GENTRY, OWEN, SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kimberly Bittner
on Carolina Mountain Dewe
Why would you put this one to show, when I made a video to it on u-tube.. This dosen't tell the story to the song I have loved for over 30 tears..