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)
Little Things
Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now what a way to start the day
With love notes that you leave me
Written in your own special way
You call me up for nothin'
I hear your voice on the line
We start talkin' 'bout lovin'
It's those little things you do that make me love you so
Little things that only you and I could ever know
You don't have to lay the whole wide world here at my feel, oh no
It's those little things you do that mean the most to me
Lyin' in the bed beside you
Touchin' in the middle of the night
No you don't have to do any talkin'
To tell me everything is all right
It's those little things you do that make me love you so
Little things that only you and I will ever know
You don't have to lay the whole wide world here at my feel, oh no
It's those little things you do that mean the most to me
It's those little things you do that mean the most to me
The lyrics of Alabama’s song “Little Things” revolve around the small, yet meaningful acts of love that make up a relationship. The song speaks to the idea that sometimes it’s the smallest gestures of love and affection that hold the most weight in a partnership. The opening lines describe the power of a morning kiss from a loved one and the notes left behind with their unique expressions of love. The lyrics express how these patterns of behavior are the things that make the singer fall in love with their partner, and what sets them apart as a couple.
The second verse talks about the comfort of lying next to each other in bed and the significance of their silent gestures that communicate their feelings of safety, security, and love. Overall, the song emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and valuing the simple, intimate moments that make a relationship meaningful. The chorus reiterates this message by emphasizing that it’s those “little things” that they do which make them feel loved and cherished.
In a world where grand, romantic gestures are often emphasized in pop-culture media, this song highlights the significance of smaller, understated acts of love that are often overlooked. It speaks to the idea that even the most grandiose romantic gestures cannot sustain a relationship without the everyday acts of love and kindness that make it strong.
Line by Line Meaning
You kiss me awake in the mornin'
You wake me up in the morning with a kiss, and it's the best start to my day
Now what a way to start the day
Starting the day with your kiss is such a wonderful feeling
With love notes that you leave me
You show your love by leaving me sweet, heartfelt notes
Written in your own special way
Your notes are unique and special, just like our love
You call me up for nothin'
You call me just to talk, and it means everything to me
I hear your voice on the line
Hearing your voice on the phone makes my heart skip a beat
We start talkin' 'bout lovin'
Our conversations always turn to love, and it just feels right
You get to me everytime
You have a way of touching my heart every time we talk about love
It's those little things you do that make me love you so
It's the small gestures and actions you make that make me fall deeper in love with you
Little things that only you and I could ever know
Our love is special and unique to us, and only we know the little things that make it so
You don't have to lay the whole wide world here at my feel, oh no
You don't have to give me big, grand gestures to show your love; the little things mean just as much
Lyin' in the bed beside you
Lying in bed next to you is one of my favorite things in the world
Touchin' in the middle of the night
Even just a simple touch from you in the middle of the night makes me feel loved and comforted
No you don't have to do any talkin'
We don't need words to express our love; just being together is enough
To tell me everything is all right
Just being with you makes me feel safe and reassured that everything will be okay
It's those little things you do that make me love you so
Once again, it's the small things that you do that make me love you more and more
Little things that only you and I will ever know
Our love is unique and special, and only we know the small things that make it so
You don't have to lay the whole wide world here at my feel, oh no
Once again, grand gestures aren't necessary to show your love; the little things are just as important
It's those little things you do that mean the most to me
Overall, it's the small things you do that mean the world to me and make our love so special
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
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..