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)
Song of the South
Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
Cotton on the roadside, cotton in the ditch
We all picked the cotton but we never got rich
Daddy was a veteran, a southern democrat
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
Well somebody told us Wall Street fell
But we were so poor that we couldn't tell
Cotton was short and the weeds were tall
But Mr. Roosevelt's a gonna save us all
Well momma got sick and daddy got down
The county got the farm and they moved to town
Pappa got a job with the TVA
He bought a washing machine and then a Chevrolet
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
Play it
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
Song, song of the south
Gone, gone with the wind
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain't nobody looking back again
The song "Song of the South" by Alabama is a celebration of the South and its unique culture, history, and values. The lyrics, written by Bob McDill, paint a vivid picture of life in the South during the Great Depression, and how the people there persevered through difficult times with fundamental goodness, faith and family, and a love of simple pleasures.
The song opens with a description of a famed southern dish, sweet potato pie, and declares an intention to keep quiet and enjoy it. The mention of Gone with the Wind is a nod to a defining work of Southern literature/film and a metaphor for the South's resilience in the face of historic adversities. The stark image of cotton on the roadside and in the ditch alludes to the hard life of those in the agriculture sector, marked by the rigors of daily work and limited reward.
The reference to daddy being a veteran and a Southern Democrat suggests the song's political leaning, with a certain resentment of wealthy elites dominating to the detriment of the common man. The refrain of the sweet potato pie, Gone with the Wind, and nobody looking back again reinforces the themes of finding comfort and connection in simple things, triumph over adversity, and a general positive and forward-looking spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Song, song of the south
This is a song about the American South
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
The sweet potato pie is so good that it leaves no room for words
Gone, gone with the wind
The past is not coming back
There ain't nobody looking back again
The future is important and nobody should dwell in the past
Cotton on the roadside, cotton in the ditch
Cotton is all around, even in the unexpected places
We all picked the cotton but we never got rich
Even though many people worked hard to pick cotton, they never got rich from it
Daddy was a veteran, a southern democrat
The singer's father fought for their country and was a supporter of the Democratic party
They oughta get a rich man to vote like that
The singer believes that everyone should be able to vote, not just the wealthy
Well somebody told us Wall Street fell
The singer heard that the stock market crashed, but they were too poor to have been affected
But we were so poor that we couldn't tell
The singer's family was so poor that they didn't notice the impact of the stock market crash
Cotton was short and the weeds were tall
There was a shortage of cotton and the weeds grew high in the fields
But Mr. Roosevelt's a gonna save us all
The singer believes that the government's New Deal policies will help their family and others in need
Well momma got sick and daddy got down
The singer's mother became ill and their father struggled with the family's financial situation
The county got the farm and they moved to town
The family lost their farm to the county and had to move to the city
Pappa got a job with the TVA
The singer's father found work with the Tennessee Valley Authority, a New Deal program
He bought a washing machine and then a Chevrolet
With his new job, the singer's father was able to afford some modern conveniences
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Mcdill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martinfarwell864
You're so right!
Close to each other.
Close to the land.
Close to Jehovah God.
The spirit of the South is the very bones of the body of America.
Live on, Dixie Land.
You've endured.
And will endure.
So help us God!
@elijahallen3318
There was a time in this country that Democrats and Republicans got along and only did what was best for this country. Both were proud to be American. I miss those days
@ethanmoore395
Same and it just got worse lol
@OncelerKidsAreCringe
By the Democratic Party
@ethanmoore395
@@OncelerKidsAreCringe yep very true
@OncelerKidsAreCringe
@@ethanmoore395 aye to that
@adrianjuarez1162
Same I want those so bad I hate this division and I grew up with I want to got back for the regan days am 22 years old btw this isn’t the America I want but we got to push though these rough 4 years ahead and don’t believe this peace and unity crap it’s only on the Democrat terms.
@wesleynash2598
Farmers are the backbone of this country....
@anishapoorwakispotta7754
How's that subsidy going ?
@rbnsshard0
Farmers are the backbone of all the Countries
@gabagool20
Yee yee