Named for the Alabama 2, a legal case in the American deep South during the 1930s, in which two black men were hanged for allegedly raping a white woman. The name is also a nod to other victims of injustice like the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4. In the United States, they are known as A3, after they were sued by the legendary country outfit Alabama.
They are perhaps best known in the United States for the remix of their song Woke Up This Morning, which appears as the theme song for the HBO hit series The Sopranos.
They have released six albums so far, with numerous bootlegs more than doubling their catalog. Alabama 3 rarely tour outside of their home country.
Recently, female singer Devlin Love has joined the group.
Additional material:
Alabama 3 are an English band mixing rock, dance, blues, country, gospel, and spoken word styles, founded in Brixton, London in 1995. In the United States, the band are known as A3, allegedly to avoid any possible legal conflict with the country music band Alabama.[1] The group achieved international fame when the producers of hit TV series The Sopranos chose the track "Woke Up This Morning" for the show's opening credits.[1]
The band are particularly notable for their fusion of styles, lyrics full of ironic intent, their deliberately humorous personas and their outrageous live performances. Every member of the group has an alias by which he is known, the band's founding members adopting the personas Larry Love (Rob Spragg) and The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love (Jake Black).
The band formed when Jake Black met Rob Spragg at an acid house party in Peckham and they decided that a fusion of country music with acid house was a musical possibility.[2] Other members of the band were accumulated over a lengthy period, but it is known that Rob Spragg was at university with Piers Marsh, the harmonica player and synth programmer for the band whilst Orlando Harrison, the group's current keyboardist, used to live with Jake Black.[2] Prior to the formation of the Alabama 3, Jake had gone through his "wilderness years" period of which there is little or no recorded output. This creative gulch lasted years following the demise of The Jangletties.
Starting their act under the alias the First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine (UK), the group eventually switched names to Alabama 3 and, after having been dismissed by the mainstream media as a novelty act, the group finally signed with One Little Indian Records in 1997 for the release of debut album, Exile on Coldharbour Lane.[3]
In August 2007, the group toured under the name of Alabama 3: Acoustic and Unplugged, with Harpo Strangelove and Devlin Love, to promote their new album M.O.R. (released 10 September 2007). Bassist John "Segs" Jennings apparently left the band, saying he was "busy elsewhere and [he doesn't] have the time."[4] The band's sixth studio album album M.O.R included a cover of Jerry Reed's 1970s hit "Amos Moses" and features The Proclaimers on the track "Sweet Joy" plus piano parts on the country stomp version of the Gil Scott Heron song "The Klan", written by Heron and Brian Jackson. In September and October 2007, the band toured the UK in support of M.O.R. with Irish band Republic Of Loose supporting.
On Friday 29 February 2008, Larry Love, Devlin Love and Mark Sams did an encore with Carbon/Silicon at the seventh and final Carbon Casino gig at the Inn on the Green, under the Westway. Mick Jones joined the group on-stage to add guitar and backing vocals to a version of "Woke Up This Morning."
Having recorded and toured with the band in the early days, Aurora Dawn rejoined the band in 2009, and sometime between late 2010 and early 2011, programmer, harmonicist, and founding member Piers "Mountain of Love" Marsh left the band. Although no reason has yet been publicly given, his departure appears to be amicable, as he is still an active contributor to the band's Facebook page. He and other Alabama 3 founder member, Sir Eddie Real, are now performing new material under the name of "Mountain of Love" with vocals from various guest vocalists.
The members of the band are:
Rob Spragg AKA Larry Love: vocals
Jake Black AKA The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love: vocals
Orlando Harrison AKA The Spirit: keyboards, keyboard bass, vocals
Mark Sams AKA Rock Freebase: guitar, bass guitar
Aurora Dawn: vocals
Steve Finnerty AKA LOVEPIPE: production, guitar and vocals
Nick Reynolds AKA Harpo Strangelove: harmonica, percussion, vocals (son of Bruce Reynolds, architect of the Great Train Robbery of 1963.[5] Bruce appears on the band's 2005 album, Outlaw).
John Jennings AKA Segs: backing vocals, guitar
Past Members:
Zoe Devlin AKA Devlin Love: vocals
Jonny Delafons AKA L. B. Dope: drums, percussion
Simon (The Dude) Edwards AKA Sir Eddie Real: percussion, vocals
Piers Marsh AKA The Mountain of Love: Synths
Film:
"Peace in the Valley" is featured in the film A Life Less Ordinary (1997).
"Too Sick to Pray" plays on the radio in the film Gone in 60 Seconds (2000).
A snippet of "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" features in the film Some Voices (2000).
"Mansion on the Hill" featured on the Kurt Russell/Kevin Costner film 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001).
A part of "M.I.A" by the band is played in the film The Football Factory (2004) as the Chelsea firm travel up to Liverpool for an away match.
The song "Sister Rosetta" from Exile on Coldharbour Lane can be heard in the film Barnyard (2006).
A snippet of "Bulletproof" appears in A Very British Gangster (2007), Donal MacIntyre's documentary film about Manchester crime boss Dominic Noonan.
The song "Ain't Goin' to Goa" is featured in the motion picture Definitely, Maybe (2008).
The band is featured in the documentary We Dreamed America (2008). The film, which explores the influence of American country music on British artists, features three songs by the band.
"Mansion on the Hill" is used on the opening credits of mockumentory Good Arrows (2009), written by Irvine Welsh and Dean Cavanagh.
Television:
Episode four of the BBC Three series Being Human features "Too Sick to Pray" at its opening and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlife" at its end. The songs were omitted from the DVD release of the episode due to copyright issues.[citation needed]
"Mansion on the Hill" features in the sixth episode of the ABC television series Carpoolers.
The closing scene to first season Criminal Minds episode titled "Won't Get Fooled Again" (10/05/05) plays "The Night We Nearly Got Busted".
A shortened alternate version of "Woke Up This Morning" can be heard for nearly 50 seconds in The Simpsons episode "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge", while Fat Tony and his gang are on the ride to the Simpsons' house. The sequence is a parody of the opening sequence of The Sopranos.
"Woke Up This Morning" is also in the later Simpsons episode "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer", which guest-starred Sopranos regulars Michael Imperioli and Joe Pantoliano.
A remixed version of "Woke Up This Morning" plays during the opening credits of the HBO television series The Sopranos.
On the Region 4 DVD release of season one of The Sopranos, the music video to "Woke Up This Morning" is included as a special feature; it is incorrectly credited as being performed by "Alabama 5".
A snippet of "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlife" can be heard at the beginning of The Sopranos: "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood" (episode 3.1) as Tony Soprano walks down the driveway to get his morning newspaper.
"Woke Up This Morning" was also used in an episode of BBC series Top Gear, in which the team were driving through Alabama.
"Mao Tse Tung Said" features in the first episode of the second season of Torchwood Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang.
Rob Spragg (as Rob Love) wrote and recorded the theme to Welsh TV series Y Pris. He and John Hardy won the Best Original Music Soundtrack award at BAFTA Cymru 2008
Exodus
Alabama 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then bomb the orphans in your demilitarized zones
Monitor my whereabouts with sophisticated drones
Send in state troopers to my grandmother′s home
You steal the oil, salt of my earth
Pepper spray mothers if they dare to give birth
Euthanize my culture 'till there′ s nothing left of worth
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition
Pass the ammunition
Bankers and the smugglers are on board doing deals
While immigrants clung to the lorry drivers wheels
Fingers so numb and they can hardly breathe
Poisoned by the petrol the politicians steal
Doctors and the carpenters philosophers they flee
Wives and children denied their dignity
Je suis immigrant, Je suis refugee
Wander why? You radicalize me?
I just praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I'm doing it)
(I just) Praise the lord, pass the ammunition
(I just) Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I'm doing it)
(I just) Praise the lord and pass the ammunition
Exodus
Exodus
Exodus
Exodus movement of war people
Exodus movement of war people
(Praise the lord) movement of war people
Exodus
(I just) Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I can do it)
(I just) Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I′m doing it)
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I′m doing it)
I praise the lord and pass the ammunition
The lyrics to Alabama 3's song "Exodus" address the issue of oppression and exploitation faced by certain communities, particularly those of immigrant or refugee backgrounds. The song highlights the suffering inflicted upon these groups by those in power who seek to maintain their dominance by any means necessary. The opening lines "You build your empire on my ancestors' bones, and then bomb the orphans in your demilitarized zones" refers to how certain governments or powerful entities have amassed wealth and resources through the exploitation and subjugation of certain communities throughout history. The use of drones and state troopers to monitor and control movements is also highlighted, suggesting a surveillance state that seeks to maintain its grip on power.
The lyrics go on to describe the theft of natural resources, such as oil, and the use of violent means to suppress any resistance to this exploitation. The lines "Euthanize my culture 'till there's nothing left of worth, except the acids you sell back to the first world" suggest that the cultural heritage of certain communities is being eroded and destroyed, with only certain aspects being appropriated and sold back for the profit of the oppressors.
The chorus of "Praise the lord and pass the ammunition" could be interpreted as a sarcastic or cynical comment on the tendency of those in power to justify their actions by referencing religious ideals, while continuing to engage in violent and exploitative behaviour. The repeated lines of "Exodus movement of war people" could be seen as a call to action, urging those who suffer under these oppressive systems to rise up and push back against their oppressors.
Line by Line Meaning
You build your empire on my ancestors bones
The singer is referring to imperialism and colonialism where countries have been stripped of its raw materials and wealth leaving the people behind to suffer.
And then bomb the orphans in your demilitarized zones
The singer is referring to the retaliation and destruction after conflicts resulting in innocent civilians caught in the middle becoming the victims that suffer the damages.
Monitor my whereabouts with sophisticated drones
The singer is referring to the state surveillance and the lack of privacy people now experience, whether on the streets or in their own homes.
Send in state troopers to my grandmother′s home
The artist is referring to the use of state officials and police to intimidate and assert their power over vulnerable people in their own homes.
You steal the oil, salt of my earth
The artist is referring to the exploitation and theft of a country's natural resources, leaving it destitute and unable to benefit from its own wealth.
Pepper spray mothers if they dare to give birth
The singer is referring to police brutality and the use of force against peaceful protesters, even using chemical agents on mothers and babies.
Euthanize my culture 'till there′ s nothing left of worth
The singer is referring to the cultural genocide that some Indigenous populations have endured, leading to a loss of identity and purpose.
Except the acids you sell back to the first world
The artist is referring to the extraction of valuable materials, only to refine them and sell back the finished product at higher prices, taking advantage of those who have little choice but to sell their resources for a pittance.
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition
The artist is ironically mimicking the religious and political propaganda that is used to justify war and the use of weapons against other human beings.
Bankers and the smugglers are on board doing deals
The artist is referring to the corrupt practices of governments and corporations who do business that is not always ethical, lining their own pockets at the expense of others.
While immigrants clung to the lorry drivers wheels
The singer is referring to human trafficking and the desperation of those who seek to escape their own struggles, risking their lives to do so.
Fingers so numb and they can hardly breathe
The artist is referring to the inhumane conditions that some immigrants and refugees endure on their journey, suffering for the sake of freedom and safety.
Poisoned by the petrol the politicians steal
The singer is referring to the environmental injustices that disproportionately affect marginalized populations, including the theft of resources and the negative impacts of industry.
Doctors and the carpenters philosophers they flee
The singer is referring to the impact of conflict and the brain drain that occurs when skilled and educated people flee their own countries in search of safety and better opportunities.
Wives and children denied their dignity
The singer is referring to the human rights abuses that occur globally, including gender-based violence, child labour, and the exploitation of vulnerable people.
Je suis immigrant, Je suis refugee
The artist is expressing solidarity with those who have been forced to flee their homes, acknowledging the humanity and dignity of all people regardless of their circumstances.
Wander why? You radicalize me?
The artist is questioning why the oppressions faced by people and social groups are still present in society which can lead to feelings of anger and frustration.
Exodus movement of war people
The singer is referring to the forced migration and displacement of people as a result of war and conflict.
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I can do it)
The singer is continuing to question the idea of using religion to justify violence and choosing to mock the idea.
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition (I′m doing it)
The artist is being cynical and highlighting the normalization of violent actions and the systems that enable them.
I praise the lord and pass the ammunition
The artist is reiterating the chorus to highlight the absurdity of how war and violence is justified, in the name of religion.
Contributed by Nathaniel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.