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
Lord Have Mercy
Alabama 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
mercy
mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
There's a picture in the paper that she prayed she'd never see
newsfash bulletins on the radio and on NBC
she's reachin' for the Rosary beads
remembers when that boy was ten
an'sang nobody knows the trouble I've seen
lamella cannot help her
nobody gonna put her through
she struggled with strife to give the boy the life (that)
daddy always tried to lose
she pours herself another burbon
listens to the morning rain
with a hopeful hand full of vicodin
she washes away the pain, yeah
Lord have mercy on my wicked son
forgive him Lord for the wrong he's done
I will sing 'till your sweet Kingdom come
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
There's a letter in the wallet
the kind the coroner returns
faded manilla envelope
the F.B.I. forgot to burn
Tucker stole the cars
in all night bars
and the can he stole in Reno
an incident gettin' outta hand
shootin' some pimp over heroin
there's a photograph from a motor back
and a picture of a mobile home
still a penny don't drop 'till she gets to the bottom of the page
an' now she's frozen
'cause the postmark say in Tuscon
date december of seventy-three
daddy just been busted
she got the baby on her knee, yeah
Lord have mercy on my wicked son
forgive him Lord for the wrong he's done
I will sing 'till your sweet Kingdom come
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
mercy
Somebody help me now, yeah
help me now
Lord have mercy on my wicked son
forgive him Lord for the wrong he's done
I will sing 'till your sweet Kingdom come
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy on my wicked son
forgive him Lord for the wrong he's done
I will sing 'till your sweet Kingdom come
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy-ey
brother injured
death's in his soul
no one is guilty or innocent in jail
except for the grieving son
and the grieving wife
told in the name of justice there goes this life
where the bullet of the gun is set in it's deadly course
fire with anger without no remorse
I think of nothing except one thing
because injustice of my mothers pain
for the cities flared
and the sirens blared
and all these was ignored so
death grows more
and want you to fall in the flames
nothing is ever the same
doesn't matter your age
stand against that rage
for the sist that lie
another will die
and the people that protest
against death and the rest
The opening lines of Alabama 3's "Lord Have Mercy" asks for divine mercy to intervene in a tragic scene. The first verse sets up an image of a grieving mother at a funeral, mourning the loss of her son. She's listening to the news, remembering when her boy was young and sang spirituals, like "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen," and now, she's hoping that someone, anyone, can help her cope with the loss. Alabama 3 splays images of the tragedy on the late-night barrooms and seedy underbelly of crime; it’s crystal clear that the loss is more significant than words can say. The chorus directly asks God to forgive her wicked son, and the singer promises to keep singing until justice and salvation come.
The second verse expands the story, switching to a letter in the old woman's wallet. There is a photo of a trailer park, and a man named Tucker, who's been arrested for stealing cars, and a can he stole in Reno. The details are of no importance; she's landed on a running letter that's three decades old, written by her husband telling her about his arrest, and revealing that she was left with a child on her lap on the day he was arrested. She's consumed by the lingering pain of that moment, struggling with addiction and unrelenting grief. The repeated choruses indicate both a continual plea for mercy for her wayward son and a steadfast hope of Heavenly deliverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord have mercy
Asking for mercy and forgiveness
mercy
Reiteration of the request for mercy and forgiveness
Lord have mercy
Reiteration of the request for mercy and forgiveness
Lord have mercy
Reiteration of the request for mercy and forgiveness
There's a picture in the paper that she prayed she'd never see
A mother sees a picture of her son in the newspaper and is distraught
newsfash bulletins on the radio and on NBC
News reports reveal that the son has done something bad
teardrops on her black dress
The mother is crying
she's reachin' for the Rosary beads
She is turning to religion for comfort
remembers when that boy was ten
Thinking back to happier times
an'sang nobody knows the trouble I've seen
No one can understand the mother's pain
lamella cannot help her
Lamella, a drug, is not able to help her cope
nobody gonna put her through
No one can take away her pain
she struggled with strife to give the boy the life (that)
She worked hard to provide for her son's needs
daddy always tried to lose
The father was a bad influence on the son
she pours herself another burbon
She turns to alcohol to numb her pain
listens to the morning rain
She is consumed by her thoughts
with a hopeful hand full of vicodin
She takes vicodin to cope with her pain
she washes away the pain, yeah
The drugs help her forget about her son's actions temporarily
There's a letter in the wallet
The mother finds a letter with bad news
the kind the coroner returns
The letter is related to a dead body
faded manilla envelope
The envelope is old and worn-out
the F.B.I. forgot to burn
The letter was meant to be destroyed by the FBI but was missed
Tucker stole the cars
Someone named Tucker was involved in stealing cars
in all night bars
Tucker was probably involved in illegal activities
and the can he stole in Reno
The letter reveals that Tucker was involved in a crime in Reno
an incident gettin' outta hand
The situation got out of control
shootin' some pimp over heroin
Tucker shot a pimp over drugs
there's a photograph from a motor back
There is a photo of Tucker from the back of a car
and a picture of a mobile home
There is a photo of a mobile home
still a penny don't drop 'till she gets to the bottom of the page
The mother is reading the letter intently trying to understand what happened
an' now she's frozen
The mother is stunned by the information in the letter
'cause the postmark say in Tuscon
The letter was sent from Tuscon
date december of seventy-three
The letter is from December 1973
daddy just been busted
The father has been arrested
she got the baby on her knee, yeah
She has a baby on her lap
brother injured
The son's actions have hurt his sibling as well
death's in his soul
The son is consumed by guilt
no one is guilty or innocent in jail
In jail, everyone is punished the same, regardless of guilt or innocence
except for the grieving son
The son is feeling the pain of his actions
and the grieving wife
The wife of the victim is also feeling the pain
told in the name of justice there goes this life
Someone has lost their life due to someone else's actions
where the bullet of the gun is set in it's deadly course
The bullet is lethal, and once it's fired, there's no going back
fire with anger without no remorse
The son acted out of anger with no thought about the consequences
I think of nothing except one thing
The mother's thoughts are consumed by her son's actions
because injustice of my mothers pain
The mother is in pain because of the injustice done to her
for the cities flared
The situation has caused unrest in the city
and the sirens blared
There is chaos happening
and all these was ignored so
The pain and chaos are being overlooked
death grows more
The situation is getting worse
and want you to fall in the flames
The mother wants her son to suffer for his actions
nothing is ever the same
The situation has forever changed everything
doesn't matter your age
The son's age is irrelevant
stand against that rage
She is trying to fight against the anger she feels
for the sist that lie
Others have suffered from the son's actions as well
another will die
If nothing is done, another person will be hurt or killed
and the people that protest
People are speaking up against the injustice
against death and the rest
They are fighting against the effects of the son's actions
Contributed by Charlie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alejandro Morales
Zoe is amazing, what a voice!
Kathryn S
Awesome
touch mysoul
Bin total fasziniert. Live erleben wäre toll!!!!
Steve Wynne
beautiful
cwazywabbit1
love it well worth waitin thru the still
snackpoodle
Nice!
Rebecca Farrell
the sound is great on this, what can you teach me lowly reverend?
never stop meowing
sweet
Mac Chris
nice
Some Human
@sydferret
That would be changing Alabama 3.
They're not a commercial band, they just make music because they can, not because it will sell lots.