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
Mao
Alabama 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! They're listening. Let the night roar! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
'Cos we know what they are
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Martin Luther King died for his love! Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand, some kind of generalized love, and he never even backed it up! He was shot down! Bullshit, “Love is the only weapon with which I got to fight”. I've got a hell of a lot of weapons to fight! I got my claws, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite, I got a hell of a lot of fight! I'll fight! I'll fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight!
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! They're listening. Let the night roar! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
'Cos we know what they are
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Pick up a gun and learn how to fight
All thru the day and all thru the night
'Til come the day when the last fight's won
I want you to listen, son
'Cos Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Thru the barrel of a gun
I want you to listen, son
Change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
CHORUS
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Okay. What was the basic premise of Mao? Mao Tse Tung said there's only one way a revolution can come. Do you know, Millie? How did Mao Tse Tung say the only way you can bring a revolution and keep it?
Where you— onliest way I think you can keep it is by being at peace and being honorable.
Oh, shit, I ain't— no— “being at peace”? Mao Tse Tung said that?
Oh—
No no no no—
Wait a minute— Oh—
—he's the head of China. He's the head of the Revolution of China.
No, I'm sorry.
He marched 6000 people…on the Long March.
I had my mind on something else.
Okay then, wha— wha— what'd he say? There only one way you can bring about a revolution for people.
Only way you can— only way you can bring it on, that by— is by killing.
Well, what— yes, that's okay, I'm going to let you pass it —but what'd he say? He had a nice little phrase that everybody should know. “Change only comes—”
Oh—
You got it. “Change comes through…”
“—through— by a barrel of gun.”
That's right, senior. And that's good. ‘Cos you by rights would have every reason to forget some things. “Change must come through the barrel of gun,” said Mao Tse Tung. This place would be a paradise tomorrow if every department had a supervisor with a submachine gun.
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
CHORUS
The lyrics of Alabama 3’s Mao Tse Tung Said feature a spoken dialogue between two individuals discussing Mao Tse Tung’s philosophy and his emphasis on revolution through violence. The lyrics carry a message of revolutionary action, stating that change can only be achieved through violent means, and portrays a sense of urgency in the need for change.
The first part of the lyrics feature a dialogue where the singer asserts that love is not the only weapon to fight against injustice and oppression. The singer then lists several weapons they have to fight, including claws, cutlasses, guns, dynamite and a hell of a lot of fight, portraying their readiness for violent action. The singer believes that change must happen immediately and forcefully, and that waiting and talking is not enough. They claim that Mao Tse Tung’s philosophy is a guiding star in this regard.
The lyrics then go on to describe how picking up a gun and learning to fight is necessary not only throughout the day, but also throughout the night. The chorus repeats the idea that Mao Tse Tung said change must come through the barrel of a gun, emphasizing the need for violent revolution to bring change. The lyrics end with a plea to listen and understand that change must come through the barrel of a gun.
Overall, the lyrics of Alabama 3’s Mao Tse Tung Said carries a message that reinforces Mao Tse Tung’s emphasis on violent revolution, advocating for the use of weapons to bring about change.
Line by Line Meaning
Martin Luther King died for his love!
MLK was willing to die for his belief in love.
Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand, some kind of generalized love, and he never even backed it up!
Kennedy spoke about love but did not back it up with action.
He was shot down!
Kennedy was assassinated.
Bullshit, “Love is the only weapon with which I got to fight”. I've got a hell of a lot of weapons to fight! I got my claws, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite, I got a hell of a lot of fight! I'll fight! I'll fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight!
Love is not enough to fight against oppression. The artist has more weapons and is willing to fight.
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight!
We will make sure they hear our message and we will fight.
They're listening. Let the night roar!
They are paying attention to us and we should make our message louder.
Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it.
We want to make sure they understand the seriousness of our message.
We'll kill them if they come!
The artist and their allies will use violence to defend themselves if necessary.
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Mao believed in the need for change.
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Mao believed that revolution and change could only be achieved through violent means.
Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
Mao believed that talking and waiting were not effective methods for creating change.
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
Mao believed that just thinking about problems was not enough to bring about change.
'Cos we know what they are
The singer and their allies are aware of the problems they face.
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Mao's philosophy can guide and inspire the revolutionaries.
Pick up a gun and learn how to fight
The singer is urging their allies to arm themselves and prepare for battle.
All thru the day and all thru the night
The revolutionaries must be ready to fight at all times.
'Til come the day when the last fight's won
The fight will not be over until the revolutionaries have achieved their goals.
I want you to listen, son
The singer is addressing their allies and wants them to pay attention.
Change must come
The need for change is urgent and necessary.
I'm going to let you pass it —but what'd he say? He had a nice little phrase that everybody should know. “Change only comes—”
The artist is reminding someone about Mao's philosophy of change through violent means.
“—through— by a barrel of gun.”
Revolution and change can only come through violence, according to Mao.
This place would be a paradise tomorrow if every department had a supervisor with a submachine gun.
The artist believes that violence and force could solve problems in their society.
CHORUS Mao Tse Tung said Change must come
The chorus reiterates Mao's philosophy about the need for change.
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Revolution and change must come through violence, according to Mao, and this chorus.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAKE BLACK, JON DELAFONS, PIERS MARSH, ROBERT SPRAGG, SIMON EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@erikwarendorph782
Yeah, Millie, you're a cult slacker. So it's detention for both you and Bart. Now write 100 times on the blackboard:
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
CHANGE MUST COME THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN!
@mattygroves5630
Martin Luther King died for his love! Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand, some kind of generalized love, and he never even backed it up! He was shot down! Bullshit, “Love is the only weapon with which I got to fight”. I've got a hell of a lot of weapons to fight! I got my claws, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite, I got a hell of a lot of fight! I'll fight! I'll fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight!
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! They're listening. Let the night roar! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
'Cos we know what they are
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Martin Luther King died for his love! Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand, some kind of generalized love, and he never even backed it up! He was shot down! Bullshit, “Love is the only weapon with which I got to fight”. I've got a hell of a lot of weapons to fight! I got my claws, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite, I got a hell of a lot of fight! I'll fight! I'll fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight! I will fight!
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! They're listening. Let the night roar! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Not thru talkin' and not through waitin'
And sittin' around just contemplatin' the facts
'Cos we know what they are
So let Mao Tse Tung be your guidin' star
Pick up a gun and learn how to fight
All thru the day and all thru the night
'Til come the day when the last fight's won
I want you to listen, son
'Cos Mao Tse Tung said change must come
Thru the barrel of a gun
I want you to listen, son
Change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
Okay. What was the basic premise of Mao? Mao Tse Tung said there's only one way a revolution can come. Do you know, Millie? How did Mao Tse Tung say the only way you can bring a revolution and keep it?
Where you— onliest way I think you can keep it is by being at peace and being honorable.
Oh, shit, I ain't— no— “being at peace”? Mao Tse Tung said that?
Oh—
No no no no—
Wait a minute— Oh—
—he's the head of China. He's the head of the Revolution of China.
No, I'm sorry.
He marched 6000 people…on the Long March.
I had my mind on something else.
Okay then, wha— wha— what'd he say? There only one way you can bring about a revolution for people.
Only way you can— only way you can bring it on, that by— is by killing.
Well, what— yes, that's okay, I'm going to let you pass it —but what'd he say? He had a nice little phrase that everybody should know. “Change only comes—”
Oh—
You got it. “Change comes through…”
“—through— by a barrel of gun.”
That's right, senior. And that's good. ‘Cos you by rights would have every reason to forget some things. “Change must come through the barrel of gun, ” said Mao Tse Tung. This place would be a paradise tomorrow if every department had a supervisor with a submachine gun.
Let them hear it in the night! Yes, we'll fight! Let the night roar, because they can hear us, they know we mean it. We'll kill them if they come!
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Mao Tse Tung said
Change must come
Change must come thru the barrel of a gun
@GeorgiaCav
Somehow I had never heard the full version with Millie. Thank you, good person who posted this.
@erikwarendorph782
Yes, Millie adds an extra dimension to the song. Unfortunately, she tends to have her mind on something else.
@rmadrazo
I was just watching a documentary about the People's Temple and this speech came on and I'm all "Oh yeah, I got cutlasses, I got guns, I got dynamite!"
@wereallindividuals
There are not enough likes in the world to express how good this song is. Alabama 3 on shining form when they did this :)
@Elidoransgar
Whole fucking album is magic.
@stevewynne5145
Gold
@deadskunk8733
Platinum and Diamonds
@paddynelson3586
I agree. Music for the Revolution. It's coming.
@manic65cvn
I want this as my funeral song.
@johnmcgilvary1155
Me 2