A world-winning American country music group, Alabama, performed one of the best classic hits in the ’80s called the “Song of the South.”
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Alabama is a popular country band in the ’60s up to the present. Its members are Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook. Thus, before coming up with the name Alabama, they were first named Wild Country. This group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the ’70s and began writing their own songs.
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Alabama‘s biggest success came in the year 1980 when the band achieved over 27 number 1 hits, 7 multi-platinum albums, and won numerous awards and honors. The band’s best-known songs are “Love in the First Degree,” “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland Delight,” “If You’re Gonna Plat in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band),” and “Song of the South.” With this, let us talk about one of their popular singles “Song of the South.”
“Song of the South”
It was a country ballad popularized in the ’80s. This track is penned by a retired American songwriter Bob McDill. Thus, it was first recorded by American country music artist Bobby Bare and his rendition was included on his 1980 album, Drunk & Crazy. Another version came in 1981 which was recorded by Johnny Russell. His rendition peaked to number 57 on the US Billboard country chart.
Alabama made their version of the song and it was released on November 7, 1988, as a single from their album, Southern Star. Upon the release of the song, it immediately entered the country chart and peaked at number 1 on both US and Canadian country charts.
“Song of the South” talks about the life of a poor Southern cotton farm family during the Great Depression. This track was inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s new deal with the line,
“The cotton was short and the weeds was tall, but Mr. Roosevelt’s gonna save us all.”
The father of the family is a Southern Democrat and the family lost their wealth after the mother becomes ill. After those struggles happened in their life, they have achieved a comfortable life in a more urban location.
Listen to Alabama’s version of “Song of the South” here: