Alabama For The Record

Always thought this would be a mean band on cocaine.

Growing up in the state of Alabama, "Mountain Music" was as familiar to me as the national anthem. It was used EVERYWHERE for EVERY OCCASION. Sorta in my blood at this point.

"Love in the First Degree" is the sleek almost-disco that I wish they'd done more of, but the hoedowns like "Mountain Music", "Tennessee River" & "Dixieland Delight" are good romps too.

"Tennessee River" gets pretty heavy at the end too!

That whole weird alternative universe at the beginning of the 80s where there was no Police or Michael Jackson -- just Barbara Mandrell on a hot Saturday afternoon, introducing on your aunt's wooden console TV set, the most famous band in the world Alabama with their new hit song, "Mountain Music".

Alabama's tied in there with the Oak Ridge Boys, "Swingin'" by John Anderson, Terri Gibbs….

Ronnie Milsap, "Seven Year Ache"

Juice Newton, Eddie Rabbitt too

"Lady Down on Love" is an absolutely ridiculous song & is inexplicably popular on my local classic country radio station.

Is it time yet to play my favorite ILX game, What Is The Deal With Alabama's Drummer?

http://dg.kscs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/alabama.jpg

http://old.rescuethebirds.net/ovalband.jpg

http://174.120.97.215/catalog/images/alabama-band-8x10-jsa.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3o_-aUXW-Yo/T0W3Mi3uXqI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/M1WoLrk7eH4/s400/Alabama4_sm_e.jpg

http://i19.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/29/e8/aade_35.JPG

"No! No, could you pop them down, please?"

"Hey y'all come on in here. I'm already playin', no chair needed."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVGDmxlJ8IM

he looks fab on the "40 Hour Week" single; the Elvis' martial arts teacher look, updated for the 80s.

i haven't been to their wikipedia page yet, but I would suspect that it has some dubious chapter like "The Next Phase: 2002-2008" where most people are like, "What 'Next Phase' could there have been 20 years after '(Roll On) 18-Wheeler'?"

ROLL ON

looks like "40 Hour Week" isn't part of the Stone Mountain laser show anymore, pouring one out

"Roll On" baby. They were great.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Euler, I dare you to start an Alabama countdown poll.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

great poll, I think I was 2 of the votes for the winner though

Didn't see this. Would've gone with "40 Hour Week," probably.

Missing: "The Cheap Seats" (about minor league baseball), "Song Of The South" (partly about Daddy being a Democrat, unlike rich people).

Song of the South is on disk 2 which I figured wouldn't get much love

"Fire in the Night" got robbed.

"When she told me
She didn't often do this kind of thing
She said please hold me
Hold me tight so I don't have to think
Oh, her gentle touch
Really moved me so much
The flames of love swept over us
Like a burning light"

there's so much to unpack there
plus the muted guitar playing finally gives way in the last 30 seconds to something like a solo, Randy Owen cooing that he's on fire (recorded before Born In The USA too)