My Home's in Alabama (song)
Encyclopedia
"My Home's in Alabama" is a song made famous by the country music
band Alabama
. Written by Randy Owen
and Teddy Gentry, the song was released in 1980 and served as the title track to Alabama's first album for RCA Records
.
In the years since its release, "My Home's in Alabama" became widely considered as the song that sparked the band's rise to eventual superstardom.
, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. The lyrics state that, while bigger and better things lay ahead, their home would always be in Alabama, "no matter where I lay my head" and that they were "southern-born and southern-bred."
Allmusic called the song "the closest thing to country rock" among the album's ten tracks.
"My Home's in Alabama" was released in January 1980 by MDJ Records, a small independent label that had also released Alabama's first Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Top 40 single, "I Wanna Come Over" in the fall of 1979. The success of "My Home's in Alabama" (and the prior song) earned the group an invitation to the "New Faces" show at the annual Country Radio Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee
. The resulting performance earned them a contract with RCA Records, to which they signed in April 1980.
Both "I Wanna Come Over" and "My Home's in Alabama" were subsequently issued on the band's first album.
) becoming the new official State Song, and the current State Song, "Alabama", written in 1931 by Julia Tutwiler
would be moved to State Anthem status, but the bill failed in the State House.
and full-length album versions of "My Home's in Alabama" were released. The single version is 4:02, and fades out just as the album-version's extended guitar bridge begins. This version is available on The Essential Alabama
, released as part of RCA's Essential Series (not to be confused with the repackaged For the Record
).
The full-length version — which includes the guitar bridge (that lasts about a minute and a half), a repeat of the refrain and the song-ending bridge reprisal — is 6:27, and is available, among other albums, on My Home's in Alabama
.
In addition to the studio-recorded version, an eight-minute live version was released on Alabama's first greatest hits album
.
," a song that later became a single from the My Home's in Alabama album — and the band's second No. 1 hit. Later pressings issued by RCA had "I Wanna Come Over" as the B-side.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
. Written by Randy Owen
Randy Owen
Randy Owen is an American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of Alabama, a country rock band which saw considerable mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Although Alabama only records new albums on occasion, Owen himself has maintained a career...
and Teddy Gentry, the song was released in 1980 and served as the title track to Alabama's first album for RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
.
In the years since its release, "My Home's in Alabama" became widely considered as the song that sparked the band's rise to eventual superstardom.
Song history
The song, a biographical look at Alabama's early career, hopes and dreams, also pays homage to the roots of band members Randy OwenRandy Owen
Randy Owen is an American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of Alabama, a country rock band which saw considerable mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Although Alabama only records new albums on occasion, Owen himself has maintained a career...
, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. The lyrics state that, while bigger and better things lay ahead, their home would always be in Alabama, "no matter where I lay my head" and that they were "southern-born and southern-bred."
Allmusic called the song "the closest thing to country rock" among the album's ten tracks.
"My Home's in Alabama" was released in January 1980 by MDJ Records, a small independent label that had also released Alabama's first Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
Top 40 single, "I Wanna Come Over" in the fall of 1979. The success of "My Home's in Alabama" (and the prior song) earned the group an invitation to the "New Faces" show at the annual Country Radio Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The resulting performance earned them a contract with RCA Records, to which they signed in April 1980.
Both "I Wanna Come Over" and "My Home's in Alabama" were subsequently issued on the band's first album.
Official State Ballad
A State Senate bill (SR-458) was passed 32-1 in 2000 to make the song the official State Ballad, with "Stars Fell On Alabama", an 1833 song (whose most popular release was by Jimmy BuffettJimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
) becoming the new official State Song, and the current State Song, "Alabama", written in 1931 by Julia Tutwiler
Julia Tutwiler
Julia Strudwick Tutwiler was an advocate for education and prison reform in Alabama. Graduating in the first class of Vassar College, she served as co-principal of the Livingston Female Academy, and then the first woman president of Livingston Normal College .-Early life and education:Tutwiler...
would be moved to State Anthem status, but the bill failed in the State House.
Single and album edits
Both radio editRadio edit
In music, a radio edit is a modification to make a song more suitable for airplay, whether it be adjusted for length, profanity, subject matter, instrumentation, or form...
and full-length album versions of "My Home's in Alabama" were released. The single version is 4:02, and fades out just as the album-version's extended guitar bridge begins. This version is available on The Essential Alabama
The Essential Alabama (RCA Essential Series)
The Essential Alabama was a compilation album that chronicled the music of the country music band Alabama. Issued as part of BMG International's "The Essential" series, the album was released in June 1998....
, released as part of RCA's Essential Series (not to be confused with the repackaged For the Record
For the Record
For the Record is a two-disc, 44-track greatest hits package released by the American country music band Alabama.The album chronicles the biggest hits from Alabama released between 1980 and 1998. The lineup includes all 33 of their Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks No...
).
The full-length version — which includes the guitar bridge (that lasts about a minute and a half), a repeat of the refrain and the song-ending bridge reprisal — is 6:27, and is available, among other albums, on My Home's in Alabama
My Home's in Alabama (album)
My Home's in Alabama is an album by American country music band Alabama, released on RCA Records in 1980. For a majority of fans, this represents the first widespread success of Alabama, despite the fact that they had released three albums before this one....
.
In addition to the studio-recorded version, an eight-minute live version was released on Alabama's first greatest hits album
Greatest Hits (Alabama album)
Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits package released by the American country music band Alabama. The album was released on RCA Records in 1986, and has since been certified platinum for sales of 5 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America.By the mid-1980s, Alabama had...
.
B-side
The B-side to the MDJ Records release of "My Home's in Alabama" was "Why Lady WhyWhy Lady Why
"Why Lady Why" is a song by the country music band Alabama. Written by Rick Scott and band member Teddy Gentry, the song was released in 1980, and eventually became the group's second No...
," a song that later became a single from the My Home's in Alabama album — and the band's second No. 1 hit. Later pressings issued by RCA had "I Wanna Come Over" as the B-side.
Chart performance
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 17 |
Sources
- Himes, Geoffery, Alabama entry in "The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music." Country Music Foundation, Oxford Press, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-19-511671-2
- Millard, Bob, "Country Music: 70 Years of America's Favorite Music," HarperCollins, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-06-273244-7)
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.