Part 10/11

Several weeks ago when I posted about AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” I talked about my dad’s GMC truck and how we only listened to The Thunder from Down Under on those worn-out cassette tapes. It was a very simple time in my life when everything was copacetic and unadulterated. We lived in a small house on Dickerson Street where I’d wrestle a giant teddy bear on my parents’ bed until a spring popped out, ride my bike (with training wheels) out on the low-traffic street and use my aluminum baseball bat as a guitar while stomping around the basement pretending to be Angus Young.

We had only recently moved into that house, having lived in a shabby old second-floor apartment in Lynn Garden for a few years. We had a cat named Fluff, our family came to visit all the time and I was about to be a “big” kid starting elementary school. My mom was the most kind, gentle woman on the planet, my dad was a superhero who was 10 feet tall and I was well on my way to becoming a professional wrestler when I grew up.

As it turns out, however, my mom being the perfect picture of beauty and kindness was the only part of that utopian portrait that was authentic. My dad wasn’t a superhero and I never became a wrestler. Life changes and when it does, we’re forced to either evolve or die. And sometimes that evolution is not only difficult, it can be excruciatingly, hysterically difficult. 

For my dad, one of those excruciatingly and hysterically difficult moments of evolution was when he was trying to reinvent himself post-divorce. I don’t mean to slight the guy here because I did the exact same thing. The main difference is I decided to start getting skull tattoos, bought a motorcycle and started openly pursuing alternative spiritualities while my dad got a perm and started listening to Country music.

I think the country music thing happened because he was pursuing a woman who was a lover of all music, including country. This woman went on vacation with us and was really good to me so I wanted her to be my step-mom and still kinda wish it had worked out that way. While riding in my dad’s truck, she’d bring along some of her cassette tapes, and this is how I was introduced to Def Leppard’s “Adrenalize,” Nelson’s “After the Rain” and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Some Gave All.” 

But the album from this era that sticks out to me the most wasn’t one Lisa brought into my life. No, it was the only country album my dad ever went out and purchased himself and it is solely responsible for making me a fan of country music.

10) Alabama – American Pride

Released August 11, 1992; Produced by Alabama, Larry Michael Lee and Josh Leo

Alabama formed in 1969 and played as a bar band for the biggest part of their first decade as a group. By 1979 the band had released three studio albums under GRT Records and had scored a top-40 hit with I Wanna Come Over. The band peaked in the 1980s, dropping 10 studio albums and scoring a total of 21 number-one singles. While the world was coked out listening to new-wave, Alabama was tearing up the charts and selling out concerts with the likes of Tennessee River, Love in the First Degree, Mountain Music, Dixieland Delight, If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band) and Song of the South.

The early 90s saw an explosion in Country music with acts like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, George Strait and Dwight Yoakam taking over the scene, sending Alabama on the wane. Reportedly the harmonies for which their band was known made them sound dated. They had already made their name, however, and were respected as seasoned veterans in the Country music scene by this point.

By the time they released “American Pride” in 1992, they didn’t have much else to prove, except showing a little kid in East Tennessee that country music can be fun to sing.

Strong Points

Take a Little Trip

Take a Little Trip starts the record and sets the stage for what is a recurring theme on “American Pride:” enjoying the simple pleasures of home while comparing them to the luxuries of high-class living or exotic vacations. I mean, this song is for sure about sexytime at home, but the concept is the same. Who needs opulence when you can just get it on at home? This song features session musicians Josh Leo, Chris Leuzinger and Biff Watson who all provide valuable elements including a red-hot electric guitar solo and a subtle tremolo guitar to give the song some bulk.

Hometown Honeymoon

Going along with the aforementioned “let’s stay home and call it fancy” theme, Hometown Honeymoon is about getting married while being broke despite having two jobs. A traditional wedding is still possible with a honeymoon that comes in the form of a stay-cation. The fountain by town hall, afterall, is apparently comparable to Niagara Falls. This song features a great fiddle section played by Bluegrass Hall of Famer Sam Bush and subtle touches of mandolin played by Bernie Leadon, founding member of the Eagles. No big deal.

Once Upon a Lifetime

A classic country ballad about the gamble that is love and how losing at the game is painful, yet winning is such a big win that it makes the possibility of hurt worth it. My guess is Randy Owens, Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry and Mark Herndon are harmonizing about the risk they took in finding love in their hometown they never plan to leave again (if the previous songs are to be believed). Alabama didn’t cover any new ground with this song but it’s a solid country ballad that deserves the number 3 position it attained.

Favorite Songs

Homesick Fever

As a kid, I loved the fast-paced songs over the slower ballads, of course. Not surprising since I came into liking Country music after being a metalhead in my early years. And Homesick Fever bridges the gap here – it’s definitely a country song but it has multiple electric guitars with a great solo played by session musician Dan Toler. Oh, and it’s also about curing your illness by going back to your hometown.

I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)

This is the song that my dad was obsessed with when he was in his Country phase. While we listened to the record in its entirety, we kept I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why) on repeat in the old GMC. It doesn’t directly talk about how good life is in your small hometown but it does take a few jabs at the fast pace of city life, which indirectly stays on theme. This song features the classic Alabama harmonization and featured an entertaining music video. While researching this song, I saw that “Raoul” is credited with the tick-tock and while I’m pretty sure I know what part of the song it’s referring to, I’m very curious who, or what, “Raoul” is.

You Can’t Take The Country Out of Me

This is such a strong track for a number of reasons. The guitar parts are super catchy and fast-paced (with lots of guitar work provided by session musician Josh Leo) but my favorite part is the banjo provided by Bernie Leadon. In the song, vocalist Randy Owen croons that while you can take him out of the country, you simply cannot take the country out of him – a sentiment that is understood based solely on the content of nearly every other song on this record. I make light of this overarching theme but it works so well for a band like Alabama.

As previously stated, Alabama didn’t cover any new ground here. In fact, “no surprises” is a common review for many of their records released in the 90s and afterward. They had already made a name for themselves in the 80s and no longer needed to prove themselves anyway. And while “American Pride” wasn’t their most commercially successful record, it did peak at number 4 on the RPM Canadian Country Albums chart, 11 on the Billboard US Top Country Albums chart and all four singles were top-three hits in both the US and Canada (Take a Little Trip at number 2 in both countries, I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why) at number 1 in both countries, Once Upon a Lifetime at numbers 3 and 2 respectfully and Hometown Honeymoon at numbers 3 and 1 respectfully). 

The record went Platinum in the United States, but I think the most important thing it ever accomplished was making a Country fan out of a seven-year-old boy in East Tennessee.