CAR-TUNES SATURDAY

CD SHOWCASE MEMORIES

2 songs from the 2nd hour (8p-9p, double plays) of my 10/07/1995 college radio show: “Song Of The South” & “I’m In A Hurry” by Alabama. This show was optional, due to Fall Break; OC,SHer & friend ALLEN K was in the studio with me! Also featured: a Junkyard Jewel 1976 Monte Carlo photographed by OC,SHer JAY B in Texas….

I’m not sure you can go wrong choosing any Alabama song. The band formed in Fort Payne AL by cousins Randy Owen, Jeff Cook & Teddy Gentry. After finally cracking the Top 20 with their 3rd release, 1980’s “My Home’s In Alabama” (#17), the group notched their 1st chart topper in their 4th release, 1980’s “Tennessee River”. That catapulted them to prominence, including 7 more straight chart toppers with the likes of 1981’s “Old Flame”, 1981’s “Love In The 1st Degree” (2 weeks) & 1982’s “Mountain Music”. Other familiar favorites of this band’s career, which originally stretched to 2002, include 1982-3’s “Christmas In Dixie”, 1983’s “The Closer You Get” (#1), 1984’s “Roll On 18 Wheeler” (#1; an all-time favorite of mine), 1984’s “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas” (#1), 1984-5’s “Fire In The Night” (#1), 1985’s “40 Hour Week” (#1), 1985’s “Can’t Keep A Good Man Down” (#1), 1990’s “Jukebox In My Mind” (#1, 4 weeks), 1991’s “Then Again” (#4), 1994’s “The Cheap Seats” (#13), 1994-5’s “Angels Among Us” (#28; released twice, should’ve notched higher) & 1995’s “In Pictures” (#4).

#1 “Song Of The South” | Alabama
You know how some songs take you back to a specific time? This is another 1 of those for me! It is the very 1st song I ever played on the radio. While I don’t have the playlist from the show, this song kicked off my very 1st broadcast, September 1993, noted HERE. The tune hit the airwaves 11/26/1988, spent 19 weeks on the charts & claimed #1 in early 1989. At the time, it was the 3rd of an eventual 6 straight chart toppers for the band.

#2 “I’m In A Hurry” | Alabama
About 3.5 years after “Song Of The South” & ~3 years prior to this 10/07/1995 broadcast, this song debuted 09/26/1992 & spent 20 weeks on the country charts, 2 of those at #1. It was their 2nd to last original chart topper, followed by 1993’s “Reckless”. The band technically scored another chart topper in 2011 when they appeared on Brad Paisley’s “Old Alabama” (2 weeks). This song, though, has so much to it, even though it is short. We make life so much more difficult that it needs to be, including the urge to rush around & get things done & not be late. My favorite line? “Don’t know why I have to drive so fast; my car has nothing to prove, it’s not new, but it’ll do zero to 60 in 5.2”, of course!