A couple of years ago there was a concerted effort to change the state song to “Stars Fell On Alabama.” Great idea, right out of TEH GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK, sung and loved by everyone, covered by Jimmy Buffett even. But nooooo, that wouldn’t happen. A clump of wheezy antebellum dingbats laid siege upon the legislature causing them to retain the current state song “Alabama.” It is a dreary, soul-desiccating melody accompanied by mushy, pseudo-archaic lyrics. A truly ghastly thing to hear.
Compare with nearby states:
- GA – “Georgia On My Mind”
- TN – “Tennessee Waltz”
- MS – “Go, Mississippi”
- KY – “My Old Kentucky Home”
- FL – “Swanee River”
“Stars Fell On Alabama” could definitely hang with the best of those. “Go, Mississippi” is a terrifically bad song, but it positively RAWKS DA HOUSE compared to “Alabama.” KY and FL songs have some insensitive lyrics, but you can always tweak them a bit.
The only suitable purpose for “Alabama” would be to broadcast it repeatedly as an interstellar beacon/doomsday machine designed to disorient and repel potential alien invasion fleets.
As usual, we lag behind.
And then there’s Virginia’s song, about which I am conflicted.
Ah do b’lieve the Alabama state song has the sonwriting credits King–Rossington-Van Zant
I like Skynyrd, but I’m partial to the standard “Stars Fell On Alabama.” It’s just traditional enough not to be jarring to the old-timers, yet fresh enough to be covered by the likes of Jimmy Buffett. It’s a compromise. Anything but the current one. Surrounding states have got us beat badly.
Oh, if only this was Alabama’s biggest problem …