Old Alabama - Misplaced Pages

"Old Alabama" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Brad Paisley, featuring guest vocals from the band Alabama. It was released in March 2011 as second single from Paisley's 2011 album This Is Country Music.

Content

When writing the song, Paisley thought that the bridge to Alabama's 1982 single "Mountain Music" would fit well with the song. Instead of sampling that song, he asked band members Randy Owen, Jeff Cook and Teddy Gentry to join him in the studio and record a piece of it. Paisley wrote the song with Owen, Dave Turnbull and Chris DuBois.

"Old Alabama" incorporates into its lyrics the titles of several of Alabama's classic songs, including "Why Lady Why," "Tennessee River," "Feels So Right," "Love in the First Degree" and "Dixieland Delight." A man's illustration of his idea of spending time with a desirable woman on a Saturday night, the song references the names of Alabama songs that the couple are listening to on their way to an unnamed rendezvous. In the song's bridge, Owen, Cook and Gentry sing the bridge of "Mountain Music," in fact the same parts they did on their original 1982 hit. The song ends with a fiddle-heavy reprisal of "Old Alabama"'s refrain, which is musically in the vein of "Mountain Music."

Critical reception

Matt Bjorke of Roughstock rated the single three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that the references to Alabama songs were "cleverly intertwined" and that the appearance of Alabama gave the song a "nostalgia" factor. Blake Boldt of Engine 145 thought that the tributes to the band Alabama were "admirable", but criticized the melody for sounding similar to his 2007 single "Online" and thought that it "leans heavily on song mentions and recycled production."

Music video

The music video was directed by Jim Shea and premiered in May 2011. It features the group Alabama plus clips from their music videos, and appearances from NASCAR drivers, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, and team owners Rick Hendrick and Kelley Earnhardt Miller. The video was filmed in and around Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chart performance

"Old Alabama" entered the Hot Country Songs charts at number 44 on the chart dated for the week ending March 26, 2011. It has since become Alabama's first new number one hit since "Reckless" in 1993. It is also the seventeenth number one for Paisley.

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Canada Country (Billboard)	1
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	41
US Billboard Hot 100	38
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)	41

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,000,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

Richardson, Gayle (19 March 2011). "Brad Paisley Says Working With Alabama Was 'Mind-Blowing'". The Boot. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
Bjorke, Matt (11 March 2011). "Brad Paisley — "Old Alabama"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
Boldt, Blake (17 March 2011). "Brad Paisley "Old Alabama" review". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
Brad Paisley Recruits NASCAR Legends for ‘Old Alabama’ Video
Trust, Gary (23 March 2011). "Alabama Returns To Country Songs Summit". Billboard. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
"Brad Paisley Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
"Brad Paisley Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
"Brad Paisley Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
"Brad Paisley Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
"Best of 2011: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
"American single certifications – Brad Paisley – Old Alabama". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 18, 2022.

v t e Brad Paisley singles
Who Needs Pictures	"Who Needs Pictures" "He Didn't Have to Be" "Me Neither" "We Danced"
Part II	"Two People Fell in Love" "Wrapped Around" "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" "I Wish You'd Stay"
Mud on the Tires	"Celebrity" "Little Moments" "Whiskey Lullaby" "Mud on the Tires"
Time Well Wasted	"Alcohol" "When I Get Where I'm Going" "The World" "She's Everything"
5th Gear	"Ticks" "Online" "Letter to Me" "I'm Still a Guy" "Waitin' on a Woman"
Play	"Start a Band"
American Saturday Night	"Then" "Welcome to the Future" "American Saturday Night" "Water"
Hits Alive	"Anything Like Me"
This Is Country Music	"This Is Country Music" "Old Alabama" "Remind Me" "Camouflage"
Wheelhouse	"Southern Comfort Zone" "Beat This Summer" "I Can't Change the World" "The Mona Lisa"
Moonshine in the Trunk	"River Bank" "Perfect Storm" "Crushin' It" "Country Nation"
Love and War	"Today" "Last Time for Everything" "Heaven South"
Son of the Mountains	"The Medicine Will"/"Son of the Mountains"
Non-album and featured singles	"Without a Fight" "Bucked Off" "No I in Beer" "Freedom Was a Highway" "Forever Country"
Other songs	"Accidental Racist" "Is It Raining at Your House" "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"

v t e Alabama 1990–2011 singles
Pass It On Down	"Pass It On Down" "Jukebox in My Mind" "Forever's as Far as I'll Go" "Down Home" "Here We Are"
Greatest Hits Vol. II	"Then Again" "Born Country"
American Pride	"Take a Little Trip" "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)" "Once Upon a Lifetime" "Hometown Honeymoon"
Cheap Seats	"Reckless" "T.L.C. A.S.A.P." "The Cheap Seats"
Greatest Hits Vol. III	"We Can't Love Like This Anymore" "Give Me One More Shot"
In Pictures	"She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl" "In Pictures" "It Works" "The Maker Said Take Her"
Dancin' on the Boulevard	"Sad Lookin' Moon" "Dancin', Shaggin' on the Boulevard" "Of Course I'm Alright" "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes"
For the Record	"How Do You Fall in Love" "Keepin' Up"
Twentieth Century	"God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You" "Small Stuff"
When It All Goes South	"When It All Goes South"
Other singles	"Sweet Home Alabama" "Angels Among Us" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" "Old Alabama"

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