Taking it back to 1988.
Written by Bob McDill, “Song of the South” was originally recorded by Bobby Bare 1980, the song was also recorded and released by Johnny Russell in 1981, Tom T. Hall and Earl Scruggs in 1982, and finally by Alabama in 1988. Of course, their version had the most commercial success, hitting #1 on the country charts.
The Alabama version however, omitted the original second verse of the song:
“I was 18 before I ate my bill
we lived on the garden and the cow’s good will
winter was wet, summer was dry
and momma she was old at 35.”
The song tells the story of a poor farming family during the Great Depression, but despite the grim realities of the human struggle, it’s ultimately a story about perseverance. A message that’s still relevant today.
