Dixieland Delight
Encyclopedia
"Dixieland Delight" is a song written by Ronnie Rogers
and recorded by the country music
band Alabama
. Originally released in January 1983
, the song was the lead-off single to Alabama's fourth album, The Closer You Get...
.
, who previously had hits with Ed Bruce, Dave Dudley, Tanya Tucker and others, recalled to country music journalist Tom Roland that the idea for "Dixieland Delight" came to him when he was driving down Highway 11W, a Tennessee road in Rutledge, Tennessee
. The song's first line ("Rollin' down a backwoods, Tennessee byway; one arm on the wheel") soon led into an image of the main character's other arm wrapped around his girlfriend and - with a long, hard work week at an end - envisioning a weekend of fun and relaxation with her.
The song picks up the tempo somewhat with a fiddle bridge before a reprisal of the refrain.
, TNN
and Great American Country
.
The song is also known to be played at all University of Alabama home football games.
When Alabama recorded the song in 1982 for The Closer You Get, it differed substantially from the acoustic demo cut by Rogers.
The single edit is included in several of Alabama's greatest hits collections, including For the Record
. The full-length album version is included on the band's second greatest hits album
.
chart. To date, "Dixieland Delight" remains one of the group's most popular songs.
Ronnie Rogers
Randall "Ronnie" Rogers is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rogers charted eight singles on the Billboard country charts, including the top 40 hits "Gonna Take My Angel Out Tonight" and "My Love Belongs to You." He recorded for the Lifesong, Epic...
and recorded by the country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
. Originally released in January 1983
1983 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1983.-Events:* March — In a span of two days, two major cable networks signed on the air. Country Music Television went on-the-air March 5, while The Nashville Network came on two days later on March 7...
, the song was the lead-off single to Alabama's fourth album, The Closer You Get...
The Closer You Get...
The Closer You Get... is the fourth album of country music band Alabama. It was released in 1983. All three singles from this album — "The Closer You Get", "Lady Down on Love" and "Dixieland Delight" — reached Number One on the Hot Country Songs charts in 1983...
.
Background and writing
Songwriter Ronnie RogersRonnie Rogers
Randall "Ronnie" Rogers is an American country music singer and songwriter. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rogers charted eight singles on the Billboard country charts, including the top 40 hits "Gonna Take My Angel Out Tonight" and "My Love Belongs to You." He recorded for the Lifesong, Epic...
, who previously had hits with Ed Bruce, Dave Dudley, Tanya Tucker and others, recalled to country music journalist Tom Roland that the idea for "Dixieland Delight" came to him when he was driving down Highway 11W, a Tennessee road in Rutledge, Tennessee
Rutledge, Tennessee
Rutledge is a town in Grainger County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Grainger County. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The song's first line ("Rollin' down a backwoods, Tennessee byway; one arm on the wheel") soon led into an image of the main character's other arm wrapped around his girlfriend and - with a long, hard work week at an end - envisioning a weekend of fun and relaxation with her.
Content
The song's title refers to the girlfriend of the singer. Later in the song, Rogers conjures up images of various forest animals (e.g. a white-tailed buck and a red-tailed hawk) and how they bring peace to him, before returning to how the main character plans to become intimate with his girlfriend ("Home-grown country girl, gonna give me a whirl") during their weekend outing.The song picks up the tempo somewhat with a fiddle bridge before a reprisal of the refrain.
Music video
A music video was filmed for the song, and was directed by David Hogan. It has aired on CMTCountry Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
, TNN
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
and Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
.
The song is also known to be played at all University of Alabama home football games.
When Alabama recorded the song in 1982 for The Closer You Get, it differed substantially from the acoustic demo cut by Rogers.
Single and album edits
The original album version was edited by nearly 1½ minutes for release as a single. The differences include:- A shorter introductionIntroduction (music)In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
(about half of the intro is excised). - Shorter fiddle bridges; the second one almost immediately goes into the final reprisal. Also, a slower guitar riff is edited out before the tempo picks up for the segue leading into the first fiddle bridge.
- An earlier fade out (not quite halfway through the first verse reprisal).
The single edit is included in several of Alabama's greatest hits collections, including For the Record
For the Record
For the Record is a two-disc, 44-track greatest hits package released by the American country music band Alabama.The album chronicles the biggest hits from Alabama released between 1980 and 1998. The lineup includes all 33 of their Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks No...
. The full-length album version is included on the band's second greatest hits album
Greatest Hits Vol. II (Alabama album)
Greatest Hits Vol. II is the second greatest hits package released by the American country music band Alabama. The album was released on RCA Records in 1991, and has since been certified platinum for sales of 1 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America.As with Alabama's first...
.
Chart performance
Released in January 1983, "Dixieland Delight" became Alabama's ninth No. 1 song on Billboard magazines Hot Country SinglesHot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart. To date, "Dixieland Delight" remains one of the group's most popular songs.
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
See also
- Morris, Edward, "Alabama," Contemporary Books Inc., Chicago, 1985 (ISBN 0809253062)
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944–2005," 2006.