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If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)

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Wikipedia article




"'If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)'" is a song written by Murry Kellum and Dan Mitchell, and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in July 1984 as the B-side of the third single from the band's 'Roll On' album. Though "I'm Not That Way Anymore" was released as the A-side, radio programmers preferred the flipside and the song became the group's 14th consecutive number-one single on the 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles chart.

During the first weeks "If You're Gonna Play in Texas..." was on the 'Billboard' chart, "I'm Not That Way Anymore" charted concurrently, being listed as a tag-along B-side. Since "I'm Not That Way" was intended as the A-side, the song had an accompanying music video which was filmed at Fort Payne High School.

The chorus references "Faded Love" by Texas musician Bob Wills and "Louisiana Man" by Doug Kershaw repeatedly throughout this song.

The song was used as the basis of "If You're Gonna Run in Texas", a radio campaign advertisement produced as part of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz's reelection campaign in 2018.

Critical reception



Kip Kirby, of 'Billboard' magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that Alabama "obviously enjoys this high-energy instrumental romp through roots."'Billboard', July 21, 1984

Single and album edit differences



The single edit was more than a minute shorter than the original album version. Two features were deleted from the single version:

* The opening fanfare, featuring Alabama's vocalists accompanied by just a piano singing a few bars of "The Eyes of Texas." This introduction leads into the single's opening, which suddenly picks up the tempo to a quick duple-meter.

* A second repeat of the refrain, the first part only accompanied by drums, before the fiddle-led bridge leading to the last part of the song.

The version that appears on the band's 'Greatest Hits Vol. III' album excises the intro but retains the extra refrain.

Charts



Weekly charts



Year-end charts



Certifications



References



*Morris, Edward, "Alabama," Contemporary Books Inc., Chicago, 1985

* Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 )

Category:1984 singles

Category:Alabama (American band) songs

Category:Songs about Texas

Category:Songs about musicians

Category:Songs about fiddles

Category:Song recordings produced by Harold Shedd

Category:RCA Records Nashville singles

Category:1984 songs


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