Disco de Alabama: “Pass It On Down”

With four country number one hits and another single that just missed the top, you might think that this would be one of Alabama's most highly-acclaimed albums, but no so. Still, it is one of my favorites of theirs.

The title track reached number two on the country charts. It is about the state of the environment, an issue that some people are passionate about, but not enough to cause politicians to take action.

Following that near miss, the remaining four singles (Here we are, Down home, Forever's as far as I'll go, Jukebox in my mind) all reached number one. If you're thinking of buying this album, you'll be familiar with most or all of these very different songs. They were all included on the double CD For the record 41 number one hits, which I've already reviewed.

So the singles from the album proved to be very popular, at least with the radio stations, but the other tracks, mainly ballads, are also of a high quality, especially Moonlight lounge and Goodbye Kelly's song. The tempo picks up on Until it happens to you (a song addressed to a former partner) and I ain't got no business doing business today (first recorded by George Jones, but also recorded by Razzy Bailey).

This is a far better album than some would have you believe. If you want to collect some of Alabama's original albums, this may not be the one to start with but it should be high on the list.

Though not a highly acclaimed album, it did feature five TOP 5 songs, including 3 number ones. "Pass It On Down" has an undying ring to it, a song that never gets old. Cover to cover, this is one of the best albums Alabama ever produced, with everything from the emotional "Forever's As Far As I'll Go" and "Goodbye (Kelly's Song), to the hard driving "Moonlight Lounge" and zippy "Here We Are", written by Vince Gill. The harmonizing on this album is very reminiscent of the work put in on the former BMI Song of the Year "Fallin' Again". A wonderfully produced album, this is one of Alabama's finest works.

"Pass it On Down" is so obviously about conservsation and the earth, and I think that's pretty cool for country band to be doing like that, and I normally don't like country at all (except for Johnny Cash's version of HURT) I saw the video for "Pass it On Down" when I was about 13, so I barely remember much from it except the end part which showed a dog sniffing around a toxic waste dump. I've been hunting like heck for this video on Youtube and Myspace with no luck.

I'd give anything to see that video again... >.<

ANOTHER GREAT ALBUM FROM THE VETERANS OF COUNTRY MUSIC. MORE WITH DIRECTION TO POP-COUNTRY MUSIC THAN "TOUCH" (1986 OR 1987). SAVE ON AT LEAST 3/4 OF THE SONGS. TOUCHING BALLAD "GOODBYE (KELLY'S SONG)", "GREATEST HITS VOL. 3"'S "JUKEBOX IN MY MIND", STRONG "MOONLIGHT LOUNGE". DEFINITELY NOT SO MANY SONGS ABOUT THE LOVE AS IN THEIR DIFFERENT ALBUMS ("MY HOME'S IN ALABAMA" FOR EXAMPLE).