Hit ‘Love’ song was easy to write
This week in 1981: President Ronald Reagan broadened the powers of the CIA, allowing spying in the U.S.; A government study predicted a record 1982 deficit of $109 billion; the United States suspended an arms deal with Israel over the annexation of Golan Heights; and a music group from Fort Payne, Alabama, had their 5th No. 1 hit.
A lot of hit songs have been written on the highway while the writer was driving to someplace or from someplace. And Alabama’s 1981 No. 1, “Love in the First Degree” was one of those tunes.
Songwriter Tim DuBois said, “I got the idea for that song while I was driving to the office one morning. I was
listening to the radio and the guy was talking about someone being found guilty of murder in the first degree and that’s where I got the idea for “Love in the First Degree.” When I got to the office, Jim Hurt was working on a piece of music and we sat down and wrote the first verse and the chorus. I wrote the second verse at home that evening. That song was very easy to write.”
Alabama’s “Love in the First Degree” became the third single released from their “Feels So Right” album and their 5th No. 1.
The RCA Victor single came on the charts Oct. 24, 1981 and was in the top slot on December 26th.
Alabama placed 80 songs on the country music charts between 1977 and 2011, including 33 No. 1s. Nineteen of those 80 charted country songs also placed on the pop charts.
Alabama was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2005.