This is an opinion column.,
Bruce Rutherford, an Alabama lover who lives in Texas, last week or so, sent me a YouTube video of himself performing a song he wrote about Alabama. I dismissed the song called The Bigger Moon of Alabama, at first, but then the little tune kind of stuck in my head. My motto is you have to pay attention to ear worms.
What if a great singer and full band did this song. Well, haven’t heard from Jason Isbell or Wet Willie.
But Rutherford tipped me off that his Birmingham friend and colleague in the singer-songwriter world on YouTube, has already done a cover like in the last 48 hours (video below).
The singer’s name is Janet Chitty and I think her version demonstrates what I’m talking about. And that is, this can be sung many ways. Her version is slowed down. Rutherford’s is faster. But at least one commenter said it should be faster than Rutherford’s version (a speed metal version?) Nevertheless, the song is versatile, catchy and as I said yesterday rhymes Montgomery with succumbing — how can you not appreciate that?
So now we know at least two versions exist. Listen to them and see what you think. Newer version first of The Bigger Moon in Alabama.