Alabama’s “Cheap Seats” feels like summer, and these past few days in San Diego reminds us that it’s coming soon. This song’s about the folks who show up to the game no matter what, sitting way up in the stands where the view isn’t perfect but the heart is all there. I’ve been listening to this song a lot lately, partly because it reminds me of growing up, but mostly because my son’s been playing Little League. He’s all in. He’s got the glove, the lingo, and a head full of baseball dreams. I’ve been out there watching him, cheering from the “cheap seats”, watching him snag a fly ball in the outfield and then step into the batters box.

In regards to this tune and the band, Alabama is a renowned American country music band that originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969. The group was founded by cousins Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook, who initially performed under the names Young Country and later Wildcountry before adopting the name Alabama in 1977. Their unique blend of traditional country music with Southern rock and pop influences propelled them to immense popularity in the 1980s. During this period, they achieved an unprecedented 21 consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including hits like “Tennessee River,” “Mountain Music,” and “Dixieland Delight.” Over the years, Alabama has sold over 75 million records, making them one of the most successful bands in country music history. Their contributions to the genre were recognized with their induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

One cool connection I have to Alabama is through my friend Gordon Mote. He’s toured with them and played keys. if you’ve heard him, you know how talented he is. But even more than that, he’s just a solid guy. Knowing he’s shared the stage with a band like Alabama makes listening to songs like “Cheap Seats” feel a little closer to home. Connecting with people through music, baseball, or even a cup of coffee makes this big world just a little smaller and even more special.

If you didn’t catch it, I put out a song last week called “Struck Out Blues.” It came straight out of these past few months of baseball. It’s a little bit about my boy and a little bit about me and my own memories of the game.

This town ain’t big, this town ain’t small
It’s a little of both they say
Our ball club may be minor league but at least it’s triple A
We sit below the Marlboro man, above the right field wall
We do the wave all by ourself
Hey ump, a blind man could’ve made that call

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We like our beer flat as can be
We like our dogs with mustard and relish
We got a great pitcher what’s his name
Well we can’t even spell it
We don’t worry about the pennant much
We just like to see the boys hit it deep
There’s nothing like the view from the cheap seats

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The game was close, we’ll call it a win
Go off to toast the boys again
That local band is back in town
They got a kinda minor league sound
They’re not that bad, they’re not that good
But all in all it’s understood
We wanna dance, they wanna play
We wouldn’t have it any other way

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Now the majors called up ol’ what’s his name
And one more buildin’ rises tall
And suddenly we’re all grown up
And this old town not quite so small
But I’ll always miss the middle size town
In the middle of the middle-west
With no name pitchers and local bands
And mustard and relish and all the rest

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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. I do use A.I. here and there to help with writing and grammar. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. If you notice any mistakes, let me know or just keep it inside and be mad. Thanks!

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