Alabama Getaway
| "Alabama Getaway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 single sleeve | ||||
| Single by Grateful Dead | ||||
| from the album Go to Heaven | ||||
| B-side | "Far from Me" | |||
| Released | April 28, 1980 | |||
| Length | 3:36 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Composer | Jerry Garcia | |||
| Lyricist | Robert Hunter | |||
| Producer | Gary Lyons | |||
| Grateful Dead singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Alabama Getaway" on YouTube | ||||
"Alabama Getaway" is a song by the American rock band Grateful Dead, released as the first of two singles from their 1980 album Go to Heaven.[1]
Background
"Alabama Getaway" was written by Jerry Garcia (music) and Robert Hunter (lyrics) and has narrative ambiguities.[2] It is specifically an "outlaw tale with lots of Old West imagery,"[3]
Music and lyrics
"Alabama Getaway" is a Berry-esque rock track,[1][4] and features a Minimoog solo performed by Brent Mydland.[5] the music of which has been described by Lindsay Planer as a "greasy four-on-the floor rocker [that is] connected by a blues-derived saga of a Sugar Daddy-type character".[1] The song was a staple of the band's concert setlists of the early 1980s.[6]
Critical reception
Writing for Rolling Stone, J.M. De Matteis believes that it "does its job with an admirable brevity that might have saved a few of the album’s terminally long-winded compositions".[4] American music magazine Cashbox opined the band "take the blues/rock boogie road to the south and its smooth sailing all the way" on the track.[7] Record World writes that "Garcia's lead vocals and guitar work are on the money and new keyboard/vocalist, Brent Mydland shows he has the boogie in his blood."[8]
Credits and personnel
According to the Grateful Dead Family Discography:[9]
Performers
- Jerry Garcia - guitar, vocals
- Brent Mydland - keyboards, vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann - drums
- Bob Weir - guitar, vocals
- Phil Lesh - bass
- Mickey Hart - drums
Production
- Producer - Gary Lyons
- Engineer - Gary Lyons, Betty Cantor-Jackson
- Additional engineer - Peter Thea, Bob Matthews, John Cutler
- Recorded at Club Front, San Rafael
Charts
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 68 |
| US Cashbox Top 100 Singles[11] | 79 |
| US Record World Singles Chart[12] | 68 |
References
- ^ a b c Planer, Lindsay. "Alabama Getaway Review". AllMusic. RoVi Corporation. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ Clarke, Andrew (2006). Go to Heaven (reissue booklet). Rhino and Grateful Dead Records. p. 8.
- ^ Sclafani, Tony (2013-09-01). The Grateful Dead FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Greatest Jam Band in History. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-61713-582-8.
- ^ a b Matteis, J.M. De (1980-08-07). "Go To Heaven". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ Jackson, Blair (2006). Grateful Dead Gear. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. p. 207. ISBN 0879308931.
- ^ Planer, Lindsay. "Go to Heaven Review". AllMusic. RoVi Corporation. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ "Singles to Watch" (PDF). Cashbox. June 7, 1980. p. 20. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. June 14, 1980. p. 16. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ^ "Grateful Dead Family Discography: Alabama Getaway / Far From Me". www.deaddisc.com. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ^ "Grateful Dead Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. 1980-07-12. p. 4.
- ^ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. 1980-06-28. p. 31.