On this day (October 2) in 1981, Alabama released “Love in the First Degree.” It spent two weeks at the top of the country chart–the last week of 1981 and the first week of ’82. It also peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100, giving the band their biggest crossover hit. Songwriter Tim DuBois found inspiration for the hit when he heard a news report about a person being found guilty of murder in the first degree.
In 1980, Alabama released “Tennessee River” as the third single from their debut album. It became their first No. 1 and the first of 21 consecutive chart-toppers. The fourth single in that streak was “Feels So Right,” the lead single and title track from their sophomore LP. The RIAA certified it Gold. It was also their first release to appear on the Hot 100, where it reached No. 20. When they followed that hit with “Love in the First Degree,” the band’s crossover success was all but inevitable.
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While the band had no complaints about their crossover success, they weren’t chasing it. “We’re country first and crossover second,” Teddy Gentry said in an interview with Billboard. “If crossovers come, that’s great. We would rather have a No. 1 country record than get lost in the middle of the pop chart.”
A Murder Conviction Inspired Alabama’s Biggest Crossover Hit
According to Classic Country Music Stories, Tim DuBois was on his way to a writing session at House of Gold. During his commute, he heard a news story about a defendant being found guilty of murder in the first degree. For whatever reason, the phrase stuck with him that morning.
[RELATED: On This Day in 1980, Alabama Re-Released the B-Side That Became Their Second Chart-Topper]
When he got to House of Gold and met his co-writer, Jim Hurt, he had a solid lyrical idea. In less than two hours, they had completed the first verse and chorus. DuBois finished the rest of the song that evening. They later joked that the song was so easy to write that it seemed almost unfair.
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