When Roger Murrah co-wrote “High Cotton,” he wasn’t just writing a country hit—he was telling the story of his childhood in Athens, Alabama. Recorded by Country Music Hall of Famers Alabama, “High Cotton” was released in 1989. A nostalgic reflection on growing up in the rural South, the song struck a chord with listeners and became the band’s 26th No. 1 single.
For Murrah, who co-wrote the song with Scott Anders, the lyrics were rooted in real life—where money was tight but love and family never ran short.
“My songs have certainly been inspired by growing up in Athens,” Roger Murrah told Athens-area news organization QCD News in 2015.
Lyrics include: We didn’t know the times were lean/ Round our house the grass was green/ It didn’t seem like things were all that bad/ I bet we walked a thousand miles/Choppin’ cotton and pushing plows/ And learnin’ how to give it all we had
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“The Song is Really About My Life”
“The song is really about my life,” Murrah told Backstory Song. “We were walking in high cotton. In other words, we were poor people, but we didn’t feel like poor people. We felt like we were rich because of the love in the family.”
Murrah said they might have borrowed part of the melody from an African American spiritual, but he wasn’t sure. What he does know is that they took the line “old times there are not forgotten” from “Dixie.” The lyric lift it legal because the song is in public domain – which kicks in 70 years after the creator’s death.
“We did it for the effect it would have on our song,” Murrah said. “In other words, it would let people reminisce. And it also let them feel the feeling of the spiritual aspect of it. To borrow that was part of the inspiration in the song, really.”
The Dixie Effect
Murrah was BMI’s Songwriter of the Decade for the 1980s. In addition to “High Cotton,” other his hit songs include Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” Alabama’s “Southern Star”, and “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time,” Wynonna’s “Only Love,” and Travis Tritt’s “Where Corn Don’t Grow.” He’s written 10 No. 1 hits and helped Waylon Jennings write an autobiographical album titled “A Man Called Hoss.” Murrah was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and received a Bronze Star induction into the Walk of Fame at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He has served as chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation, on the board of the Country Music Association, and as governor and vice president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Board of Governors.
But he owes his biggest Alabama hit, “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” to his ex-wife. Murrah wrote the song with Randy VanWarmer, most famous for his song “Just When I Needed You Most.”
VanWarmer had moved to Nashville and called Murrah with the “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)” song idea.
“We just sat down and wrote it fairly quickly,” Murrah said. “Everybody felt like it was their song. We’re all in a hurry.”
Roger Murrah Teamed with Randy VanWarmer
Murrah said Alabama’s career had been in a lull before the song, and they really needed a big hit. In his words, “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)” was “monstrous.” He was walking out the door of his office as Alabama had called and asked him to bring them songs. They were recording, and Murrah planned to drop off the tapes for them to listen to when they had time. As he was walking out, his former wife reminded him to take “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why).”
“That was one of those times where I didn’t think myself out of it,” Murrah said. “I just picked up a copy of it and took it with me. They loved everything about it.”
Alabama called him later the same day and said they were going to record it. Then the band sent his ex-wife one dozen yellow roses, which she loved.
(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum)
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