View source for Why Lady Why (Alabama song)

{{distinguish|Why Lady Why (Gary Morris song)}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Why Lady Why
| cover      = Why Lady Why.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Alabama (band)|Alabama]]
| album      = [[My Home's in Alabama]]
| B-side     = [[I Wanna Come Over]]
| released   = August 29, 1980 <small>([[United States|U.S.]])</small>
| recorded   = 1978
LSI Studios, Nashville TN
String overdubs Late 1979
Music Mill, Nashville TN
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Country music|Country]]
| length     = 3:09 (single edit)<BR>4:11 (album version)
| label      = [[RCA Records Nashville|RCA Nashville]] <small>12091</small>
| writer     = Teddy Gentry, Rick Scott
| producer   = [[Harold Shedd]], Larry McBride and Alabama
| prev_title = [[Tennessee River (song)|Tennessee River]]
| prev_year  = 1980
| next_title = [[Old Flame (Alabama song)|Old Flame]]
| next_year  = 1981
}}
"'''Why Lady Why'''" is a song written by Teddy Gentry and Rick Scott, and recorded by American [[country music]] band [[Alabama (band)|Alabama]].  It was released in August 1980 as the fourth and final single from the album ''[[My Home's in Alabama]]''.  The song was the group's second No. 1 song on the ''[[Billboard magazine]]'' [[Hot Country Songs|Hot Country Singles]] chart.
==History==
Originally, "Why Lady Why" was recorded and released on the band's independent release, ALABAMA BAND: # 3 in 1978.  A snippet of the track was issued as the [[B-side]] to the song "[[My Home's in Alabama (song)|My Home's in Alabama]]," released by MDJ Records in January 1980. When the band signed with MDJ records and started working with producer Harold Shedd, the original track was remixed and Kristin Wilkinson & the WIRE CHOIR's strings were added. The song later was issued as a single in its own right by RCA in August 1980. The B-side: "I Wanna Come Over," the band's first Top 40 hit.
==Personnel==
'''Original Session, LSI Studios, 1978:'''
Randy Owen - Lead Vocal, Rhythm Guitar
Jeff Cook - Harmony Vocal, electric lead guitar, Piano
Teddy Gentry - Harmony Vocal, Bass Guitar
Rick Scott - Drums, Percussion
Arliss Scott - Rhythm Guitar
'''Harold Shedd's production addition, MUSIC MILL, 1979:'''
Kristin Wilkinson and the Wire Choir - String Orchestra
==Single and album versions==
The [[radio edit|single]] and album versions are noticeably different. The single version — which is included on Alabama's ''[[For the Record (Alabama album)|For the Record]]'' — can be distinguished by an edited shorter introduction, abridged or deleted musical [[bridge (music)|interludes]], an edited musical outro, and a noticeably different EQ mix . The original album version is part of Alabama's 1986 ''[[Greatest Hits (Alabama album)|Greatest Hits]]'' album.
==Chart performance==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1980)
!align="center"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Alabama}}
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks
|align="center"|3
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
*Morris, Edward, "Alabama," Contemporary Books Inc., Chicago, 1985 ({{ISBN|0809253062}})
*Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.
*[{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t4319206|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic — ''Why Lady Why'' by Alabama].
{{Alabama (band) 1977-1989 singles}}
[[Category:1980 singles]]
[[Category:Alabama (American band) songs]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Harold Shedd]]
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Teddy Gentry]]
[[Category:1980 songs]]
{{1980-country-song-stub}}