TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 26: AJ McCarron #10 of the Alabama Crimson Tide kisses girlfriend Katherine Webb after their 45-10 win over the Tennessee Volunteers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)This weekend, for the first time in nearly four years, Alabama will be bringing back the playing of “Dixieland Delight” at a home football game. That said, the administration wants fans to change the way they sing the song.
The song, recorded in 1982 by the band Alabama, was one of the staples at Alabama home games until it was banned after the 2014 Iron Bowl. Why was it banned? Because in between the lyrics, fans had something a bit disrespectful to say about Auburn.
This is how the fans used to respond during the chorus: Via SBNation:
Spend my dollar — ON BEER
Parked in a holler ‘neath the mountain moonlight — ROLL TIDE
Hold her up tight — AGAINST THE WALL
Make a little lovin’ — ALL NIGHT
Little turtle dovin’ on a Mason-Dixon night —FUCKAUBURN
Fits my life — AND LSU
Oh so right — AND TENNESSEE TOO
My Dixieland Delight
This time around, Alabama AD Greg Byrne wants fans to only keep the ROLL TIDE part and change FUCK AUBURN to BEAT AUBURN.
The main question is whether fans will follow directions. Most want the song back, but it’s clear that if they don’t tone down the language, the school will ban it again.
Check out this video on how to do Dixieland Delight right.
Be sure to sing #RollTide and Beat Auburn when you see it up on the video board. Retweet to share. #DixielandDelightDoneRight pic.twitter.com/HYajEM8Uy9
— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) October 11, 2018
Head coach Nick Saban seems to be in favor – so long as fans listen to Byrne.
Saban on Dixieland Delight: "It's a great tradition and one I really enjoy. … It got taken away probably for a good reason. And I hope all the people who embrace it now will be able to hold everybody accountable to do it the right way."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) October 12, 2018
Alabama takes on Missouri this Saturday. We’ll be interested in both the play on the field and what’s going on in the stands.
