O/T: Christmas In Dixie - Alabama

I accidentally discovered tonight that the common version of "Christmas In Dixie" by Alabama is apparently edited from a slightly longer version. I can't figure out where the longer version originated.

The version you're likely familiar with ends with singing, no spoke elements, going straight from, "from Fort Payne, Alabama..." to "...Merry Christmas tonight!!!" while the "long" version has spoken segments from each of the members after "from Fort Payne, Alabama..."

* "God bless y'all"
* "We love you"
* "Happy New Year"
* "G'nite"
* (together, shouted) "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

...and then picks up with the acapella "Merry Christmas tonight..."

The "regular" version runs about 3:35 while the "long" version runs about 3:42.

The song first appeared on the 1982 RCA Victor compilation, "A Country Christmas," alongside Christmas tracks form Charlie Pride, Louis Mandrell, Steve Wariner, and Willie Nelson. Wikipedia would tell you this was where the long version originated, but the timing listed in Discogs suggests otherwise. I don't have an LP myself to compare, though. It was released as a single the same year, where it went to #35 on the country charts. This version also appears to be the edit. It was released once with the Mandrell/Bannon duet from "A Country Christmas," and again with another Alabama song, "Never Be One." A 1983 promo was re-released with "White Christmas" by Earl Thomas Conley on the B side. It was re-REreleased in 1987 with Amy Grant's "Tennessee Christmas" on the B-side this time. 1995 sees yet another 7" re-re-rerelease with the B-side this time being Alabama's "Thistlehair the Christmas Bear."

In 1985, Alabama released their first Christmas album, cleverly titled "Christmas," and it also appears to have the edit length.

RCA Special Products / BMG Direct Marketing / Audio Treasures released a curious compilation in 1991 titled "Christmas Memories From Elvis & Alabama." This appears to be the edit, too. In 1994, we get "Christmas With The Judds And Alabama" which also appears to have the edit.

SO, where do you find the "long" version, you ask? Two places that I know of:

Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin' - The 25th Anniversary Collection (3x CD compilation)
--and--
The Time Life Treasury of Christmas... despite Discogs' protest to the contrary. My disc is buried at the moment, but the rip I have on my hard drive is too clearly labeled to have come from anywhere else, and the Time/Life version is significantly more dynamic/less peak limiting than the version of the 25th Anniversary Collection.

Does anybody know if the first place this "long" version was released really was the Treasury of Christmas, or did "A Country Christmas" actually have the full version and Discogs is labeled wrong? Is the long version available anywhere else?


Edited by NightAire - 15 hours 39 minutes ago at 9:58pm