"Sweet Home Alabama" - What does it really mean?

[DonaldsRump]

This is a great song. EXCEPT....

Except what does it really mean? I've understood that the song is actually critical of the worst things about this thing called "Alabama". But, I've seen contrary views too. Is this a paean to racism? Or is this an acknowledgement that Alabama ain't great, but neither is anything else. I really am not sure.

I am extremely interested in the discussion in song's Wikipedia page as to the issues between Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd (see below). Apparently, the two actually were extremely fond of each other, which makes understanding this song even more difficult.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Home_Alabama

I had no idea that Alabama was in the national championship college football game (!), so perhaps this is somewhat timely?

All thoughts welcome! (Lyrics are below).

Lyrics

One, two, three

Turn it up

Big wheels keep on turnin'
Carry me home to see my kin
Singin' songs about the south-land
I miss Alabamy once again and I think it's a sin, yes

Well I heard Mister Young sing about her
Well I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord I'm comin' home to you

In Birmingham they love the governor (boo-hoo-hoo)
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama (oh yeah)
Lord I'm comin' home to you
Here I come, Alabama

Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two (yes they do)
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feelin' blue
Now how about you?

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord I'm comin' home to you
Sweet home Alabama (oh, sweet home)
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet home Alabama (lordy)
Lord I'm comin' home to you, yeah, yeah
Montgomery's got the answer

Source: Musixmatch

[muntrv]

1. I thought this was in response to Neil Young's "Southern Man."

[oswaldactedalone]

4. Yes

That's exactly what it was.

[DonaldsRump]

6. Yes, but it seems far more complicated than that

Please see my additional posts in this OP.

[hlthe2b]

2. My response? Long live Neil Young...

He spoke the truth and though I like this song by Lynard Skynard for its musical qualities, it was clearly an attempt to rebut/whitewash "Southern Man" and its intense depictions. While I think any animosity cleared over the years, nothing I ever heard suggests there wasn't real anger back and forth at the time.

[DonaldsRump]

5. I love Neil Young too, but looking at Neil's comments in the Wikipedia page

And Ronnie Van Zant's comments, it's confusing. On top of that, two of the key back-up singers on the song were POCs.

Also, Lynyrd Skynyd loved Jimmy Carter: https://likethedew.com/2009/08/11/the-intrigue-of-sweet-home-alabama/

This is a great song, BUT...! It's the but that I am not sure of, even after 47 years after the release of the song.

[captain queeg]

11. 47 years? Well shit, I still remeber when it came out

I saw them a couple times before the plane crash

[DonaldsRump]

13. It's a great song

All great songs are timeless...I am just totally confused about this song though. What did it "really mean"?

I've analyzed it for a few years on my own, which is why I'm finally asking the fine folks at DU to help make greater sense of this song.

[captain queeg]

16. Well I never really knew the words before this post

Didn’t know watergate was mentioned. I don’t want to say what I thought those lines were about, but I was way off.

[msongs]

3. they loved george wallace and were ok with what nixon did nt

[House of Roberts]

7. When Ruben Studdard won American Idol,

he sang Sweet Home Alabama. He did not sing the Neil Young verse, as I recall.

[padfun]

8. I always thought it said...

A southern man don't need no rounding out.

For 40 years I thought that. I never did check the lyrics.

[DemoTex]

9. SWA - Leningrad Cowboys & Red Army Chorus

[DonaldsRump]

10. Wow! It's very clear that no matter what this song really means, Russia will use it for propaganda

To that, I give you this. Have fun, Putin! Your time is over!

[sunflowerseed]

12. Seen it Live (miss those days) I think the Confederate flag is a big tell

https://m.

[Cartoonist]

14. Common mistake

It wasn't in response to Southern Man. It was in response to Alabama.

[mr_lebowski]

24. Even though they specifically say 'a Southern Man don't need him around anyhow'?

That seems ... improbable.

Maybe it's both?

[Cartoonist]

25. He doesn't mention Alabama in Southern Man nt

[mr_lebowski]

26. Not sure why that matters ...

But whatever

[Cartoonist]

27. I heard Neil Young sing about her.

He only does that in one song

[mr_lebowski]

28. I know every word to that song ... and I think it's both songs that inspired Skynyrd ;)

It's Mr Young ... then Ol' Neil

[Hoyt]

15. Fact it's written by a confederate flag waving band tells me all I need to know.

I’d bet their fans are heavily skewed toward trump- and gun-loving rubes, as well.

[skylucy]

17. Saw Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert a few years ago. They no longer display the Confederate flag.They have

in recent years been apologetic that they ever used that flag.My husband and I go to lots of classic rock concerts and many of the fans at the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert were definitely right wingers. We just rolled our eyes, took a toke or two and enjoyed the music.

[Hoyt]

18. I get a headache when I roll my eyes, but I will admit absent the

confederate flags and typical fans, they had some good music. But I turn the channel when they come on and prefer Neil Young. In any event, “music is love” . . . . . usually.

[argyl]

20. I love the song. It's a classic and all around great tune.

They don't use the flag anymore. Tom Petty, a fellow Southerner, a Floridian, used the Confederate flag in his Southern Accents tour. He long came to regret it.

One of my favorites of his, "Don't Come Around Here No More" was introduced against the Confederate banner.

And "Sweet Home Alabama" is an all time classic. Neither one of these are the Horst Wessel song.
How about listening, enjoying, or just shutting up.

[Hoyt]

21. Since you suggested I shut up, it wasn't until like 2012 that the band wised up. How stupid did one

have to be in 2012 to finally realize that flag is a racist symbol and represents a "heritage of hatred." Hell, their favorite gubnor was flying that flag in the 1960s while standing in front of the door of tax supported schools telling Black kids they couldn't enter.

I'd bet good money, 75% or more of their fans are trumpers.

In any event, I think they used the flag, racism, etc., to pander to rubes. In fact, I know that's true. I can't and won't forget that just as I won't with Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams Jr., Kid Rock, and a bunch of other performers catering to rubes.

https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/a8rX41J-Pm6dnrivu3v-3F7Swa8=/0x75:800x525/750x422/


But if you like that junk, listen on.

[argyl]

22. Ronnie van Zandt, the real singer, had been dead for 35 years.

And Tom Petty? And yeah, just shut the fuck up. Back in 1977 Johnnie not Ronnie, was the ugly face of this band. Is this the only song you've ever heard them do?

Sure have seen a number of confederate flags and plates up north.

And yeah, listen or shut the fuck up.

[Hoyt]

23. Sorry, I don't like confederate flags, people who think a "heritage of hatred" is just fine if

the words are reworked to disguise racist lyrics, etc.

Enjoy your racist songs, bands, fans, and whatever other crud you call acceptable racism.

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[flotsam]

19. Someone once asked Don McLean what American Pie meant

He replied, "It means I'll never have to work again!"...