I know it may be expected, but....

The theme for this weeks blog posts is to post and discuss and song that discusses one aspect of the South.



Now i certainly know that when people think of the South they probably think Lynyrd Skynyrd and "Sweet Home Alabama," but I this song certainly was written describing Southern culture and has become and icon of our heritage. Even though we've sang this song a million times driving down the back-roads with the windows down, I went ahead and posted the lyrics so you can actually read through them...

Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes

Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole 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 coming home to you

In Birmingham they love the governor
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
Lord, I'm coming 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
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?

Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you

Sweet home Alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet Home Alabama
Lordy
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Yea, yea Montgomery's got the answer

Reading through this song myself I get a little different feeling than when I listen to it. As you can see the lyrics reference many some serious historical moments that have defined the South such as Governor George Wallace's support segregation and his actions to block integration at the University of Alabama in 1963. The last line also references the city of Montgomery which is well know for the Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights Marches and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Additionally, the song references some much more local and less known things such as the recording studios and unique culture of the Muscle Shoals in Alabama. One of the main things which the band supports is simply they pride which they have to live in the South and the love which they have for their area. The lines about Neil Young are in response to some attacks he had made on the South in his own songs describing the racism of the region. "Sweet Home Alabama" seeks to brush these aside and rather shows the love Southern's have for their home and the comfort they receive from it.