That's Right, I'm Thinking "Georgia on my Mind"

I'm sure most people have heard of this song at least sometime in his/ her life, especially Georgians. This song, official version by Ray Charles, is so popular that it is even carried as a slogan on Georgia license plates.

And, of course, the song (lyrics) has come to represent the South through depictions of Georgia's beauty, Ray Charles himself, and as the state song of a southern state. First off, the song mentions Georgia, a southern state who had a prominent history and is probably most noted for its involvement in the Civil War and Sherman's March to the Sea. The song's lyrics mentions the finding of no peace, possibly because Georgia has its many wars that makes allows Charles to think of Georgia on his mind. Furthermore, Ray Charles himself, is a blind, African-American man who is able to view the south the same way other people may view it. The song was recorded relatively during the Civil Rights Movement, but the fact that it gained so much recognition and pride in the state of Georgia illustrates the relevance of the song. Plus, Charles essentially brought along soul music into the R&B world of the South, where jazz, the blues, and gospel were still popular.

--
Agnes Ho

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.

Food. What tribe? Bill fold!

For this week we thought it was a good idea to talk about experiences that a tour of the South would be incomplete without. First, you haven't eaten stereotypical Southern food if the name of the dish doesn't start with "Fried." Southerners fry EVERYTHING! Fried Chicken is probably one of the dishes that most people like, no matter where they are from. However, there are some fried foods that some people might find "interesting." These include the following: fried Oreos, fried Snickers, fried Twinkies, fried onions, fried pickles (my favorite), and I'm sure there are more. These are what I like to call, "Heart Attack on a Plate!" Apart from fried foods, the South is also known for grits. Not all Southerners like grits, but most do. Shrimp and grits is one of my favorite "grits 'n' things" combo. After having all that, be sure to finish the meal with pecan pie in vanilla ice cream.

Fried Pickles

The next part of the tour is unique to Indian people; the ones from Asia. It was my first day in an American school and this little, 11-year-old, redneck boy asked me what I was. I was confused and I thought to myself, "human?" I asked him, "What do you mean?" He said, "You know. What country are you from?" "I'm Indian." "Really? That's awesome! What tribe do you belong to? Do you know that I'm one fourth Cherokee?" "No, I did not know that. I'm one hundred percent Indian." It took him a while to understand that I was talking about the country, India, and not the Native Americans. Anyway, that was just a warning to people who are from India, the country in Asia, to be really, really specific when taking about where you are from, with some Southern folk.

This is a "bill fold."

The final part of this unique tour ends with my experience with the term "bill fold." When you are ever in a situation, in the South, when someone asks for your bill fold, first of all, do not give it to them. When a Southerner is referring to a bill fold, he is referring to something that normal folk call a "wallet." That is all that I have to say about that. See y'all later!

-Rajeev

Image source: http://www.mupolice.com/cp/images/Wallet-002.gif => Wallet
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/45964088_48cd624e6e.jpg => Fried Pickles

Waffles Anyone?

Waffle House is extremely well known in the South and there are so many of them. Being from Baltimore, I was never able to eat at a Waffle House unless my family was down South vacationing or visiting family. Everyone needs to eat at a Waffle House at least once in their lifetime. They serve great breakfast but their menu is not limited to just that. They also serve lunch/ dinner food. A great advantage to Waffle House is that it is inexpensive making it a convenient place to eat for everyone including families and college students. In addition, Waffle House is open for 24 hours, 365 days a year. They have ensured that eating there will be effortless and hassle free considering that it is always open and you can eat for a great price. Since moving to Altanta for school, it has become a great late night spot for my friends and I when we are hungry at three in the morning. Whenever I have friends that do not live in the South or attend school down here visit Atlanta, they always end up at a Waffle House before they leave. They serve Southern classics such as biscuits and gravy and country ham. You are not as likely to find this at a diner in the North. Waffle Houses are so common yet they definitely add character to Southern cuisine. Waffles anyone?

Waffle House

"Fat Kids Unite at Waffle House!!!11"

--DaNae

image: http://e-lacrosse.com/blogs/lifeinthepros/files/2009/03/wafflehouse.jpg

video: youtube.com

Welcome to Charleston Harbor, SC

My most vivid southern experience happened about four years ago when my family and I decided to take a trip up to Charleston, South Carolina. There, we visited Patriots Patriot, a naval museum atop the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, a legendary ship that landed in Charleston Harbor. Dozens of war planes were set out for tourists to observe, take pictures in, and view its historical facts. USS Yorktown is the signature piece of the whole museum. It participated and held services in the Battle of Midway, World War II, as well as the Vietnam War. Nearby, in downtown Charleston, we noticed ferry boats that offered to take people across Charleston Harbor to the renowned Fort Sumter National Monument, where the Battle of Fort Sumter took place (in 1861) and is the site most known for the first shots being fired that initiated the Civil War. We proceeded to dock, and the ferry ride was a relaxing half an hour ride. Astonishingly, we even sighted a few flipping dolphins. After landing at Fort Sumter, the view was incredible. It was literally this small piece of land with deteriorated concrete walls and barriers; it's amazing to think that a battle was fought here! Fort Sumter was THE place that started the division of America into the Union North and Confederate South, and it all started out with a few single shots fired from the Confederate soldiers that triggered a massive and bloody war. At the fort, I still remember taking pictures of the non-activated, antique cannons and cannonballs leftover from the war. Today, it is a National Park open to all by boat. There was certainly much to be learned about the area, and the experience was worthwhile. I called this my southern experience because this was the start of the Civil War, an iconic representation of the South and its history.

--Agnes

Please see map.

Sources: http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm
http://www.patriotspoint.org/

What will you have, sweetheart?

No tour of the south would be complete without a stop for breakfast at a southern diner. The diner is a casual environment and often a hotspot for families have sunday morning breakfast after church or weekday sit-down lunch. Its a simple way to get a plethora of good homestyle cooking in a homy environment.
One of my favorite places in atlanta is the Silver Skillet. Once a month my mentors and I would go out diner hunting for good atlanta breakfast. The Silver Skillet quickly became one of our favorites for it's southern hospitality and great breakfast plates. The Silver Skillet is an Atlanta landmark that has been around since 1956 and it still has the same 50's atmosphere. the walls are full of faded pictures of celebrities who have stopped, hand painted menus, and humorous signs that depict the attitude of the a simple, casual restaurant.
The menu is covers two pages front and back of southern classics. some of the most popular breakfast options include country ham, grits, biscuits and gravy, however it's not only the food that makes people coming back for more, but also the service. there is something to be said about being called sweetie or dear by a complete stranger. it makes you feel as if you're back at home in your mother's kitchen.
the southern diner experience is important to the Southern identity because it is surrounded by the warming, filling southern flavors but also the southern personality. It identifies a place that is warming casual and motherly.



~thuy

The Battle of Fort McAllister

The subject of the blog for the week of 2/1 - 2/6 is to "describe a southern experiences you've had or an experience you think a tour of the south would be incomplete without."


Perhaps my most intimate Southern experience occurred over this past winter break from school when I went with a friend to Savannah to participate in a Civil War re-enactment. I had never participated in a re-enactment before and beyond what I had seen in The Patriot and the stories I'd heard from my friend I really didn't know what to expect.

So, the Friday after exams we jumped on a Grayhound in Atlanta and headed down to Savannah (an experience in itself) and had his parents take us to Fort McAllister. This fort of one of the best presereved Confederate sites in the South located on the banks of the Ogeechee River. The fort was one of the last lines of defense for the city of Savannah preventing Union supply ships from bringing food and ammunition to Sherman's Army. Before Sherman could lay seige to Atlanta on and complete his campaign ("Sherman's march to the Sea"), he first had to take the fort manned by some 300 odd Confederate soldiers. The battle occurred on December 13, 1864.



The re-enactment turned out to be an incredible learning experience and really introduced me to a side of southern culture I had not experienced. The event was full immersion and we, the defending Confederate garrison, spent the night in the fort sleeping in the underground bombproof shelter. In the morning training and activities began about 8:00. One of my first experiences as a re-enactor was to be placed on the Western wall of the fort one guard duty for two hours. Standing in full uniform at this time and watching for union soldiers, hearing skirmishes in the background, and enduring a light drizzle made it feel like I was really in the time period and made me think what it must have really felt like back then and how young men my age were literally anticipating their own death as the massive Union army descended upon them.

As the day progressed I was involved in a series of skirmishes and attacks during which time I found it peculiar how exciting and exhilarating a battle could be. Crouching down behind the earthworks and firing by command, and then muzzle-loading the muskets was a heart pounding experience, especially as thirty men around you were hurrying to do the same thing and a just as many union soldiers were hiding behind trees and firing back. Everything that I found exciting about the re-enactment however must have been horrifying for the men in the battle a hundred and fifty years earlier.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the re-enactment was getting to meet the other re-enactors, to see what types of backgrounds they came from and what connections they had to the Civil War. Many had long Southern family lines and could name all their family who fought in the war and felt a special link to their heritage by participating in the battle. At night we would play guitar and sing songs in the bunker and through the whole event was made real by the passion with which they lived and upheld their roles.

There is so much to be discussed about this experience but it certainly was a defining experience in my introduction to Southern Culture. I personally learned a lot from it and think that I am better able to understand the South's pride in its history as well as the link which Southerner's feel to their heritage.

Parker