# Are the Lyrics to Sweet Home alabama racist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692 "2002-10-17T17:03:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ready29003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@ready29003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ready29003)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/1 "2002-10-17T17:03:36Z")
Big wheels keep on turning…Yea, yea Montgomery’s got the answer (complete lyrics deleted. I have no desire to be haunted by the phantom of Ronnie Van Zandt. Post a link if you like. – Uke) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/2 "2002-10-17T17:19:22Z")
… no, doesn’t seem to be. Provincial, yes – but not racist. BTW, check out thread at top of Cafe Society titled “Do not post complete song lyrics.” Honest error … I’m pretty sure your OP will be truncated. Maybe it would be easier if you picked out what parts seemed racist. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/3 "2002-10-17T17:25:35Z")
Which parts did you think might be racist? ---
**Author:** ![ready29003](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@ready29003](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ready29003)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/4 "2002-10-17T18:19:29Z")
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 Yea, yea Montgomery’s got the answer Are these lines references to historical racially tense events? And which side do they fall on? My history is not that great…anyone know what these lyrics mean? ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/5 "2002-10-17T18:45:11Z")
Well, Alabama governor George Wallace was a racist asshole on many levels. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/6 "2002-10-17T19:07:21Z")
You could construe some racism in a very round-about way. They reference Neil Young’s Southern Man, an anti-slavery/racism tune. When they say “A Southern man don’t need him around anyhow” you could take that as an indirect racist statement. I’ll admit, this is a long stretch. Personally I take it as a way of telling Neil (A Canadian I believe) to mind his own business and leave the south alone. I went to Alabama once and found that there really is a town called Sweet Home, AL. I never knew that! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/7 "2002-10-17T19:11:05Z")
I did always assume the reference to the governor meant the assisination attempt on Wallace. Fairly risque but I’m not sure it’s blatently racist. However, if there was ever a band that I’d assume “might” be racist, well, Skynard would not be the last to come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/8 "2002-10-17T19:41:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Personally I take it as a way of telling Neil (A Canadian I believe) to mind his own business and leave the south alone. I agree. The band was reacting to a song called “Southern Man” which, by its title and some of the lyrics, could be interpreted as a blanket condemnation of the South and all Southerners. When they sing the part about Watergate they are basically saying that the entire US citizenry is not collectively guilty for the actions of Nixon just as all Southerners are not collectively guilty for the actions of George Wallace. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/9 "2002-10-17T23:30:32Z")
**lieu** wrote: > [@](#): > > However, if there was ever a band that I’d assume “might” be racist, well, Skynard would not be the last to come to mind. Why is that? As pointed out in today’s issue of USA Today, the line about loving the governor is met by a (female) chorus of “Boo! Boo! Boo!” which is usually ignored by people determined to assume Lynyrd Skynyrd was racist. Skynyrd was actually politically progressive. After all, they had a song decrying handguns (“Saturday Night Special”) and a song promoting environmental concerns (“All I Can Do Is Write About It”). And it’s hard to imagine that the author of “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” would be a racist. So, **lieu** , why would you assume the members of Skynyrd might be racist. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/10 "2002-10-18T01:08:44Z")
First you have to remember the song is an “answer song” to Neil Young’s “Southern Man” taking issue with what they perceived as that song’s mischaracterization of the modern day south. Just look at the treatment the American stereotypes threads get here; when people think they’re being painted with too broad a brush they get resentful. “In Birmingham they love the Governor, Now we all did what we could do” To me this is like throwing up your hands and saying “well, what am I supposed to do, move?” I feel this way about a lot of the politics in Texas sometimes. “Watergate does not bother me, does your conscience bother you?” I’ve always taken this to read, as an American, are you ashamed of Watergate? Answer, no, because it was a scandal I had nothing to do with, no personal involvement. I think they were saying the same of the south’s mistreatment of african-americans: “It was horrific and tragic, but don’t paint me as a racist just because I live here”. Whoops. Just reread that **Zoff** already made that point. Ah, I’ll post anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/11 "2002-10-18T01:18:44Z")
Also, from what I understand, it was a reply to “Southern Man”, but they actually got along with Neil Young quite well, and they used to joke about the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/12 "2002-10-18T01:52:36Z")
Yeah, “Curtis Lowe” sums it up- not racist. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/13 "2002-10-18T05:16:51Z")
Not just “Curtis Leow”, but also “Things Goin’ On”, which starts out, “Well did you ever live in the ghetto? Did you ever feel that cold wind blow, If you don’t know what I mean, Don’t you stand up and scream, ‘Cause there’s things goin’ on that you don’t know” Skynyrd was politically progressive for sure. They were more Vietnam-era hippies from the South than backwoods rednecks. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/14 "2002-10-18T06:35:25Z")
**spoke-** , Skynard from appearances only seemed to embrace a backwoods and ignorance-embracing mentality that I unfortunately was frequnntly confronted with in my southern wanderings. Like the Dixie flag draped, pick-up infested honkey tonks that my buds and I frequented, the sentiments expressed were not always to our liking. That Skynard might have adhered to a higher standard is an unconsidered, yet welcome, realization. Thanks for the what I suppose to be knowlegable insight. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/15 "2002-10-18T06:59:40Z")
BTW, I have for all but 5 years of my life lived either in or well south of Georgia. The cover of _Pronounced_ to me looks like the after-birthed, partially self-realizing, lampshade wearing pic of many a bachelor party I’ve been privy to. Only they had combs. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/16 "2002-10-18T12:32:22Z")
> [@](#): > > I have for all but 5 years of my life lived either in or well south of Georgia. In the Gulf of Mexico? Woah, **lieu** , you sure take your petroleum seriously! Such dedication! ---
**Author:** ![welby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@welby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/17 "2002-10-18T12:35:20Z")
Oh god, I mayhave lost the talent. I just can’t parody “Sweet Home Alabama.” Damn. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/18 "2002-10-18T12:45:04Z")
I always took “In Birmingham they love the Governor, Now we all did what we could do” to mean they were saying “we did what we could do to fight racism by trying to assassinate him”. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/19 "2002-10-18T14:36:36Z")
[Here’s that USA Today article](http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2002-10-16-lynyrd-skynyrd_x.htm), by the way. Good piece. I was surprised (nay, astonished) to learn from that article that Lynyrd Skynyrd has been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1998, but still hasn’t been inducted. What gives? These guys (along with the Eagles) dominated US rock in the mid-70’s. Plus the band met a rock-n-roll, Buddy-Holly-esque end, which should be enough to guarantee legendary status. Surely they aren’t being harmed by a misperception of their message? Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692/20 "2002-10-18T22:04:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*I always took > > “In Birmingham they love the Governor, > Now we all did what we could do” > > to mean they were saying “we did what we could do to fight racism by trying to assassinate him”. \*\* Could be, but the guy who shot him, if memory serves, was Arthur Bremer, from Milwaukee, WI. Maybe he lived down there for a while though, not sure, before my time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-lyrics-to-sweet-home-alabama-racist/132692.md?page=2)