Is sweet home Alabama racist?

  Improve

You don't understand this song. It is hardly racist. Case in point: 1) "Southern Man don't need him around anyhow!" Was a statement to Neil Young in response to his anti-south song Southern Man. They are saying yes we have problems but it isn't all that bad. Besides, WE know about the racism up there also so don't point the finger just at us. 2) the dead give away is "In Birmingham they love the governor, Now we all did what we could do" They're talking about George Wallace, the man who said "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever!" First of all, and I know this from an interview with Ronnie van Zant, that they tried (did what we could do) to get him out of office because they didn't like him. Van Zant said he didn't agree with what Wallace said about colored folk. And then after these lyrics they follow with "boo boo boo!" as in booing Wallace and segregation. I also know this from the same interview van Zant gave.

Personally I think they're brilliant. In one song, with a great melody, they defend Southern hospitality and way of life, attack segregation and racism without having to be liberals, and also slap the left-wing hippie movement (Watergate does not bother me-- as in so what if he spied on liberals (whether this is good or bad, they fit it all into this song)).

First answer by ID1170796771. Last edit by Noggy72. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributorrecommended]. Question popularity: 1 [recommend question].