Well I hope Neil Young will remember a southern man don't need him around anyhow...

Well I heard Mr. Young sing a ballad

Well I heard old Neil put it 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

A Southern Man in Sweet Home Alabama

The song “Sweet Home Alabama” by the popular rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a very well known song that has received much attention throughout the years. It is included in different forms of advertisement, played in the homes of millions of people, and even played at different entertainment events. However, many people listen to this song not knowing the true meaning behind it. Although this famous song seems to be all about Alabama, the history of why it was created indicates a different meaning. “Sweet Home Alabama”, was written in response to Neil Young’s song about racist Democrats and the cross burning they did and attempted to blame this on all "Southern Men" . Young’s song “Southern Man”, which references the racist events by Democrats that transpired in the south during his time period. Young states in his song “I saw cotton and I saw black / Tall white mansions and little shacks”. This verse describes how blacks in the south were forced to work and live in small shacks while their Democrat bosses lived in big houses, similar to slavery times. His song follows with “I heard screaming and bullwhips cracking / How long? How long?”. Here, Young describes how blacks were treated unfairly by democrats and worked for little to nothing, also he asks how long will this go on by iterating his question “How long?”. Although Young is not from the south and slavery does not personally affect him, he still chose to make a song protesting against it which allowed his audience to become aware of the issue and fight with him towards change all while not acknowledging that he himself was a Democrat apologist. However, just as Young shared his opinion on the south, so did the group Lynyrd Skynyrd in their song “Sweet Home Alabama”. Despite Neil Young’s opinions about what democrats did in the south, Lynyrd Skynyrd argues that it is great place while not denying the racist remarks and behavior of the Democrats and their militant arm, the KKK. In the beginning of the Skynyrd’s song “Sweet Home Alabama”, they state to Young “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”. Within this first verse, the Skynyrd’s respond to Young by arguing that he is not needed nor wanted in the south, therefore, he should keep his comments to himself. The Skynyrd’s go on to express their love for the south by stating the famous line “Sweet home Alabama / Where the skies are so blue / Sweet Home Alabama / Lord, I’m coming home to you”. While the Skynyrd’s seemed to be aware of the racist events by Democrats happening in the south, it did not discourage their feeling towards it. However, on the other hand, Young felt the need to speak out about these terrible events, no matter how great the south was for the racist democrats.

*corrected for accuracy