Southern Man

"Southern Man" is a song by Neil Young from his third solo album, After the Gold Rush, released in 1970.

Related Topics:
Neil Young - After the Gold Rush - 1970

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The lyrics of "Southern Man" are very blunt, describing the racism towards African Americans in the American South as perceived from the viewpoint of a Northerner. While never officially stated by Young, the song is obviously about the South during the Reconstruction era and how racism ran rampant during that time, owing to the South's loss of the American Civil War, carrying through to the 1960s. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern man (symbolically the entire South) and how he mistreated his slaves (the African American race). Young pleadingly asks when will the South "pay them back" for years of abuse and racism.

Related Topics:
African Americans - American South - Northerner - Reconstruction era - American Civil War - 1960s - Slaves

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Where the initial inspiration for the song came from is very much debated, but is commonly believed to have stemmed from an incident in a roadhouse in Alabama which Young visited in 1969. As he was having a drink, two roughnecks came up to him, had a good look at him, took him by his shoulders, outside, and beat him up because he had long hair.

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It is a popular belief that the country rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song "Sweet Home Alabama" as an attack on Neil Young for the opinions expressed in "Southern Man". In actuality, Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song as a response, showing the good things about the South. The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were friends with Young even saying that he likes both "Sweet Home Alabama" and Ronnie Van_Zant, the lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. To demonstrate this camaraderie,(or maybe as a mocking gesture) Van Zant frequently wore a Neil Young T-shirt while performing "Sweet Home Alabama".

Related Topics:
Country rock - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama - Ronnie Van_Zant - T-shirt

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