Almost everyone is familiar with the fact that Lynyrd Skynyrd's song, Sweet Home Alabama, was written in response to Neil Young's song, Southern Man. Well, this may be somewhat outdated, and even a bit controversial, but I'd still like to express my opinion on the subject...
I've read some negative comments online about Neil Young and his song Southern Man. The ignorance and misunderstanding presented in such posts are sad, to say the least. One commentator said that Young had no right to create such a song because he isn't from Alabama. Well, the Lynyrd Skynrd band isn't either. They originated in Jacksonville, Florida.
I've read some negative comments online about Neil Young and his song Southern Man. The ignorance and misunderstanding presented in such posts are sad, to say the least. One commentator said that Young had no right to create such a song because he isn't from Alabama. Well, the Lynyrd Skynrd band isn't either. They originated in Jacksonville, Florida.
What does that have to do with it anyway? What about freedom of speech? What about any issue that forces a person to draw a conclusion for conscience sake regarding what is right and what is wrong? Should we simply keep silent? Nothing would ever change if that were the case. Shouldn't we rather appreciate those poets and songwriters who are the catalysts for change in a society?
Many of my young guitar students want to learn how to play Classic Rock songs. Now, why do you suppose that is? One obvious reason is that they are good. But another reason may be that some of these songs convey a message of relevance and personal conviction. They are powerful and full of meaning. Southern Man is one such song.
Well, enough of my ranting. I can only assume that those who write such things are young and therefore have no personal experience with the racial discrimination that troubled America during '50s and '60s.
Racial Discrimination in Birmingham, Alabama During the '60s
That's why, when one of my students asked to learn how to play Sweet Home Alabama, I suggested she also learn how to play Southern Man. Then I gave her a brief history regarding the circumstances surrounding the two songs.
Sweet Home Alabama Tab
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Perhaps you have your own opinion about these two very popular guitar songs, so I thought it might be fun to have a mini Battle of the Bands Contest right here. Watch the two videos and then leave a comment telling me which is your favorite and why.
Sweet Home Alabama:
Southern man:
Till next time...
Keep practicing!
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6 comments:
Being a southern man myself(West Texas) I can tell you that most people are on the outside looking in when it comes to southern pride. Niel young is a great artist, but something from the days of the Civil War haunt him. The old battles of the Civil War are still being fought to this day. Make no mistake, The cause of the Civil War, was the issue of State's Rights. Slavery was a hot-button issue, but was on the back burner. The core issue was and still is State's Rights.
States rights has its place. But it must never justify or excuse violations of human rights.
States rights may have been the core issue in the conflict between the states during the 1860s. But to Neil Young the core issue is human rights. Whether it is unjust and immoral treatment of the black man in the south (into the 20th century), or of young people at Kent State, or the unjustifiable actions of recent leaders in the federal government, Neil Young has been willing to raise a banner in behalf of human rights. And he has had no problem with "pride" getting in the way. He is haunted by the same things we should all be haunted by and be willing to stand against!
And I like his song better.
First off, thanks for posting as annonymous. Too bad you can't raise your banner! First, i am totally against slavery in every form. That being said, You, like most other people are affected more by emotional issues than real issues. Slavery was just the way it was back then. That is the sad truth. I think it is shallow to totally dismiss the core in favor of emotional ones. You just got this slavery schizim and you need to grow past it. When someone says "southern Pride" you have no idea what i mean. And you don't even want to know. You have convicted your brothers and sisters of the south in your fog of hatred, and that is just a shame. By the way Niel Young's tune fell way short on this one!
A student comes to you wanting to learn a song she likes and want's to play, and you shove your stupid views down her throat and get her to switch songs? You are a real scumbag! What gives you the right to tell someone what to learn? You should quit teaching!
I am the student who came to Kathy asking to learn the song Sweet Home Alabama. i love that song and wanted to play it at my fifth grade concert. I had heard the song many times but when i actually looked at the lyrics and paid attention to them i realized that i knew nothing about what they were talking about. Kathy suggested that i learn Southern Man too so then i could get both sides of the story and chose which song i wanted to take sides with if i wanted to take sides at all. I agreed excieted to learn another new song but yet again i didn't know what the lyrics meant. Kathy gave me a breif summery of what was happening at the time Southern Man was written. I started to understand and i realized that Southern Man was a well written song that was trying to tell people
who agreed to never let a thing like the Holocaust happen was happening right under there noses just at a smaller degree than the Holocaust but the banishing of a race still the object of the entire thing. I don't quite understand why people get mad at Young for writing such a good song that had lots of meaning. Music is the best way to send out a message and get people to listen. Music will always be heard so why not take advantage of that? I understand that Lynard Skynard wrote Sweet Home Alabama in deffense of Alabama but really Young had just as much of a right to write Southern man as Skynard did to write Sweet Home Alabama. in the end i like Sweet Home Alabama better but Southern Man has a better message. Kathy did the right thing by teaching me both songs i don't care what you think Miss Anonymous!!!! you should not be that mean to Kathy considering you haven't even met her! what is your opinion?
KP ~ Well Said - concert went well. Music can and is used to voice thoughts be they right or wrong. As a chef I`ve lived in alot of different states both Northern and Southern. Our country is made up of so many different cultures and ideals. Exploring thoses cultures helped me to understand alot about what Our country is about. As to Neil and Lynard I like them both which just goes to show the great diversity of America.
Taz
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