Song About the Southland

At the beginning of Lynrd Skynrd's Sweet Home Alabama, when the lead singer says, "Turn It Up", this is directed at you the listener. This is not a suggestion, this is demand.

Evidence exists that this command should be heeded.

Sweet Home Alabama is not just an over played annoying rock song. Its a call to action to all Georgia Boys, ones sporting unironic trucker hats and confederate flag t-shirts, asking for the head of Neil Young.

Neil Young's song Southern Man, apparently has offended not just Lynrd Skynrd, but the whole south.

In the song, Young attacks the south for the crimes of slavery.

In Skynrd's response, they say,

Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

This response is reminiscent of The muslim response to Salmon Rusdie's 1989 novel The Satanic Verses. Upon it's release, Ayatollah Khomeni of Iran announced a fatwa, or death sentence, for Rushdie.

Interestingly enough, Lynrd Skynrd's song to redeem the south has done more to negate any great image it tries to convey.