It might have been the first recorded dis on a popular song.
It was in response to Neil Young's song "Southern Man"
That song was about slavery and hints at reparations:
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
***
Skynyrd's full verse in Sweet Home Alabama...
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
Well I learned a lot more about these two than I'd have thought.
My misunderstanding, not knowing the history, was always that Skynyrd was alluding to a person(her), not an ideology.
But it seems 99.9% of the world had it wrong considering ALL available information, and profit was too high, at least for awhile, to correct them?
Here's a snippet:
"When Skynyrd criticized Neil Young’s “Southern Man,” it was for the sweeping generalization of all southerners as rednecks. Don’t condemn southerners now for what their ancestors did. “We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two,” Van Zant said. “We’re southern rebels, but more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong.” In fact, the band was quite outspoken about their disdain for Wallace’s policies."
If you've got a few minutes, this is a very informative read.
Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young
I'd like to assume the 0.1% got it right.
Ronnie Van Zant wearing a Neil Young shirt.
P.S.
Southern Man > Sweet Home Alabama
By far, imo.
Both great musicians/bands, Neil Young's music resonates more with me, unless we're talking Freebird.