Sweet Home Alabama

Lynard Skynard. It's difficult to say that without thinking of Sweet Home Alabama, the great song that starred in The Forrest Gump soundtrack. It was disturbing, then, for me, to hear another of "their" songs come on in my daily youtube loop, if not entirely surprising. Simple Man is offensive in its blatant encouragement of ignorance.

Now, Lynard Skynard know their audience and they can play to them in whatever way they like, but I have a problem with them using the reputation that was, in part, built up by past members  to propagandise for anti-intellectualism.

Mama told me when I was young
"Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day"
"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman and you'll find love
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above"
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied"
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
Oh yes, I will
"Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied"
😖
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"

Baby, be a simple, really simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple, kind of simple man
It's a catchy tune, no doubt.

Check this out, when the then lead singer roars out to the captive audience "God bless a simple man yeah!", to rapturous applause and enthusiastic hollering. Which makes it clear that the average Lynard Skynard fan, nowadays, has no problem with the message in that proclamation. Which is that god made you and wants you to remember your place.

My Tree




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