THE LAST WORD
By Pat Coughlan
It was 1974. I had moved to Dublin where I had a job and got my first flat. I was getting used to Dublin, and particularly its taste for music. Being from the country I regularly got asked “What do you get when you play a country and western song backwords”? The answer of course being “you get back your wife, your dog, you cat, your car etc”. You get the picture.
It was around this time that I heard Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd. A catchy song blending elements of rock, country and blues. It was when I read the lyrics that I started asking questions. Lines like “In Birmingham they love the Governor” and “Now Watergate doesn’t bother me” did not sit well with my newfound religion, leftwing politics. A whole verse dedicated to criticising one of my heroes, Neill Young [pictured], was enough to get me on research bender.
Neil Young’s song Southern Man seemed to start the ball rolling. Released in 1972 it was a bold critique of racism and the old ways of the South. Then in ‘74, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama hit back, proud and defiant. These two anthems sparked a musical row that mirrored the cultural shifts of the early ‘70s, carving out their places in rock history and leaving a lasting mark on Southern identity.
When I first heard Neil Young’s Southern Man, it felt like a powerful wake up call. The song takes no prisoners as it criticises the American South’s painful history of slavery and ongoing social injustices. With lines like “Southern man better keep your head” and references to “white mansions and little shacks”, Young pulls no punches. It stirred quite a reaction; some praised its courage while others, especially in the South, felt attacked. It’s no wonder the song still sparks conversations about racial inequality and history.
When I heard Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama I thought they couldn’t have picked a better way to hit back at Young’s critique of the South. The song drips with Southern pride, mixing patriotism and good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll. Those catchy lyrics – “Well, I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern man don’t need him around anyhow” – hit the nail on the head. It wasn’t just a tune; it was a statement. Southern rock fans ate it up, loving every bit of that rebellious spirit.
The spat between Southern Man and Sweet Home Alabama really shook things up in the rock scene. I reckon the lyrical joust added a layer of depth we hadn’t seen before, making both cult favourites. Many artists got caught up in the buzz, weighing in through their own music and live gigs. The media coverage was something else entirely, putting a spotlight on the tensions, and suddenly, the music was more than just tunes – it was a reflection on Southern identity. This back-and-forth gave rock its soul and spurred heaps of deep conversations.
I’ve often wondered myself if the whole thing between Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd was just a big media circus. I mean, think about all the interviews where they each had something to say—were they really that riled up, or was it just what the press wanted us to see?
