The American South And Quebec

Rock aficionado's know the story of how "Sweet Home Alabama" by Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd was born. It was a response to Neil Young's "Southern Man" and "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

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?

I can see why Southerners would take offense to this. Young essentially painted an entire region with one brush - something some Northern liberals are unwittingly good at.

I don't know much about the South except for that I've visited Georgia, North/South Carolina and Florida. However, I do see similarities between the American South and Quebec.

The South has its share of assholes and bigots just like Quebec does - hello Pierre Felardeau - but it's also a place with rich traditions and history different from other parts of the United States. Both have a segregationist angle to it and both thrive on a strong distinct identity.

That being said, writing about it like Young done did is a little like having an artist from California call all Quebecers parochial separatists.

Then again, if it could produce two great songs Young and Skynyrd produced music fans would stand to gain.