[lbo-talk] the music of politics

[B.]

[Speaking of politically questionable uses of songs,
how about Alabama adopting Lynyrd Skynyrd's sorta
kinda reactionary "Sweet Home Alabama" as the state's
official tourism song? That song was written as an
angry rebut to Crosby's song about racism in the south
-- "Southern Man" -- and how Crosby was full of shit,
basically. "Us southern men don't you around" Skynyrd
told Crosby, for his criticism of the South's racism.
- B.]

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http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2007-09-18-sweet-home-alabama_N.htm

Lynyrd Skynyrd song turns Ala. tourist theme

Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1974 hit, Sweet Home Alabama, is
being touted as the state's new tourism theme.

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (AP) — At the start of Sweet Home
Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant shouts
"Turn it up!" And that's what the state of Alabama
plans to do with its new tourism campaign.

At a state tourism conference Monday on the Alabama
coast, Gov. Bob Riley announced Alabama's tourism
agency will use the line "Sweet Home Alabama" to
market the state in 2008.

[...]

And a related article about whether it's actually a
racist song:
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/skynyrd.htm

-B.

Michael Pollak wrote:

"Except didn't Reagan prove the opposit