Surely some good important things came from Alabama, what are they?
In order:
-Home\
-My kin\
-Blue skies\
-The Swampers\
Jokes aside, the main thing in the song is that Alabama is home. Sticky sweet watermelon juice dripping down your chin in the humid summer heat, the blues of the Shoals area, the kudzu creeping along the roadside - these things may mean nothing to you, but they scream home to someone from Alabama.
It’s worth noting that the song is a little bit tongue in cheek, according to Ronnie Van Zant. They put in audible boos for desegregation opponent Gov. George Wallace. Though the cowriter Ed King also contradicted that interpretation in 2009.
That said, it seems to be a bit of an ironic song.
But for actual important things from Alabama, Marshall Space Flight Center is a major NASA research center in Huntsville. MSFC lead design and assembly for the International Space Station. I believe Huntsville is currently the fastest growing city in the US, and it’s a major city for hospital workers and automotive manufacturing as well.
The Muscle Shoals area has always been known for its music, as well, whether originating from or just recorded there. If you consider that important, which I do. Just look into anything recorded in that area. You’ll be surprised.
To answer your question, a ton of the civil rights movements happened in Alabama.
…mainly because of all the other terrible shit happening in Alabama, but there’s no denying the progress that was made!
Super Soakers were invented there.
It’s a place where men are men and pigs are nervous.
Alabama is the anus of the USA. And the great thing is that nearly everyone who lives there admits it
Alabama’s state slogan is “Thank God for Mississippi”, because they can at least point to one place where things are worse.
Can confirm. Had a guest jazz band director in college from ‘Bama and he would say things like “y’all play like you’re from Mississippi; can y’all not read music?!”
Yeah no Mississippi and Louisiana are definitely worse off than Alabama IMO. But it’s not a high bar
The song isn’t so much about Alabama as it is Sweet Home.
Because if those guys can think fondly of Alabama, then EVERYONE should have a better reason to remember home with love.
Wherever your home is, that’s YOUR Alabama.
Nah, I reckon it is a love song to the south. It was also political for its time talking about watergate and George Wallace
It’s a response to Neil Young’s songs which criticized the racist south.
Basically, it’s what-about-ism in song form, mocking the liberals for being upset with Nixon.
Definitely, I was just bullshitting my way through that.
And it’s about a home other people don’t respect. I’ve known Appalachians and folks from the deep south who’re great people but folks hear their voices and assume the worst. There’s some real awesome folks down in Alabama, 8tsbu7e5 that the ones in charge are real pieces of shit.
There’s a Saturn V on display at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, but the people who made that facility important were born in Germany, not Alabama.
I think the song was supposed to be tongue in cheek, since it talks about Neil Young’s criticisms of Alabama at the time, and being indifferent towards political issues like their governor being shot
The heart of the civil rights movement
is that something to be proud of? “we oppressed our citizens to the point that a nationwide political movement was created to make us stop.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd
From Florida, ironically.
Well, Huntsville Alabama has Space Camp and has been integral to US space exploration. Or so I’ve heard, haven’t been there myself.
huntsville only existed and continues to exist because of their congresscritters kept the federal funds coming. There’s nothing intrinsic about alabama to the space industry.
Around 14 days out of the whole year they have a pretty good football team.
That’s it.
Before things like meth and Trump, Gulf Shores was pretty cool. But I can’t imagine it’s kept up. I have visited southern Louisiana in the meantime, and it’s gone to hell in a handbasket.
My only connection with the state is Mobile. I quite like the city, but I doubt it’s very representative for the rest of the state.
Went there for a work related assignment regarding a ship that was visiting a dry dock there. The ship was delayed by a few days, so I spent some time just checking out the city.
southern rock, the civil rights movement, and alabama white bbq sauce are the first things i think of.
