Written towards the end of the era of the Amercan Civil Rights Movement, “Southern Man” is a scathing attack on the white racism that has persisted in the Southern United States for over 100 years after slavery’s legal demise. Nevertheless, there is a warning that change is imminent.

Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote “Sweet Home Alabama” as a southern man’s response to this song as well as the song “Alabama” from the Neil Young album Harvest.

Young has said he is honored to have his name featured in that song. In his 2012 memoir Waging Heavy Peace, Young wrote:

Alabama richly deserved the shot Lynyrd Skynyrd gave me with their great record. I don’t like my words when I listen to it today. They are accusatory and condescending, not fully thought out, too easy to misconstrue.