Essential Truckers # 3: Three Great Alabama Icons (Hood)

Remember when I said Patterson Hood needs to prove he's the smartest one in the room? Hear his sweeping, spoken word lecture over a steady, chugging guitar, as Hood weaves together personal narrative, civil rights history, popular music legend, and the "duality of the southern thing" all into one.

Hood tells the story of not only the understood south, but the misunderstood south. He understands the deep offense of the racist symbol that the star's n' bars represents, while also acknowledging the goodness, unfortunate poverty, and dignity of those that might fly it on the back of their truck.

The shameful politics and open racism of Alabama is all over this one, too, as Hood ruminates on segregationist Alabama politician George Wallace. He understands that "states rights" is code for white supremacy.

Music history also breaks it's way into Hoods grand lecture, as he acknowledges the complexity of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd and their song "Sweet Home Alabama". Hood claims they wrote the song to present the perspective of the south on the 60's, not as a judgment against the rest of the world. In other words, they were just telling a story, like country singer Merle Haggard was when he wrote "Okie from Muskogee" as a way to tell his "dad's side of the story on the hippies and Vietnam".

Last but not least, Hood throws in the south's obsession with football as the antithesis of what he and his friends were: moody, politically left southern dudes with guitars.

This song is a patchwork quilt of southern history, and a must listen:

Here are some images associated with the song:

One of the darkest pictures in American history. George Wallace blocking African Americans from entering the schoolhouse door at the University of Alabama. 

Alabama football coach Bear Bryant. 

Young wasn't afraid to criticize the south. Skynyrd defended it. DBT understands both. 

Merle Haggard wrote "Okie from Muskogee" to show his dad's point of view on the hippies & Vietnam.