This is incredible. I put this here as opposed to the Music Section due to the far-reaching implications of the song's central theme and... just because it's unintentionally really fucking funny :-D
I mean, I'm sure they had the best of intentions, but it's just so hamfisted and cringe-inducing (I cringed my tits off at least three times the first time I heard it) that it's literally impossible to take seriously. And some of the lyrics! Ermahgerd :?
To the man who waited on me
At the Starbucks down on Main
I hope you understand
When I put on that t-shirt
The only thing I meant to say
Is I’m a Skynyrd fan
Why is the black man in this verse a waiter? Why not the store manager? And why would he care that you're wearing a Skynyrd tee shirt, Brad? I mean, I know a lot of Skynryd merchandise has the confederate flag on it, but come on...
So when I see that white cowboy hat, I’m thinking it’s not all good
I guess we’re both guilty of judging the cover, not the book
I’d love to buy you a beer, conversate and clear the air
But I see that red flag and I think you wish I wasn’t here
Ah, here's LL Cool J to explain that racism is just a big misunderstanding. Phew :?
(If you don’t judge my do-rag)
Coming to you from the southland
(I won’t judge your red flag)
Trying to understand what it’s like not to be
I’m proud of where I’m from
(If you forget my gold chains)
But not everything we’ve done
(I’ll forget the iron chains)
This is the bit that blew my mind. They're equating hundreds of years of slavery and oppression with a FASHION CHOICE!!!
If white people can accept that black people wear do-rags and gold chains (I feel like they're kinda sorta maybe stereotyping there a little), then black people can surely accept that their ancestors were forced into slavery by white folk?!?!? :? Whuuuuuuut?
