About the song
“Song of the South,” penned by Bob McDill, is a quintessential country narrative that vividly captures the hardships and resilience of a Southern cotton farm-family during the Great Depression era. Originally recorded by Bobby Bare for his 1980 album *Drunk & Crazy*, the song gained broader recognition through subsequent covers by Johnny Russell and Tom T. Hall with Earl Scruggs in the early 1980s. However, it was Alabama’s rendition released in November 1988, from their album *Southern Star*, that catapulted the song to the top of both the U.S. and Canadian country charts.
The lyrics of “Song of the South” paint a vivid picture of rural Southern life, depicting the struggles of the family amidst economic hardship. Lines like “Cotton on the roadside, cotton in the ditch. We all picked the cotton but we never got rich” poignantly illustrate the toils of manual labor without substantial financial reward. The song references historical events such as the Wall Street crash and President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, underscoring the era’s economic upheaval and the hope it brought to struggling families.
Central to the narrative is the family’s resilience and eventual relocation to an urban area after losing their farm. The father’s work with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) symbolizes newfound opportunities and economic stability, as reflected in the lyrics “Papa got a job with the TVA, we bought a washing machine, and then a Chevrolet.” These verses not only celebrate personal triumph but also resonate with themes of progress and adaptation in the face of adversity.
The music video for “Song of the South,” directed by Steve Boyle, complements the song’s narrative with a blend of black-and-white and color footage. Historical imagery from the 1930s, including scenes of President Roosevelt and references to the film *Gone with the Wind*, enriches the visual storytelling. The transition to color during the chorus enhances the video’s impact, showcasing Alabama performing amidst a vibrant small-town backdrop, further immersing viewers in the song’s nostalgic charm.
Alabama’s rendition of “Song of the South” not only topped the country music charts but also cemented its place as a timeless anthem of resilience and hope. The song’s enduring popularity underscores its ability to resonate across generations, offering a poignant glimpse into the hardships and triumphs of rural American life during a defining era of history.
Video
Lyrics
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Cotton on the roadside, cotton in the ditch
We all picked the cotton, but we never got rich
Daddy was a veteran, a Southern Democrat
They ought to get a rich man to vote like that
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Well, somebody told us Wall Street fell
But we were so poor that we couldn’t tell
Cotton was short and the weeds were tall
But Mr. Roosevelt’s a-gonna save us all
Well, Mama got sick and Daddy got down
The county got the farm and we moved to town
Papa got a job with the TVA
He bought a washin’ machine and then a Chevrolet
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
There ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Play it
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
(Gone) gone, gone with the wind
There ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Song, song of the south
(Gone) gone, gone with the wind
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Sing it
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
Ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth
Gone, gone with the wind
Ain’t nobody lookin’ back again
Song, song of the south
Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth