[Chi-townChief]

The follow-up to yesterday's Dopey Roeper column:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1373697/posts

[Chi-townChief]

I agree with the choice of "Johnny B. Goode" although not for the same reasons.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Calling you to the music thread.

[Chi-townChief]

Try that link again:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1373697/posts

[Quilla]

Yep, yesterday "Sweet Home Alabama" was playing in my mind until this happened. ;-)

[randog]

...my tastes now run more to jazz, world music, and obscure, artistic rock.

<cough>homo</cough>

[G.Mason]

Frankly, I like the Confederate Battle flag, in fact I like all the Confederate Battle flags. They have an honored and historic place in American history. Those flags stand to honor those many thousands of great men who fought and sacrificed for a cause they believed right.

Those that don't like the battle flags avert your eyes. Those it represents wouldn't want you gazing upon it anyway.

[lugsoul]

I don't agree that it is the best song ever, BUT -

anyone that thinks 'Sweet Home Alabama' is a "racist" song is thinking-impaired. And hearing-impaired. And has a dire need to hear "Ronnie and Neil" by the Drive-by Truckers.

[MotleyGirl70]

Not sure I would put it as "the greatest rock song of all time", but I love Sweet Home Alabama.

Classic line:

Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

I think it's down-played but I do think there was some animosity from Ronnie Van Zant against Neil Young for singing Southern Man.

I've read and heard a bunch of conflicting stories on this, but this one is the one I heard most often.

Discuss.

[MotleyGirl70]

BTW, thanks a lot! Now I'm going to have Sweet Home Alabama in my head all day.

It's one of those:

I CAN'T GET THIS SONG OUT OF MY HEAD songs :)

[RockinRight]

It's a great tune, but not my #1. But nobody would agree with my #1 anyway.

[js1138]

I enjoy your writing. I don't always agree with your columns but If we all agreed with each other on every issue, life would be boring. The greatest rock and roll song is actually titled "Rock and Roll" either by Velvet Underground or Led Zeppelin. Take your pick. Keep up the good work.

I'm from Jacksonville, lived next door to Robert Quine in college, and my wife's from Chicago. Three hits on one thread. Must be Karma.

[oyez]

Satisfaction.(Stones)
Suspicious Minds(Elvis)
Voodoo Chile( Hindrix or Stivie Ray)
Freebird(Skynerd)
Like a Rolling Stone(Dylan)

[weegee]

"As we all know, it was the blues and rhythm & blues songs that first morphed into rock & roll music, as perfomed by black artists. So, whatever the "best" song turns out to be, it has to be by a black musician."

What a racist concept. Just as it is asinine to assert that minorities cannot be racist "because they don't have the power structure" to make bigotry "mean" anything.

So Lieber and Stoller could never write a rock song? Better take back Hound Dog and those other songs.

Chuck Berry wrote songs for a white audience (about cars, school, and girls) and even lifted some riffs ("Promised Land" was a rewrite of "Wabash Cannonball")

From the great Atlantic Ocean
To the wide Pacific shore,
From sunny California
To ice-bound Labrador,
She's mighty tall and handsome,
She's known quite well by all,
She's the 'boes' accomodation
On the Wabash Cannonball

I left my home in norfolk virginia
California on my mind
I straddled that greyhound
And rode into raleigh
And on across caroline

Chuck Berry was even noted as a rockabilly singer on the back of his Chess albums and rockabilly was one step away from "hillbilly" (another music subgenre not ready for prime time radio's "hit parade" along with "race records").

Records sold but radio wouldn't play them. The more things change the more they stay the same.