I found a song that talks deeply about what it means to be a Southerner. The song is called Red White and Blue by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although the instruments used in the song, the rhythm of the song, and the timbre of the singer's voice all say something about the South, the lyrics emphasize the strongest about the modern Southern region, or rather, in the author's opinion what the South is all about now. You can find the lyrics by clicking here.

These lyrics talk specifically about how the people act and behave in the "South." According to this song, a Southerner is a die-hard patriot, a very down-to-earth simple person, a hospitable character, a heavy drinker, religious (to some degree), and of course "my neck's always been red."

Throughout the song, you can see the repetition of "We've always been, Red, White, and Blue." This shows the Southerner's patriotism. Also, in the first stanza, the author says that it doesn't matter if you're a lawyer, a respected oil man, or a lowly waitress; all that matters is that you "got Soul." This, along with a later stanza talking about how love is what makes the South so rich, just shows how the people in the South are simple, hospitable, caring people. And of course, what is a country song without the reference to drinking and God.

Do I think it is a good representation of the South? Well, I lived most of my life in Gwinnett County, which is just north of Atlanta, which is supposed to be "deep" in the heart of the South. I grew up in a place where rednecks were a minority and where diversity flourished. Being Romanian, I grew up in a culture where drinking was frowned up. This song presents many of the stereotypical aspects of growing up in the South, which I feel were almost nonexistent where I grew up! The South that the author is portraying is not a good representation of the South. Actually, it appears that the author knows that his idea of the South is a thing of the past and that he is trying to hold onto it because at one point he states rather strongly, "If they don't like it they can just get the HELL out!" This 'South' portrayed in the song probably exists only in the rural areas, but is definitely not the defining culture of the region anymore.