LYNYRD SKYNYRD, NEIL YOUNG, AND THE MYTH OF A FEUD
Those who know even a little bit about rock history already know what I’m about to write is true. But others do not. I was once listening to “Old Man” by Neil Young loudly as I pulled up somewhere and a friend said, in essence, “I thought you liked Skynyrd.” I laughed and refused to tell him what I was laughing about.
For decades, some people have talked about the so-called “feud” between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young as if it were some deep Southern-versus-Canadian standoff. In truth, it was never that simple—and never that hostile.
For the record, Neil Young’s Southern Man is an incredible song. It is a powerful song. It confronts racism, violence, and hypocrisy in the American South with moral urgency and poetic fire. Young was writing as an outsider looking in, disturbed by what he saw and unwilling to soften his words. The song wasn’t subtle, and it wasn’t meant to be. It was a protest, plain and strong. I love it without qualification—and love his song Alabama as well.
Skynyrd’s response came with Sweet Home Alabama. How do I feel about that one? Why, it’s the greatest Southern rock song ever, and one of the greatest songs of all time. Duh.
How can I love all three songs? Well, it’s called doing your own thinking — and it’s really fun. Engage your brain and be yourself. Stop letting public opinion, no matter the setting or the angle it comes from, tell you how to feel or what to be offended by. Love Jesus, love people, be honest, and watch how much fun life can be.
Contrary to “some” popular belief, Sweet Home Alabama wasn’t a denial of the South’s sins, nor was it a defense of racism. It was a pushback against being painted with one broad brush. When Ronnie Van Zant sang, “I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern man don’t need him around anyhow,” it wasn’t hate—it was pride mixed with frustration. The song says, in effect, Yes, we know the past. Yes, we know the flaws. But we’re more than the worst chapters of our history. This is opinion, of course. Ronnie never told me he felt that way about his lyrics. But I believe all the available evidence suggests this is the correct way to hear the song.
I mean, have you ever really listened to the lyrics?
What gets lost is that Sweet Home Alabama also includes self-awareness. The line “In Birmingham they love the governor” is immediately followed by “boo, boo, boo,” a clear rejection of George Wallace and segregationist politics. Skynyrd wasn’t pretending the South was perfect—they were saying it was complicated, human, and changing.
Behind the scenes, the “feud” was even thinner than the headlines suggested. Ronnie Van Zant admired Neil Young deeply. He was often photographed wearing a Neil Young Tonight’s the Night T-shirt. Neil Young, for his part, later said he regretted writing Southern Man and Alabama, feeling they were too broad and unfair. Respect ran both ways. And again, for the record, I think his regret is misguided (if he still feels that way). Both of those songs are fantastic.
(I love my state and I’ve known since the first time I heard both Southern Man and Alabama what he was saying and why he was saying it. If you love pure, from-the-soul rock music that has something worthwhile to say, both songs should be on your playlist. Southern Man, in particular, from a lyrical and melodic standpoint is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. Again, just my opinion).
And sometimes respect shows up in moments, not statements.
A friend of mine in Memphis once saw Neil Young come out on stage and sing that very line from Sweet Home Alabama—the line that mentions him—with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Neil sang the part about himself. No bitterness. No irony. Just musicians sharing a moment, acknowledging the conversation they’d started years earlier. That suggests many things to me, not the least of which is that Neil Young is really cool. Ronnie was too.
Even if you dismiss my friend’s anecdotal story about what happened in Memphis, the following fact is well documented: In the weeks after the devastating plane crash that claimed Ronnie Van Zant and other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young took the stage at a benefit concert in Miami — and in a spontaneous tribute, wove the chorus of Sweet Home Alabama into his own song Alabama, honoring both the band’s legacy and the spirit of music that connected them.
That tells you everything you need to know.
Southern Man remains a great song. Sweet Home Alabama remains a great song. They aren’t enemies—they’re part of the same American dialogue, asking hard questions from different angles. One challenges. One answers back. Both come from artists who cared deeply about truth, justice, and the power of music to stir the soul.
Sometimes what looks like a fight is really just a conversation set to a guitar.
BDD
