People only just realising ‘messed up’ meaning behind Sweet Home Alabama lyrics

The internet is in shock after discovering yet another dark meaning behind a popular and upbeat song.

And this time, it's a tune that's been played countless times on the radio, as well as in movies and TV shows, for decades - 'Sweet Home Alabama' by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Now, we all know that musicians take their inspiration from a variety of different places, and just because it's got a cheerful tune, doesn't mean the story behind it is positive.

In fact, you might not even really take any notice of the lyrics, like when kids belt out wildly inappropriate songs in the car without realising what they're about.

Take 'Pumped Up Kicks' by Foster The People as an example - although it's known for its indie pop melody, it's actually from the perspective of a teen detailing his plans for a school shooting.

And 'Dancing In The Moonlight' by Sherman Kelly isn't about a fun-filled party, as you may have assumed, it's actually much darker.

The American singer wrote the song in 1969, while recovering from a vicious assault by a gang, which led him to 'envision an alternate reality' and 'dream of a peaceful and joyful celebration of life'.

And 'Sweet Home Alabama' actually has an equally disturbing backstory, so buckle in.

'Sweet Home Alabama' actually has a dark meaning behind it, which has caused debate over the years (KMazur/WireImage for The Recording Academy)

The song was released by Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1974 and has since become a huge hit across the world - however, there is quite the controversy nestled in between the verses.

A Neil Young diss track

The lyrics are thought to be somewhat of a diss track against American-Canadian singer Neil Young.

Young had condemned the racism in the south at the time with two of his own songs - 'Southern Man' and 'Alabama'.

The lyrics of the former go like this: "Southern man better keep your head/ Don't forget what your good book said / Southern change gonna come at last / Now your crosses are burning fast."

As per Country Living, it's thought that 'Sweet Home Alabama' was directly responding, with the lyrics: "Well I heard Mister Young sing about her/ Well I heard old Neil put her down/ Well, I hope Neil Young will remember/ A Southern man don't need him around anyhow."

According to the publication, Ronnie Van Zant, the original lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd, said: "We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two. We're Southern rebels but, more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong."

Referencing a racist governor

Other lyrics continued: "In Birmingham they love the Gov'nor, boo boo, boo/ Now we all did what we could do/ Now Watergate does not bother me/ Does your conscience bother you?/ Tell the truth."

The tune references fellow musician Neil Young in its lyrics (Gary Miller/Getty Images)

Now, this portion is referring to Governor George Wallace, who was known for his racist policies and famously opposed desegregation.

In a 1963 speech, Wallace said: "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”

However, others think the lyrics were meant to be a reminder that 'not all Southeners are the same' and the lyrics were actually against his views, hence the 'boos'.

That's certainly what guitarist Gary Rossington claimed the line meant, explaining in Showtime documentary If I Leave Here Tomorrow: "A lot of people believed in segregation and all that. We didn't. We put the 'boo, boo, boo' there saying, 'We don't like Wallace.'"

However, he added the caveat: "I'm sure if you asked the other guys who are not with us anymore and are up in rock and roll heaven, they have their story of how it came about."

This is in reference to three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd - including Van Zant - who died in a plane crash three years after the song's debut.

Was it all a joke?

And as if things needed to be any more confusing, Zant also clarified a few years following the song's release that it was all a 'joke'.

He allegedly said: "We wrote 'Sweet Home Alabama' as a joke. We didn't even think about it. The words just came out that way.

"We just laughed like hell and said, 'Ain't that funny.' We love Neil Young. We love his music."

The band themselves later reportedly confirmed they wrote the song as a 'joke' (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

In recent times, as people have learned what the song is really about, they've rushed to Reddit to share their thoughts.

On a thread about song's that have hidden meanings, one user penned: "'Sweet Home Alabama', which praises Alabama's white supremacist governor, George Wallace, and calls out Neil Young for writing a song about the widely documented racial discrimination in the state."

Remember, though, that the band insist that song actually criticises Wallace.

Indeed, a second argued: "How does 'in Birmingham they love the governor BOO BOO BOO' equal praise? They were definitely not Wallace fans and were literally booing him in the song! Young was called out for stereotyping all white southerners as racists."