Neil Young and Ronnie Van Zandt weren’t good friends, but they liked each other. They considered themselves to be in a small fraternity of song writers.
True, although Motown didn't release a Mynah Birds album. After one of the group's members was arrested for being a Navy deserter, the label soured on them while Neil and bassist Bruce Palmer drove to L.A. in a hearse, only to meet up with Stephen Stills as he was forming Buffalo Springfield. Young's track "Mr. Soul" -- still one of my favorites -- was inspired by his brief time with Motown.
I am from Neil's hometown in Winnipeg Canada, and when I heard Lynyrd Skynyrd's answer to Southern Man, I just thought it was an appropriate response. Didn't sway me one way or another. Love them both.
I love both artist. When you touch more into Neal Young you will find that he is a very good artist. Neal goes back a long way in music history. He more or less got his first big break in the band Buffalo Springfield. Until he joined Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Neil appeared with C.S.N.Y. at Woodstock in 1970. And then went on to form Neil Young and Crazyhorse. I do not think you will be let down by Neil in the least.
"Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song "Sweet Home Alabama" in response to "Southern Man" and "Alabama" from Young's 1972 album Harvest. Young has said that he is a fan of both "Sweet Home Alabama" and Ronnie Van Zant, the lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. "They play like they mean it," Young said in 1976. "I'm proud to have my name in a song like theirs." Young has also been known to play "Sweet Home Alabama" in concert occasionally. To demonstrate this camaraderie, Van Zant frequently wore a Neil Young Tonight's the Night T-shirt while performing "Sweet Home Alabama". Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot can often be seen reciprocating by wearing a Jack Daniel's-styled Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt (including at the Live Rust concert). In his book Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream, Young stated that Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" not in response to "Southern Man", but rather to Young's song "Alabama". Young noted that Lynyrd Skynyrd's implied criticism was deserved because Young's lyrics to Alabama were condescending and accusatory."
The group Drive By Truckers recorded a song called Ronnie and Neal. It tells the story of them getting along and several black performers coming to Muscle Shoals (The Swampers) to record. There's always been idiots that paints with a broad brush and there always will be.
The Swampers weren't black they were white, the funny thing is artists like Aretha Franklin heard them and swore they were black too when she found out they were white she was pretty much like wtf? White people can play like this because it wasn't common to find artists that could come up with music like that.
@@swampwitch6133 I was referring to Aretha Franklin, Sam Cook along with other artists coming to Muscle Shoals where the Swampers worked. Swampers was nickname of the session musicians at the recording studio. Sorry, I didn't make it clear that the Swampers were white. Point is while there were and still are racist people in Alabama, along with every other state in the Union, there were plenty that weren't racist and didn't want to be put in same category as those that were.
Ronnie never wrote down his lyrics 😳 it was all in his head I can't even imagine that ! " If you have to write it down to remember it , then it ain't worth remembering " RIP Mr VanZant✌️♥️
That’s crazy to be perfectly honest I thought I made that line for the longest time I didn’t write lyrics down and said if I can’t remember it must not be catchy I should have known lol
Not only was Ronnie Not Racist, He Highly respected Black Artists, in fact "The Ballad Of Curtis Lowe" shows that he was actually disgusted at how, not so much racism, but social snobbery, and just judgmental attitudes, caused so much unnecessary division. It was my generation, that decided to be friends with everyone. So the '70's were a time to just get over it, and listen to great music, and stop judging each other, by looks, or status. I imagine Neil also made quite a bit of change, I mean in his pocket, by lighting a flame.
Yes it was actually kind of a tribute to black artists showing how talented some of hem were but they didn't get the recognition they deserved at that time.
So your generation ended racism?? You might want to tell your generation it's back. Also, Neil didn't have to light a flame, he was just calling out the crosses that were already burning, he shouldn't have used a broad brush as he did, but it wasn't like there was nothing to call out either.
hey Biz, I agree with you about the media making mountains out of mole hilsl. And I believe the Young / Van Zandt so called "feud" is a good example of this...........loved the idea of a video about some background on the songs we hear.
Skynyrd didn't really dislike Neil Young, he might of disliked those two songs but Ronnie Van Zant has said he loves Neil Young and was in several photograph's wearing a Neil Young T-shirt.
Just watched your TH-cam video I want to say it's very good I've listened to both artists you should listen to a lot of old school Neil Young I think you'll like it but very good job and I'm a fan of yours you have a good day
Biz your right. The media built that up. 1970s diss wasn't much of a diss by today's standard. If you watched Skynyrds Oakland 77 Freebird video Lead singer Ronnie Van Sant is wearing a Neil Young tee shirt.
Wow, that's a heavy subject. Neil was doing what most were doing at that time which was writing about controversial things. As a white woman, I can't begin to speak on how it would affect someone. I don't blame Skynard for coming back at him, but it wasn't as big as they make it sound as far as I knew at the time. It is very sad that they couldn't make that song happen. It could have been epic. Peace!
I was mostly just because Ronnie really as Ronnie put it felt Neil was "putting all the ducks in a row" and really felt like someone had to answer it and not let it go without some response so that those of us in the south aren't all lumped together. Most of us down here are just simple folk just trying to get by day to day we don't have time to do stupid shit like hating on people because of their skin color because we have more important and better things to do than create hate and that kind of negativity in our lives.
@@swampwitch6133 Right on! The rest of the world could take a lesson about living that kind of lifestyle. Too much energy going in the wrong direction in my opinion. Peace, happiness and Rock and Roll!
@@PeaceandQuiet12345 It seems like I heard that, now that you brought it up. It's been a long time ago and my brain doesn't hold the memories quite as well as it used to.
I'm old and I'm of mixed heritage so here's what I've learned : in every group of people - racial , ethnic , religious etc - there are some very good people and there are some very bad people
No one should stereotype an entire group. Everyone is an individual. ❤ I live in the South & have lived all over the country. Black & White people are closer here than anywhere I’ve lived. Get along beautifully. ❤❤
You're spot on Bizmatik. This is not a real 'beef' at all. This doc over dramatizes everything. Plus the songs were released years apart (Southern Man 1970 vs Sweet Home 1974) so if it was such a big deal why did it take Skynrd 4 years to respond? Edit: Looking forward to your reaction to Southern Man!
@@DK-wr6qs You are a fool!! AHHH... Biz already isn't 100% sure what to make of you!!! lol!! I have NO idea what that was that u asked me and now u deleted it!! What were you asking?? If it was a social media thing, then the answer is probably NO... I don't do much social media stuff.
@@michaelgilbert197 oh, i just asked if you were on kik. It's social media. The thing I deleted was my comment explaining the glory hole to you.😁 innocent people didn't need to stumble across that. 🤣 I'm just playin in his comments. I'm harmless.
@@DK-wr6qs Oh I've figured out you're harmless and hysterical. Although at first your "Why'd your mom name you BizMatik" comments were puzzling, then annoying and then one day I come across another one and it hit me... your just messing around and it was all in good fun! As far as kik... I have no idea what that it! Bahaha! Side note: I really hope the messing around in his live didn't get on his nerves.... towards the end he said he wasn't sure what to make of you yet! lol!
@@PeaceandQuiet12345, .. There may not have been a feud, but I definitely wouldn't classify it as a "joke". Ronnie said his peace, in a song, and that was that, they both respected one another.
@Neil Lenet I've heard interviews with Neil Young and others like Gene Odom where he said they never met but others that say he was an honorary pallbearer at Ronnie's funeral which doesn't necessarily mean they had met or were friends. Who knows. It was 1977.
As far as Ronnie and Neil getting together to write a song, that's the first time I've heard that. But I do remember that there were reports back in the day that Neil wrote a song that he tried to pitch to Skynyrd to record and Ronnie turned it down. Either way, I've always been more intrigued with Ronnie's lyrics in the verse, "In Birmingham they love the governor, now we all did what we could do. Now Watergate doesn't bother me, does your conscious bother you?..tell the truth" This song was recorded by Skynyrd on June 15, 1973, just a year after Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot and the Watergate scandal happened with President Nixon in 1972. I've always wondered what exactly he was trying to say in that verse. Is he telling Neil Young, yeah, you can preoccupy yourself with things that happened in the south's history and make blanket assumptions about all southerners etc, but how do you feel about about what's happening in the rest of the country right now with government? At least that's the best interpretation I can come up with anyway. I never fully quite understood how he was tying all that into the reaction to Neil Young. But it's an interesting verse to ponder!
He's saying don't throw stones if you live in a glass house. You Yankees got plenty of your own issues...do you let Watergate etc define all of you, make you feel guilty?
@@jayjordan7104...Well I I'm not a Yankee, but I don't see anyone from the North flying Watergate flags, or erecting monuments in town square of Nixon's two guys that broke in the Watergate Hotel and stole documents.
That’s awesome. I’ve never seen that video, but I’ve heard enough of Skynyrd’s interviews to know kind of what the deal was. I enjoyed this; thank you.
@@watchbizmatik, You know I was thinking about this, this morning. It’s a shame that we can’t have our opinion about some thing and vocalize our opinions, likes and dislikes without people threatening to delete you or threaten you with this or that. We live in America where we’re free, at least for now, and I hope for always. I didn’t mean to get political and I don’t wanna cause you any issues so after reading this please feel free to delete this comment.
Actually NEIL. Wrote POWDER. FINGER and going to give it to LYNYRD. SKYNYRD. .but the cars ended the relationship. NEIL recorded it and put it on the live album
Most famous track ever? Yes. I doubt there are very few people who wouldn't recognize those first eight notes that Ed King came up with for Sweet Home Alabama.
There was never a beef…Lord.🙄 While recording, Ronnie asked Ed King (Skynyrds guitarist from Southern Cal), what he thought Neil would think. Ed said “I think Neil would get a kick out of it. That was Ronnie making sure he wasn’t being disrespectful. It was meant to be lite. It was no different than buddies messing with each other. You right Biz, it’s simply media trying to make something where there is nothing. And where racism isn’t anything to joke about, that wasn’t the focus of the intent. It was a Canadian passing a little judgment on the south. There are good people in the south. On the live album Ronnie says “There’s good people in Alabama…let Mr. Young know that too.”…while wearing a Neil Young shirt at his show. Ronnie was a genius at writing songs. Make something a little controversial and boom…your on top. But also a friendly little nudge. Neil even has sang “Sweet Home” in his show and thinks it’s cool that he was mentioned in such an iconic song. This program tried to make something out of nothing and stir the pot. Such bs. Bullshit = Ratings = 💰 If Ronnie was alive, he’d be shaking his head like “Damn, people so silly.”
I’m from Canada and we had slavery too, there was times when slaves would escape to vermount because they would be safe their, Yeah we didn’t have as many slaves but maybe if we had cotton fields it would be the other way around, I just know when Canada abolished slavery 2/3 of the slaves weee natives.
There is a group on FB this admin and the guy that started it was with LS thru the plane crash. Except for NY saying basically what some are saying today, They paint all whites as the same.. I asked him point blank if he thought anyone in the band was activly racist. He assured me nothing of that nature occured. He said Ronnie was a redneck and doing his heavy drinking there were fights almost every night. They spent so many years traveling and playing anywhere they could get a gig. He said Ronnie would go off on anybody when they pissed him off. And folks saying because of the song Curtis lowe proved he wasn't racist that is as stupid as NY saying all southerners are the same and that was we were all racist.
The most famous disk track ever. You would think a pop musician would claim that. But remember Hip-hop is relatively new. And 40-50 years ago, black people didnt just listen to Mowtown. You would go see the Rolling Stones and see a lot of black folks there because music wasnt as compartmentalized, and marketed towards seperate colors of people like it is now. Plus that song has 40 years of more sales than a recent big selling single.
We agreed with Lynyrd Skyntrd in Texas because he DID paint with a broad brush the people of the south. My family goes 4 generations deep in the Texas and we were dirt poor farmers. We did not own any slaves or had anything to do with the KKK. My grandmother and great grandmother worked hard every day picking cotton. So to say we were all "elite" slave owners burning crosses was untrue and cruel. Just like everywhere else, it is the people in power that cause all wars and injustices. The poor always suffer and get blamed.
Most people didn't own slaves. It was a very small fraction of the country. (Not just the south.) FAR more slaves went to the Caribbean than came to North America.
Funny Story: there was no feud, EVER. They were just musicians, and they were just song lyrics. Neil was being poignant, Ronnie was being a smartass, and somewhere in between lies the truth.
It was really just he felt Neil and the northerners (in the US) were starting to lump all southerns as racists which is really far from the truth. Yeah racism exists i'm not going to say it doesn't but down here in he south most of us are very chill and civilized to each other. Down here we give each other respect and respect is most often returned with respect because we know even if we don't agree at the end of the day that person may be the one helping you if a Hurricane hits or your house is destroyed by a tornado. The south is about Family, Friends and a Community. Northerners will never get that.
I think the part of Sweet home was when they seemed to defend the governor at the time which was a rabid racist. But im not sure they were defending him as much as saying he doesn't represent all southerners just as Nixon (watergate) doesn't represent all of America.
The lyrics are "in Birmingham they love the governor. Boo, Boo,Boo". That doesn't sound to me like he was defending the governor. But I do agree with you the rest of your comment.......
You should react to muscle shoals documentary….it will give you an idea of why skynryd was upset. The black artists that came out of muscle shoals Alabama. Neil tryna make it sound like it wasn’t true. 👇🏾👇🏾…soul music as we know it and all other music that followed. Wilson picket Aretha Etta James And skynyrd, Duane allman, stones, Willie Nelson, bob seger and so many others. The swampers and the studio were in high demand. Staple singers
I like that you're open to reacting to little documentary things. Since you're getting into ACDC recently, you should watch a documentary on them on TH-cam
Course the greatest and most well known southern rock lick was created by a fat hippie from California. Gary had the chords, but everything else musically was all Ed King.
I think Skynyrd felt that Niel was putting everyone into one group. Southern does not mean kkk. That was created by a certain political party. Look it up.
SO IN ORDER BIZ IT WOULD GO : NEIL / SOUTHERN MAN, NEIL / ALABAMA & SKYNYRD / SWEET HOME ALABAMA 😊THAT WOULD BE THE PROPER ORDER AS SKYNYRD WAS RESPONDING TO ( ALABAMA ) NOT SOUTHERN MAN 😵ANYWAY THERE YA GO!
lyhard skynard respected neil when they say a southern man don't need him around they where not talking about his sexuality but about neils song southern man. Which is a condomnation on raceism. Lynard skynard hated raceist. any question listen to their other songs with that in mind
Please. There are WAY more than “a few” racist people in the American South. That said, Ronnie and Neil were friends. They knew what they were doing. ✌️
Lynyrd Skynyrd wrapped themselves in the confederate flag, the symbol of slavery. They may not have meant it that way but ignorance of the meaning of the confederate flag is no excuse. Neil Young is one of the 10 greatest singer/songwriters from the rock era. His classic songs are many. I suggest you listen to the following songs for starters: Old Man Heart of Gold Needle and the Damage Done To hear the singer/songwriter. Neil also rocked with a band he called Crazy Horse but his most famous singing companions were Crosby Stills and Nash. They sung together so much that the group became known as Crosby Stills Nash and Young.
Ask Neil Young how much of the money he made from the song Ohio was donated to the families of the 4 people he wrote about in a song that, just like Alabama and Southern Man, got EVERYTHING wrong. The answer, by the way, is $0.00.
Ask yourself what you were doing while Neil Young was putting on benefit concerts for disabled children, farmers, environmental issues etc...... Making millions of $$$$$$$ for these organizations.
Neil Young wrote a song that was more a picture of the civil war era than the current south. In fact, the south is way ahead of the the "Woke" northern white guilt liberals, that think they have to rescue all Blacks. I don't need to be rescued, and as a Black man in his mid 60s, I was around to see some bad stuff. It's so easy to be cliché, when talking about the Southland. Remember, it was the Democratic party in the 50s and 60s that was propping up the Klan. Do some Homework Neil. God Bless ya'll One race...the Human race.
No matter your skin color, if you buy into the narrative of "woke" actually being a thing, much less a problem, then you make it blatantly obvious that you have a preferred party and choose to listen to their brand of propaganda. I agree with you on the toxic nature of white liberals thinking they need to "rescue" black people. But I also think there are plenty of white people our there that just want to be good allies, and at least not be part of the problem, or be accused of sitting on the sidelines and not saying anything. FYI, I'm no cheerleader for the Dems, but nice try with the whole Dems/Klan connection, that was before the Southern Strategy, which if you support the party I think you do, I'm sure you'll deny, and I don't feel like having that debate again, so I'll just bid you a good evening.
@@hilarymiseroy3251 When we were growing up we didn't know everything, although typical teenagers believe they do. Most of us grow out of that. Certainly that is the age of the rebellion you felt against parents and authorities, and surely you brought little knowledge of history to your adoption of the so-called confederate flag as your symbol of that rebellion. The facts and history were there all along, though. So, "it never used to be" a racist symbol, because you didn't know then what you know now. Peace.
I'll bet people yell out Free Bird! at Neil Young concerts. Ronnie Van Zant is a bigger star dead than Neal Young is alive. Southern man still don't need him around! commie!
Neil Young has 1180 plus, copyrighted songs. How many does Skynyrd have? Neil networth $200,000,000. As a solo artist. Skynyrd networth $75,000,000. As a 8 man band. Who'll outlast who?
Listen man, during the early and mid 60s in the deep South you could see cars parked all along the roads they had not moved in 30 years because they got bought during the depression and sat there unmoving for all that time because no one could pay for the cars and the banks were afraid to come and get them. I saw this with my own eyes, two to three cars per block for blocks and blocks in every direction in much of the South. So Neil Young was right when he said they're Cadillac had a wheel in the ditch and it took many years after that to ever clean that mess up now the government was partially to blame but I don't know who goes to depression but in some states it lasted 20 years rather than 10, okay?
Yep you are right. Neil Young doing benefit concerts for disabled children, farmers, environmental issues etc..... Making millions of $$$$ for these organizations.
Neil Young and Ronnie Van Zandt weren’t good friends, but they liked each other. They considered themselves to be in a small fraternity of song writers.
Interesting fact: Neil Young got his start at Motown Record with a group called the Mynah Birds featuring the superfreak Rick James. It's true.
True, although Motown didn't release a Mynah Birds album. After one of the group's members was arrested for being a Navy deserter, the label soured on them while Neil and bassist Bruce Palmer drove to L.A. in a hearse, only to meet up with Stephen Stills as he was forming Buffalo Springfield. Young's track "Mr. Soul" -- still one of my favorites -- was inspired by his brief time with Motown.
he and rick james stayed good pals for decades
@Doug Sawyer Slacker
Thank God he didn't stay with them
@@ronp1018 nope
I am from Neil's hometown in Winnipeg Canada, and when I heard Lynyrd Skynyrd's answer to Southern Man, I just thought it was an appropriate response. Didn't sway me one way or another. Love them both.
Neil was born in Toronto.
I love both artist. When you touch more into Neal Young you will find that he is a very good artist. Neal goes back a long way in music history. He more or less got his first big break in the band Buffalo Springfield. Until he joined Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Neil appeared with C.S.N.Y. at Woodstock in 1970. And then went on to form Neil Young and Crazyhorse. I do not think you will be let down by Neil in the least.
Neil Young: Heart Of Gold, Old Man, Needle And The Damage Done, Cinnamon Girl
I worked catering in the 80's and remember my friend playing Neil Young ... loudly, backstage at a Skynrd show. The dirty looks abounded!
"Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song "Sweet Home Alabama" in response to "Southern Man" and "Alabama" from Young's 1972 album Harvest. Young has said that he is a fan of both "Sweet Home Alabama" and Ronnie Van Zant, the lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. "They play like they mean it," Young said in 1976. "I'm proud to have my name in a song like theirs."
Young has also been known to play "Sweet Home Alabama" in concert occasionally. To demonstrate this camaraderie, Van Zant frequently wore a Neil Young Tonight's the Night T-shirt while performing "Sweet Home Alabama". Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot can often be seen reciprocating by wearing a Jack Daniel's-styled Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt (including at the Live Rust concert).
In his book Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream, Young stated that Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" not in response to "Southern Man", but rather to Young's song "Alabama". Young noted that Lynyrd Skynyrd's implied criticism was deserved because Young's lyrics to Alabama were condescending and accusatory."
The "feud" was about as real as Paul mccartney being dead in "i bury paul" Strawberry Fields
The group Drive By Truckers recorded a song called Ronnie and Neal. It tells the story of them getting along and several black performers coming to Muscle Shoals (The Swampers) to record. There's always been idiots that paints with a broad brush and there always will be.
Well said.
The Swampers weren't black they were white, the funny thing is artists like Aretha Franklin heard them and swore they were black too when she found out they were white she was pretty much like wtf? White people can play like this because it wasn't common to find artists that could come up with music like that.
@@swampwitch6133 I was referring to Aretha Franklin, Sam Cook along with other artists coming to Muscle Shoals where the Swampers worked. Swampers was nickname of the session musicians at the recording studio. Sorry, I didn't make it clear that the Swampers were white. Point is while there were and still are racist people in Alabama, along with every other state in the Union, there were plenty that weren't racist and didn't want to be put in same category as those that were.
Ronnie never wrote down his lyrics 😳 it was all in his head I can't even imagine that ! " If you have to write it down to remember it , then it ain't worth remembering " RIP Mr VanZant✌️♥️
such a legend. that whole band got along. now one upping
That’s crazy to be perfectly honest I thought I made that line for the longest time I didn’t write lyrics down and said if I can’t remember it must not be catchy I should have known lol
Not only was Ronnie Not Racist, He Highly respected Black Artists, in fact "The Ballad Of Curtis Lowe" shows that he was actually disgusted at how, not so much racism, but social
snobbery, and just judgmental attitudes, caused so much unnecessary division. It was my generation, that decided to be friends with everyone. So the '70's were a time to just
get over it, and listen to great music, and stop judging each other, by looks, or status. I imagine Neil also made quite a bit of change, I mean in his pocket, by lighting a flame.
Yes it was actually kind of a tribute to black artists showing how talented some of hem were but they didn't get the recognition they deserved at that time.
Curtis Leow was a white guy in real life
So your generation ended racism?? You might want to tell your generation it's back.
Also, Neil didn't have to light a flame, he was just calling out the crosses that were already burning, he shouldn't have used a broad brush as he did, but it wasn't like there was nothing to call out either.
hey Biz, I agree with you about the media making mountains out of mole hilsl. And I believe the Young / Van Zandt so called "feud" is a good example of this...........loved the idea of a video about some background on the songs we hear.
"Neil Young is one of our favorite people" RVZ '76.
💯 BizMatik‼Great props for "daring"
to do this reaction‼Thanks bro‼🔥
💯
So happy to hear the real story. Thanks Biz for the upload. I agree Skynyrd had great lyrics!
Skynyrd didn't really dislike Neil Young, he might of disliked those two songs but Ronnie Van Zant has said he loves Neil Young and was in several photograph's wearing a Neil Young T-shirt.
Just watched your TH-cam video I want to say it's very good I've listened to both artists you should listen to a lot of old school Neil Young I think you'll like it but very good job and I'm a fan of yours you have a good day
Biz your right. The media built that up. 1970s diss wasn't much of a diss by today's standard. If you watched Skynyrds Oakland 77 Freebird video Lead singer Ronnie Van Sant is wearing a Neil Young tee shirt.
Wow, that's a heavy subject. Neil was doing what most were doing at that time which was writing about controversial things. As a white woman, I can't begin to speak on how it would affect someone. I don't blame Skynard for coming back at him, but it wasn't as big as they make it sound as far as I knew at the time. It is very sad that they couldn't make that song happen. It could have been epic. Peace!
I was mostly just because Ronnie really as Ronnie put it felt Neil was "putting all the ducks in a row" and really felt like someone had to answer it and not let it go without some response so that those of us in the south aren't all lumped together. Most of us down here are just simple folk just trying to get by day to day we don't have time to do stupid shit like hating on people because of their skin color because we have more important and better things to do than create hate and that kind of negativity in our lives.
@@swampwitch6133 Right on! The rest of the world could take a lesson about living that kind of lifestyle. Too much energy going in the wrong direction in my opinion. Peace, happiness and Rock and Roll!
they didnt come back at him it was a joke
@@PeaceandQuiet12345 It seems like I heard that, now that you brought it up. It's been a long time ago and my brain doesn't hold the memories quite as well as it used to.
Thanks for sharing this, Biz. Great stuff.
They were actually friends in real life. The reference to Young in the song was a joke
I'm old and I'm of mixed heritage so here's what I've learned : in every group of people - racial , ethnic , religious etc - there are some very good people and there are some very bad people
No one should stereotype an entire group. Everyone is an individual. ❤ I live in the South & have lived all over the country. Black & White people are closer here than anywhere I’ve lived. Get along beautifully. ❤❤
You're spot on Bizmatik. This is not a real 'beef' at all. This doc over dramatizes everything. Plus the songs were released years apart (Southern Man 1970 vs Sweet Home 1974) so if it was such a big deal why did it take Skynrd 4 years to respond?
Edit: Looking forward to your reaction to Southern Man!
Oh this should be a good one!! Never seen this but have heard rumors/gossip for years.... can't wait to watch!!! ;) ;)
Hi Tina.
@@DK-wr6qs Hey there, good to "see" you!! 👋This one was fascinating!! 😁😎
@@DK-wr6qs You are a fool!! AHHH... Biz already isn't 100% sure what to make of you!!! lol!! I have NO idea what that was that u asked me and now u deleted it!! What were you asking?? If it was a social media thing, then the answer is probably NO... I don't do much social media stuff.
@@michaelgilbert197 oh, i just asked if you were on kik. It's social media. The thing I deleted was my comment explaining the glory hole to you.😁 innocent people didn't need to stumble across that. 🤣 I'm just playin in his comments. I'm harmless.
@@DK-wr6qs Oh I've figured out you're harmless and hysterical. Although at first your "Why'd your mom name you BizMatik" comments were puzzling, then annoying and then one day I come across another one and it hit me... your just messing around and it was all in good fun! As far as kik... I have no idea what that it! Bahaha! Side note: I really hope the messing around in his live didn't get on his nerves.... towards the end he said he wasn't sure what to make of you yet! lol!
Sweet Home Alabama when they addressed Neil Young, That sounds like that's a battle record. That's hip-hop, y'all.
Turns out this beef was about as valid as Clara Peller's complaint in the 1980's famous Wendy's restaurant advertisements: "Where's the beef?!"!!
I believe they all became friends after this feud. Ronnie liked Neil Young and Neil Young liked Ronnie Van zant.
THERE WAS NEVER A FEUD.. it was a joke
@@PeaceandQuiet12345, .. There may not have been a feud, but I definitely wouldn't classify it as a "joke". Ronnie said his peace, in a song, and that was that, they both respected one another.
@Bill Walker Not only did they meet and become friends, Neil Young was a pallbearer at Ronnie Van Zant's funeral
@Neil Lenet I've heard interviews with Neil Young and others like Gene Odom where he said they never met but others that say he was an honorary pallbearer at Ronnie's funeral which doesn't necessarily mean they had met or were friends. Who knows. It was 1977.
You need to throw Warren Zevon's "Play it All Night Long" into the mix. "Sweet Home Alabama - play that dead band's song"
Yeah, this was always a bit blown out of proportion. You can see Ronnie wearing Neil Young T-shirts on an album cover and in live concert footage.
I am doing it curently
As far as Ronnie and Neil getting together to write a song, that's the first time I've heard that. But I do remember that there were reports back in the day that Neil wrote a song that he tried to pitch to Skynyrd to record and Ronnie turned it down. Either way, I've always been more intrigued with Ronnie's lyrics in the verse, "In Birmingham they love the governor, now we all did what we could do. Now Watergate doesn't bother me, does your conscious bother you?..tell the truth" This song was recorded by Skynyrd on June 15, 1973, just a year after Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot and the Watergate scandal happened with President Nixon in 1972. I've always wondered what exactly he was trying to say in that verse. Is he telling Neil Young, yeah, you can preoccupy yourself with things that happened in the south's history and make blanket assumptions about all southerners etc, but how do you feel about about what's happening in the rest of the country right now with government? At least that's the best interpretation I can come up with anyway. I never fully quite understood how he was tying all that into the reaction to Neil Young. But it's an interesting verse to ponder!
Me neither. That always puzzled me.
That ain’t the last verse
@@Sam-fc8ik You're right, I changed it to "the verse".
He's saying don't throw stones if you live in a glass house. You Yankees got plenty of your own issues...do you let Watergate etc define all of you, make you feel guilty?
@@jayjordan7104...Well I I'm not a Yankee, but I don't see anyone from the North flying Watergate flags, or erecting monuments in town square of Nixon's two guys that broke in the Watergate Hotel and stole documents.
Check out the song "Ronnie and Neil" by the Drive-By Truckers.
Yes , I love Neil Young better , sweet home Alabama , good song
That’s awesome. I’ve never seen that video, but I’ve heard enough of Skynyrd’s interviews to know kind of what the deal was. I enjoyed this; thank you.
I lost 38 subs just because od that video lol it wqs so quick 😂😂😂
@@watchbizmatik, noooo! Why? I’m so sorry. I love your channel and think you’re great.
Alot of people dont like me i guess lol im a little too edgie because i am 100 percent me no faking no pandering
@@watchbizmatik, that is EXACTLY why I do like you. Well, I predict that you’ll get 38 new subscribers. Love your channel. I admire your courage.
@@watchbizmatik, You know I was thinking about this, this morning. It’s a shame that we can’t have our opinion about some thing and vocalize our opinions, likes and dislikes without people threatening to delete you or threaten you with this or that. We live in America where we’re free, at least for now, and I hope for always. I didn’t mean to get political and I don’t wanna cause you any issues so after reading this please feel free to delete this comment.
Love them both!
I’ll check it out on my lunch break for sure
Great reaction, You haven't reacted to Neil young southern man yet.
Actually NEIL. Wrote POWDER. FINGER and going to give it to LYNYRD. SKYNYRD. .but the cars ended the relationship. NEIL recorded it and put it on the live album
Yeah, check out Alabama too. Was mellow as he was, he didn't pull punches.
"Sweet Home Alabama", the first "not all men!" in history.
Most famous track ever? Yes. I doubt there are very few people who wouldn't recognize those first eight notes that Ed King came up with for Sweet Home Alabama.
Ya, umm ......no.
There was never a beef…Lord.🙄
While recording, Ronnie asked Ed King (Skynyrds guitarist from Southern Cal), what he thought Neil would think. Ed said “I think Neil would get a kick out of it. That was Ronnie making sure he wasn’t being disrespectful. It was meant to be lite. It was no different than buddies messing with each other.
You right Biz, it’s simply media trying to make something where there is nothing. And where racism isn’t anything to joke about, that wasn’t the focus of the intent. It was a Canadian passing a little judgment on the south. There are good people in the south. On the live album Ronnie says “There’s good people in Alabama…let Mr. Young know that too.”…while wearing a Neil Young shirt at his show.
Ronnie was a genius at writing songs. Make something a little controversial and boom…your on top. But also a friendly little nudge.
Neil even has sang “Sweet Home” in his show and thinks it’s cool that he was mentioned in such an iconic song.
This program tried to make something out of nothing and stir the pot. Such bs.
Bullshit = Ratings = 💰
If Ronnie was alive, he’d be shaking his head like “Damn, people so silly.”
I read recently that the record company wanted Skynyrd to use the confederate flag.
That's true. It was the marketing team of MCA Records. They didn't want to, but they wanted to sell records so they listened to the marketing people.
That’s BS Ronnie used to dress up in a confederate generals coat and hat they were proud to be from the south and that’s it
Gotta love the coheed and cambria shirt
"a few who have racist fews". Understatement of the century.
Hey Biz if social media was round in da day this would have bigger !! I'll put skynerd before Neil on my HOF but I can understand either way 😎
Naw, Neil is way more talented than an entire band.
🇺🇸Sweet home Alabama
Alabam You Got The Rest Of The Union To Help You Along.
As a Southern I found it offense to lump us all together too...racism is all over the world..
I’m from Canada and we had slavery too, there was times when slaves would escape to vermount because they would be safe their, Yeah we didn’t have as many slaves but maybe if we had cotton fields it would be the other way around, I just know when Canada abolished slavery 2/3 of the slaves weee natives.
There is a group on FB this admin and the guy that started it was with LS thru the plane crash. Except for NY saying basically what some are saying today, They paint all whites as the same.. I asked him point blank if he thought anyone in the band was activly racist. He assured me nothing of that nature occured. He said Ronnie was a redneck and doing his heavy drinking there were fights almost every night. They spent so many years traveling and playing anywhere they could get a gig. He said Ronnie would go off on anybody when they pissed him off. And folks saying because of the song Curtis lowe proved he wasn't racist that is as stupid as NY saying all southerners are the same and that was we were all racist.
The most famous disk track ever. You would think a pop musician would claim that. But remember Hip-hop is relatively new. And 40-50 years ago, black people didnt just listen to Mowtown. You would go see the Rolling Stones and see a lot of black folks there because music wasnt as compartmentalized, and marketed towards seperate colors of people like it is now. Plus that song has 40 years of more sales than a recent big selling single.
'after the gold rush', and the song 'southern man,' was written before the kent state shootings. documentarian got it wrong.
We agreed with Lynyrd Skyntrd in Texas because he DID paint with a broad brush the people of the south. My family goes 4 generations deep in the Texas and we were dirt poor farmers. We did not own any slaves or had anything to do with the KKK. My grandmother and great grandmother worked hard every day picking cotton. So to say we were all "elite" slave owners burning crosses was untrue and cruel. Just like everywhere else, it is the people in power that cause all wars and injustices. The poor always suffer and get blamed.
Most people didn't own slaves. It was a very small fraction of the country. (Not just the south.) FAR more slaves went to the Caribbean than came to North America.
Neil Young wrote a song about Ronnie VanZant after the plane crash and all of us loosing Ronnie .
Funny Story: there was no feud, EVER. They were just musicians, and they were just song lyrics. Neil was being poignant, Ronnie was being a smartass, and somewhere in between lies the truth.
A few..A bit more than a few!
Ronnie thought Neil a Canadian!! had alot of nerve singing about the south.
It was really just he felt Neil and the northerners (in the US) were starting to lump all southerns as racists which is really far from the truth. Yeah racism exists i'm not going to say it doesn't but down here in he south most of us are very chill and civilized to each other. Down here we give each other respect and respect is most often returned with respect because we know even if we don't agree at the end of the day that person may be the one helping you if a Hurricane hits or your house is destroyed by a tornado. The south is about Family, Friends and a Community. Northerners will never get that.
Yep and Ronnie wasn't from the south.
Florida.
I think the part of Sweet home was when they seemed to defend the governor at the time which was a rabid racist.
But im not sure they were defending him as much as saying he doesn't represent all southerners just as Nixon (watergate) doesn't represent all of America.
Yeah, because the lyrics say, “In Birmingham they love the Governor, boo, boo, boo.”
Yep, and then "Now, we all did what we could do..."
Agree with ya, Mr. McSquare, definitely seems like a bit of misinterpretation.
The lyrics are "in Birmingham they love the governor. Boo, Boo,Boo". That doesn't sound to me like he was defending the governor. But I do agree with you the rest of your comment.......
@@Tuesdays_Gone It's "boo hoo hoo". LOL!!!!!!!
Ronnie and Skynyrd were not defending Wallace
They were expressing thier dislike for him.
The most famous dis track ever…until the 90’s??
Alabama
Thanks...
"most famous dids track ever"
Easy E "Ren hold my $1.5 million dollars I made off of Dre"
You should react to muscle shoals documentary….it will give you an idea of why skynryd was upset. The black artists that came out of muscle shoals Alabama. Neil tryna make it sound like it wasn’t true. 👇🏾👇🏾…soul music as we know it and all other music that followed.
Wilson picket
Aretha
Etta James
And skynyrd, Duane allman, stones, Willie Nelson, bob seger and so many others. The swampers and the studio were in high demand.
Staple singers
Ohio is good song
I like that you're open to reacting to little documentary things. Since you're getting into ACDC recently, you should watch a documentary on them on TH-cam
Course the greatest and most well known southern rock lick was created by a fat hippie from California. Gary had the chords, but everything else musically was all Ed King.
Steel Panther. Glory hole. Official video. Do you need me to hold your hand so you aren't afraid?
I think Skynyrd felt that Niel was putting everyone into one group. Southern does not mean kkk. That was created by a certain political party. Look it up.
Kitten fight ✌❤🤘
If you like Ronnie Van Zant's lyrics, wait until you start getting into Neil Young's lyrics. And there are a lot of them. Happy listening.
SO IN ORDER BIZ IT WOULD GO : NEIL / SOUTHERN MAN, NEIL / ALABAMA & SKYNYRD / SWEET HOME ALABAMA 😊THAT WOULD BE THE PROPER ORDER AS SKYNYRD WAS RESPONDING TO ( ALABAMA ) NOT SOUTHERN MAN 😵ANYWAY THERE YA GO!
This is a well done documentary.
It is actual garbage, in a dumpster, on fire.
lyhard skynard respected neil when they say a southern man don't need him around they where not talking about his sexuality but about neils song southern man. Which is a condomnation on raceism. Lynard skynard hated raceist. any question listen to their other songs with that in mind
Please. There are WAY more than “a few” racist people in the American South. That said, Ronnie and Neil were friends. They knew what they were doing. ✌️
Lynyrd Skynyrd wrapped themselves in the confederate flag, the symbol of slavery. They may not have meant it that way but ignorance of the meaning of the confederate flag is no excuse.
Neil Young is one of the 10 greatest singer/songwriters from the rock era. His classic songs are many. I suggest you listen to the following songs for starters:
Old Man
Heart of Gold
Needle and the Damage Done
To hear the singer/songwriter. Neil also rocked with a band he called Crazy Horse but his most famous singing companions were Crosby Stills and Nash. They sung together so much that the group became known as Crosby Stills Nash and Young.
Ask Neil Young how much of the money he made from the song Ohio was donated to the families of the 4 people he wrote about in a song that, just like Alabama and Southern Man, got EVERYTHING wrong. The answer, by the way, is $0.00.
Ask yourself what you were doing while Neil Young was putting on benefit concerts for disabled children, farmers, environmental issues etc......
Making millions of $$$$$$$ for these organizations.
Ever see Leonard Skinner concert? They sure do love them there Confederate flags!!!! Shame on all of them!!!!!!!
The weird and funniest thing is that you don't even know who's fighting for you. Very sad
Hey , wassup sweetheart , how are you Biz 😃
interesting i knew nothing of this
No one else did either. It never happened.
It's all happening right now.
It was a big effing deal. Eff
Young wrote Southern Man and Alabama before Sweet Home Alabama which was their reaction…Historically Young got it right.
Watch the movie , Sweet Home Alabama , with Reese Witherspoon , best movie ever , check it babe , thank you hun
Neil Young wrote a song that was more a picture of the civil war era than the current south. In fact, the south is way ahead of the the "Woke" northern white guilt liberals, that think they have to rescue all Blacks. I don't need to be rescued, and as a Black man in his mid 60s, I was around to see some bad stuff. It's so easy to be cliché, when talking about the Southland. Remember, it was the Democratic party in the 50s and 60s that was propping up the Klan. Do some Homework Neil.
God Bless ya'll
One race...the Human race.
No matter your skin color, if you buy into the narrative of "woke" actually being a thing, much less a problem, then you make it blatantly obvious that you have a preferred party and choose to listen to their brand of propaganda. I agree with you on the toxic nature of white liberals thinking they need to "rescue" black people. But I also think there are plenty of white people our there that just want to be good allies, and at least not be part of the problem, or be accused of sitting on the sidelines and not saying anything. FYI, I'm no cheerleader for the Dems, but nice try with the whole Dems/Klan connection, that was before the Southern Strategy, which if you support the party I think you do, I'm sure you'll deny, and I don't feel like having that debate again, so I'll just bid you a good evening.
Don't Cry No Tears Around Me.
We have all been repressed in some way.
You don't see us whining about it.
Grow up. And Carry On.
"The racism of a few"??
I only knew the line in Sweet Home Alabama but I never liked Young. I thought his voice sucked.
Neil still Rockin 2022
I wouldn't listen to them for yrs because I love Neil Young.....
eah that was pretty shity of Neil Young to f****** pain everyone in the same brush
he wasn't painting everyone with the same brush, just the guilty ones.
All this type people are a certain way. One of the biggest lies ever.
You good?
Saw them in 2011 and unfortunately they were STILL displaying the Confederate flag which IS a racist symbol.
It never used to be. When I was growing up in the 70's it stood for rebellion and nothing else.
@@hilarymiseroy3251 When we were growing up we didn't know everything, although typical teenagers believe they do. Most of us grow out of that. Certainly that is the age of the rebellion you felt against parents and authorities, and surely you brought little knowledge of history to your adoption of the so-called confederate flag as your symbol of that rebellion. The facts and history were there all along, though. So, "it never used to be" a racist symbol, because you didn't know then what you know now. Peace.
@@donthomasdunigan7004 Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn
@@hilarymiseroy3251 I could tell.
Gonna cry about it? Go see another band Skynyrd will always fly it because they’re proud to be from the south
I'll bet people yell out Free Bird! at Neil Young concerts. Ronnie Van Zant is a bigger star dead than Neal Young is alive. Southern man still don't need him around! commie!
Neil Young has 1180 plus, copyrighted songs. How many does Skynyrd have?
Neil networth $200,000,000. As a solo artist.
Skynyrd networth $75,000,000. As a 8 man band. Who'll outlast who?
You can’t fault Neil young for writing about the truth. We all know that quite a bit of racism came from the south. It is what it is.
A lot of racism comes from everywhere. That was the point.
Listen man, during the early and mid 60s in the deep South you could see cars parked all along the roads they had not moved in 30 years because they got bought during the depression and sat there unmoving for all that time because no one could pay for the cars and the banks were afraid to come and get them. I saw this with my own eyes, two to three cars per block for blocks and blocks in every direction in much of the South. So Neil Young was right when he said they're Cadillac had a wheel in the ditch and it took many years after that to ever clean that mess up now the government was partially to blame but I don't know who goes to depression but in some states it lasted 20 years rather than 10, okay?
Lynyrd Skynyrd donned the Confederate flag at every turn. Neil Young is a decent guy. NO CONTEST!
Neil Young is a POS human being. Always has been. Always will be.
Yep you are right. Neil Young doing benefit concerts for disabled children, farmers, environmental issues etc.....
Making millions of $$$$ for these organizations.