To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks on Main, I hope you understand When I put on t-shirt, the only thing I meant to say is I'm a Skynyrd fan The red flag on my chest somehow is like the elephant in the of the south And I walked him right in the room a proud rebel son with an 'ol can of worms Lookin' like I got a lot to learn but my point of view
I'm just a white man comin' to you the southland Tryin' to understand what like not to be I'm proud of where I'm from but not we've done And it ain't like you and me can re-write Our didn't start this nation We're still up the pieces, walkin' on eggshells, fightin' over yesterday And caught between southern and southern blame
They called it Reconstruction, fixed the buildings, dried tears We're still siftin' the rubble after a hundred-fifty years I try to put myself in your shoes and that's a good to begin But it ain't like I can a mile in someone else's skin
I'm a white man livin' in the southland Just you I'm more than what you see I'm proud of I'm from but not everything we've done And it like you and me can re-write history Our generation start this nation And we're still paying for the That a bunch of folks made before we came And caught between southern pride and blame
Mr. White Man, I wish you understood What the world is really like when you're livin' in the Just because my pants are saggin' mean I'm up to no good You should try to get to know me, I wish you would Now my chains are gold but I'm still I wasn't there when Sherman's March turned the into firewood I want you to get but be a slave I never could Feel like a new fangled Django, dodgin' invisible hoods So when I see that white cowboy hat, I'm it's not all good I guess we're both guilty of the cover not the book I'd to buy you a beer, conversate and clear the air But I see red flag and I think you wish I wasn't here
I'm a white man (If you don't my do-rag) Comin' to you the southland (I judge your red flag) Tryin' to understand what like not to be
I'm of where I'm from (If you don't judge my chains) But not we've done (I'll forget the chains) It ain't like you and me can re-write (Can't history baby)
Oh, (The between the Mason-Dixon needs some fixin') I hope you understand what is all about (Quite frankly I'm a black Yankee but I've thinkin' about this lately) I'm a son of the new (The past is the past, you me) And I just want to make right (Let be bygones) Where all that's left is southern (RIP Robert E. Lee but I've gotta thank Abraham Lincoln for freeing me, know I mean) It's real, it's truth