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