One trend that was fairly prevalent in late 60s and early 70s rock was the tendency for non-Southern bands to use Southern themes in their work. On one hand, it was inevitable as rock’s roots are in Dixie and we weren’t that far away from when the vast majority of white rock and rollers where Southerners – i.e. Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, etc. Sure, there were exceptions, Billy Haley was from Pennsylvania and doo-wop (if it even counts as rock and roll) was, for the most part, an Italian phenomenon. It really is hard to ignore just how culturally Southern early rock and roll was.
Eventually, the near Southern-themed monopoly was broken. First by Elvis being drafted, which signified the rise of a bunch of forgettable novelty acts, and then later the emergence of the Beatles, which heralded the beginning of the “British Invasion.” However, some of the later entries of the British Invasion, namely the Rolling Stones and Cream, showcased less of the poppy sound of the Beatles and had a much rawer, bluesier sound that reached back to the Southern roots of rock (which would eventually spawn a new genre that embraced Dixie as the home of rock music).
While many bands that were part of this were native Southerners, think the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, many were not. The purpose of this essay will be to examine several of these bands, where the Southern lyrical themes will be the focus, rather than simply music that “sounds Southern.” The subject is rather large, and a comprehensive examination could fill several books. So, I will just be looking at some of the highlights here; if I miss a band, it doesn’t mean I don’t like them, it just means I had to cut something out for time constraints.
By setting themselves up as the band for kids who wanted something a little harder than the Beatles, the Rolling Stones always had one foot in the blues and repaid that influence by using Southern themes in several of their songs. “Honky Tonk Woman” comes to mind, with its utilization and imagery of the honky tonks where country music became rockabilly. “Dead Flowers” fits here, too. The song intentionally tries to sound like an old country song, while the lyrics mention the Kentucky Derby and a pink Cadillac; in other words, the song uses one of Dixie’s most iconic holidays and the most famous car Elvis owned. They also recorded “Sweet Virginia,” which is ambiguous in that it could either be about a girl or the Old Dominion. And, there’s “Brown Sugar,” which I’m shocked still gets played on the radio and has somehow escaped the eyes and ears of the PC police.
There are several other examples, as well. Based in California (though the original drummer John Hartman was from Virginia), the Doobie Brothers made their own ode to the South with “Black Water.” Then there was the Long Island based Mountain that scored a big hit in 1970 with “Mississippi Queen.” The Band is an interesting case, although they did use Southern themes a great deal, most famously in “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and the band was formed in Canada, one member, Levon Helm, who provides the vocals on “The Night They Drive Old Dixie Down,” was a native of Arkansas. Because of Helm’s work on the song, I’m not sure if they exactly count for the bit of cultural appropriation being discussed here, but I did want to give them a mention.
Coming out a bit later there was also “psychobilly,” which takes punk rock and merges it with rockabilly. Influenced mostly by the Cramps, a band centered on lead singer Lux Interior (from Ohio) and guitarist Poison Ivy (from California) the band did use some Southern imagery – especially, in the song “Garbageman,” as well as a whole host of songs that were actually covers of obscure 50s songs, many of them performed by Southerners. Interior also took on a werewolf/vampire/Elvis hybrid persona. In the case of the Cramps, and most psychobilly, the use of Southern imagery was more tongue in cheek.
But, the greatest example of non-Southern bands using Southern themes is Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). Consisting of natives from the San Francisco Bay area, CCR wore its Southern influence on its sleeves, to the point I was honestly shocked when I found out that they were actually from California. They sounded so Southern they were even featured regularly on a weekly showcase of Southern rock on my local radio station. It would be one thing if they were from the Central Valley, with its settlement from the Okies and Arkies, or even Southern California with its settlement of sons of the Deep South, but they were instead all from the Bay. Still, they played the part perfectly. When CCR sang “Born on the Bayou,” I thought they were telling the truth about themselves. There is also “Bad Moon Rising,” a song inspired by the hurricanes Dixie frequently is hit by. Then, there were the covers they did, mostly of older rock and roll classics that had fallen out of popularity post-Beatles and many of which were written by Southerners. Their version of “Suzie Q,” originally written by Louisiana native Dale Hawkins, is the best version of the song.
They may have been from the San Francisco Bay, but they could put just as much soul into their music as any of the greats from Mississippi or Tennessee. That a bunch of Californians played Southern music as well as they did is fitting because they were the band for everyone – hippies and rednecks loved CCR and they also ended up being one of the biggest influences on the formation of Southern rock; the moment when the sons of Dixie took back rock from the Yankees, Brits, and Californians and made rock Southern again.
As much as the Yankees like to dismiss Dixie as a cultural backwater, the Empire would not have its musical traditions without us – no rock, no blues, no country, and no bluegrass. The Yankees may have produced talented writers in New England, but we can hold our own there, too. After all, we have William Faulkner and Walker Percy. But, they can’t really match us with music. I’m not saying there aren’t any good bands in up North, good music can be found anywhere if you’re willing to look hard enough. However, that so many Yankee (not to mention Californian and British) bands made a career out of trying to sound Southern shows just how deeply engrained Southern music is in the United States.
-By Harmonica
O I’m a good old rebel, now that’s just what I am. For this “fair land of freedom” I do not care at all. I’m glad I fit against it, I only wish we’d won, And I don’t want no pardon for anything I done.
Screw all those people who take our music an call it just “American” music, and screw those people from up North an out West who pretend to be southern an country. There’s a clear difference between paying tribute to the south an OUR music in one song than just taking our music an copying it. When people say country music is “American” music it just makes me furious, because country music is southern music an southern music only an doesn’t belong to anyone anywhere else in the world other than of course enjoying it, and that goes with Southern rock to. LEAVE OUR CULTURE ALONE LIKE WE LEAVE YOURS ALONE!!!!
The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and those other British bands ripped off our music an took the soul an distinction it had turning it into cheap pop for hippies who liked our music but hated the South. Unfortunately this is happening even more today as the music executives in Nashville no longer care about producing authentic southern music. Also screw all those so called “conservative” Californians who call themselves southern because they wear ripped jeans with 1000 dollar cowboy hat an ripoff our music by singing about their retarded 80k dollar pickup truck.
To any of the Yankees an Californians who are on this site for whatever reason, please take my message seriously. If your going to become a songwriter make your own music, using your own culture an some of us may like it. I’m going to quote the King Of Country Music here, “Don’t be a blueprint, be original” (The late great Roy Acuff).
The Rolling Stones were thieves. They paid Ry Cooder 3.5 million for stealing Honky Tonk Woman
They’re probably one of the most overrated bands in history, screw them for making money off copying one of our famous songs.
The truth of the matter is this, the record producers could not package and sell black music at that time, and put white faces behind it, the South, who was vehemently opposed to what they perceived as a culturally destroying music, Elvis being a pervert in their and the countries mind, until Hollywood made an Elvis movie every month, and like all other degeneracy made it mainstream.
In all fairness to identity Dixie, that needed to be said.
I am a big Southern Rock and Roll fan, my name here is from an Outlaws song, green grass and high tides.
What Southern Rock delivers is Heart and Soul, and that I believe is what is trying to be mimicked by others.
On the reverse of what you are saying, Tom Petty out of Gainesville, were Loved in England, before the US knew much about them, as evidenced in the Tom Petty documentary “running down a dream”. One of my favorite bands,(Tom Petty/Mudcrutch) Mike Campbell is regarded in the top 5 guitarist of all time.
Hogjaw out of Arizona plays real good Southern Rock imo.
Keep the Southern Rock and Roll flames burning in the Temple.
Molly Hatchet Loves you!
God Bless Dixie and all of our Rock and Roll Stars.
Rainbow around the sun, Could I ask what point your trying to make with that comment? What does it have to do with anything here? No offense but I don’t understand as Elvis was only briefly mentioned in the article.
I also enjoy Tom Petty, and some of Elvis’s music.
As he said, Elvis was drafted, then the “British Invasion”, it was black music sold with white faces, what does that have to do with identity Dixie?
Young girls peeing themselves being led astray from their minds? All the fears of our ancestors realized? Cultural disintegration. It’s no small matter that it was released in the “civil rights” era. It wasn’t a compliment to Southern class and style at that time. I disagree with the authors premise and am offended by your inquiry, I should of put British Invasion also, with my first comment.
God Bless our Ancestors and God Bless the Southland!
My apologies Rainbow around the sun, I just misunderstood what you originally meant assuming you were using the liberal talking point that all southern music was created by blacks, but I do see what you mean now an Im sorry for questioning your comment. The young girls have been led astray, and I do agree that much of Elvis’s music wasn’t very much of complement to the South outside the Ghettos of Memphis. Our ancestors’s fears have been realized for some time now an barely anyone has done anything about it.
My most sincere apologies
Mike Campbell is an MVP in my book. Florida boy here and I love Petty with a passion, there’s nothing like a long Southern roadtrip with Petty blaring on the Sirius radio.
Once you cross that old Red River Hoss
It just don’t mean a thing
Cause once your down in Texas
Bob Wills is still the King
For now until the liberals completely take over Texas an it becomes the new California, your replacement will be a lesbian drag queen that your children will praise during her story time.