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ReadingResponse Engl102

The document discusses stereotypes of the American South through analysis of the song "The Southern Thing" by the band Drive-By Truckers. It examines how the song lists stereotypical southern symbols like guns, boots, guitars and use of words like "ain't" in its lyrics. The chorus suggests the south has its own distinct lifestyle and culture that outsiders criticize through stereotypes but insiders take pride in. Overall, the document argues the song asks people not to judge the south solely by its stereotypes as every region has flaws but also unique qualities to respect.

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Brooklynn Stewart
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44 views2 pages

ReadingResponse Engl102

The document discusses stereotypes of the American South through analysis of the song "The Southern Thing" by the band Drive-By Truckers. It examines how the song lists stereotypical southern symbols like guns, boots, guitars and use of words like "ain't" in its lyrics. The chorus suggests the south has its own distinct lifestyle and culture that outsiders criticize through stereotypes but insiders take pride in. Overall, the document argues the song asks people not to judge the south solely by its stereotypes as every region has flaws but also unique qualities to respect.

Uploaded by

Brooklynn Stewart
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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During our first few weeks of this semester, we have begun to deep dive into our chosen topic:

Inquiry into the South. While the south is a fictional idea, it is also a way of life for many people.

Personally, I feel that the south is real. I am a true Southerner, and I take pride in living here.

However, everyone’s image of the south is different because it simply does not exist, yet there

are still stereotypes surrounding this made-up area of the United States. The band the Drive-By

Truckers did a particularly good job of explaining those stereotypes and the ways of Southern

life. The song titled, “The Southern Thing,” is a 4 minute and thirty-four second song discussing

the life of a “true southerner”. He begins the song by listing many stereotypes that southern

people carry. For example, the first stanza of the song reads, “Ain’t about my pistol, ain’t about

my boots, ain’t about no northern drives, ain’t about my southern roots, ain’t about my guitars

ain’t about my big old amps…” In the listed lines, he mentions key words such as pistol, boots,

guitars, and big old amps. These words are all associated with the south. Pistol is a type of gun.

The south is known to have always supported guns. In addition, boots are seen as a symbol of

blue-collar workers which are typically hard-working citizens with minimal to average economic

status. This leads into the stereotype of the south being economically poorer than northern states.

Another word mentioned was guitars. This can easily be associate with country music which was

born in the south. In addition, the song also repeatedly uses the word ain’t throughout the stanza.

The south is known for being “uneducated”. Words such as “ain’t” and “y’all” are often used

throughout a “southerner’s” vocabulary. These words are technically not real words and

shortened forms of other words. Southerners use these words often ,and they are associated with

us. Even in the opening lines of the song, the Drive-By Truckers are already bringing up

stereotypes of the southern way of living. If we continue to read through the song, the chorus

brings about the most important line, “If you want to live another day, stay out the way of the
southern thing.” This line can be interpreted in many ways. Yet, the way I take it is that the south

is its own lifestyle in America. People knit pick the south and laugh at it, but they have their own

ways of life, own speech, own economy, and own ideas. Even if the south is not a set geographic

area of the United States, it is a lifestyle that is lived in most of the lower right portion of the

USA. It should be respected and left alone. Every area is different, but for some reason the south

is picked through more than any other area. Although there are other areas such as the Midwest

and the northeast that all have their own stereotypes, the south is brough to light the most. The

Drive -By Truckers do an excellent job of exploiting the southern stereotypes and apologizing

for the history of the south. I believe the main goal of this song was to state the false accusations

and ask people to stay put of the southern way of living. Everyone is different, and some have

southern pride while some don’t. Considering the past, the south was not perfect much like any

other area in America. Do not judge a book by its cover, and do not judge the south by its

stereotypes.

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