Southern Man
Neil Young Lyrics


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Southern man, better keep your head
Don't forget what your good book says
Southern change gonna come at last
Now your crosses are burnin' fast
Southern man

I saw cotton and I saw black
Tall white mansions and little shacks
Southern man, when will you pay them back?
I heard screamin' and bullwhips crackin'
How long? How long? How?

Southern man, better keep your head
Don't forget what your good book says
Southern change gonna come at last
Now your crosses are burnin' fast
Southern man

Lily Belle, your hair is golden brown
I've seen your black man comin' 'round
Swear by God I'm gonna cut him down





I heard screamin' and bullwhips crackin'
How long? How long? How?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Neil Young's "Southern Man" are a commentary on the social and political issues that persisted in the American South at the time. In the first verse, Young commands "Southern man, better keep your head, don't forget what your good book says," referring to the hypocrisy he sees in the South, a region that prides itself on its religious values yet condones racism and violence towards African Americans. The line "southern change gonna come at last, now your crosses are burnin' fast" refers to the Civil Rights movement that was taking hold in the region at the time, with young black activists fighting back against the oppression and violence they faced.


The second verse describes the stark contrast between the lavish lifestyles of wealthy white Southerners and the poverty and abuse experienced by the black population. "I saw cotton and I saw black, tall white mansions and little shacks, Southern man when will you pay them back?" Young questions here the lack of reparation or acknowledgement of wrongdoing for the cruel treatment of African Americans. "I heard screaming and bullwhips cracking, how long? How long? How?" is a reminder of the brutality of slavery and the lingering effects of racism in the South.


In the final verse, Young brings a personal story into the song, referencing a young mixed-race woman named Lily Belle and her relationship with a black man. Young sarcastically sings "swear by God I'm gonna cut him down," shining a light on the racism and intolerance that still existed in the South at that time.


Overall, "Southern Man" is a powerful social commentary on the injustices and violence experienced by African Americans in the American South. It serves as an indictment of the hypocrisy of the region's religious values and the persistent inequality faced by communities of color even as change began to unfold.


Line by Line Meaning

Southern man, better keep your head
Hey, white man from the south, stay aware of what's coming


Don't forget what your good book says
Don't forget the religious principles you learned


Southern change gonna come at last
Change will come to the south


Now your crosses are burnin' fast
The Klan's burning their crosses now, a sign of rapid change


Southern man
Self-addressal, recognizing that he is a southern man


I saw cotton and I saw black
I saw slavery and the people that suffered under it


Tall white mansions and little shacks
The divide of wealth and socio-economic status in the south


Southern man, when will you pay them back?
When will you southern men make amends for your mistreatment of black people and your participation in slavery?


I heard screamin' and bullwhips crackin'
The sounds of torture and slavery echo in my head


How long? How long? How?
How long will this go on, and how long do we have to wait until the south changes?


Southern man, better keep your head
Hey, white man from the south, stay aware of what's coming


Don't forget what your good book says
Don't forget the religious principles you learned


Southern change gonna come at last
Change will come to the south


Now your crosses are burnin' fast
The Klan's burning their crosses now, a sign of rapid change


Southern man
Self-addressal, recognizing that he is a southern man


Lily Belle, your hair is golden brown
A reference to a young girl who represents innocence and purity


I've seen your black man comin' 'round
I've seen your black lover coming around, representing the changing times


Swear by God I'm gonna cut him down
The southern man is willing to do violence to maintain the old order


I heard screamin' and bullwhips crackin'
The sounds of torture and slavery echo in my head


How long? How long? How?
How long will this go on, and how long do we have to wait until the south changes?




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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