Sweet Home

(If I were cool and hi-tech like some people, I would have Sweet Home playing right here while you read this. Unfortunately, I am not. If you are cool, then you can put it into your IPOD and play it while you read this. )

I have a theory. Well, I have many theories as you have probably realized, but I have one in particular that I will share with you today: Where ever you go in the world, when you tell people you are from Alabama they will say something about "Sweet Home Alabama."

This theory arose after years for travel and experiencing this phenomena from Bali to Bequia.

Sweet home Alabama, where skies are so blue. From Gamelin players to Reggae jam bands I have heard a million versions of the song.

And I have to say, I LOVE this song. Yeah, I know, it is cliche at this point, but still, its political (Watergate does not bother me, does your conscience bother you?) and challenging (Now, we all did what we could do.) and nostalgic (Sweet home Alabama, Lord I'm coming home to you.) and fuzzy all at the same time.

Some of my best memories of other countries and trips I have made revolve around this song. Being in England and hearing it play out someone's window while walking across campus. Definitely having the street musician play it in Bali when he saw MadDog's shirt with the word Alabama on it. Being in college and having the Alabama contingent all singing it while standing on stage at our favorite bar- All 5 of us that is. Being in college and yelling for Sweet Home and having my friend play Sweet Home Chicago instead...
Or just last week when my French friends came to visit and the husband had made Sweet Home his phone ring.

I remember on long trips home from college I would scan the radio to try to find it and when I finally do it is always turned way up. I think, I know the stuff in this song, I know what they're talking about, this song is about MY state. The song always made me proud to be from Alabama, which I embarrassedly admit, I have not always been. Alabama has a difficult history and reputation. I won't name here the several states that keep Alabama from being at the tail end of the national rankings in all but the bad things, where we Almost lead...But suffice it to say it bothers me that we are 46th in infant mortality, and something like 3rd in births to teen mothers when we need to be opposite in both of those categories. We have terrible poverty (I read in the paper today that my city schools have a 46% poverty rate), and crazy prejudices.

We also have amazing natural beauty. Driving from one end of the state to the other and across it over Thanksgiving I looked at it through a visitor's eyes- and I saw it fresh and clean, with fall color still clinging to the edges of the mountains, clear blue skies and happy kind people.

I guess, like any place, there are pros and cons and you can focus on one or the other. Alabama will always be my home state- wherever I may roam, and I will always love her and do what I can do to make her a better place to live.


Thanks to all who wrote and asked me to write some more. I truly appreciate it and I'll try.