Ode to Ole Dixie
On his 1992 C.D., Seminole Wind, John Anderson recorded a song by Bobby Braddock titled, Look Away. It's sort of a "State of the Union" message or commentary concerning that geographical part of the U.S. we call the South. It is, I believe, an accurate observation.
NOTE: This post is in no way meant to be a criticism or derogatory commentary concerning any one individual or group of individuals; after all, it's said the only constant in life is change.
Look Away
Bobby took a trip to his Georgia hometown
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
He parked his car at the courthouse square
But it was like a ghost town there was nobody there
And Jim's Drugstore was a tanning salon
He asked an old man, "Where's everybody gone?"
He found them out at the shopping center
Where highway 1 meets interstate 20
And the country boys weren't wearing overalls
They were wearing suits made of camouflage
Southern Bells talking like valley girls
He scratched his head and said, "What in the world?"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away!
Johnny took a trip to his Florida hometown
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
At first he thought that he was on the wrong road
'Cause he didn't see any orange groves
Now [big theme parks] and condos grew on the land that he once knew
He saw the city limit sign and guessed he'd crossed the city line
There were strangers everywhere he went
With loud sport shirts and strange accents
They took the North and moved it south
He said "Shut my redneck mouth!"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away!
Benny took a trip to his Tennessee town
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
He drove his car down Music Row to look up stars he used to know
But the secretaries wouldn't let him in, "Leave your name and call again"
So he thought he'd get some barbecue at little place that he once knew
But all he found were sushi bars and dealerships with foreign cars
And Buildings that reach for the sky
He said, "Where the hell am I?"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away, gone away, far away, Dixieland
Bobby took a trip to his Georgia hometown
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
He parked his car at the courthouse square
But it was like a ghost town there was nobody there
And Jim's Drugstore was a tanning salon
He asked an old man, "Where's everybody gone?"
He found them out at the shopping center
Where highway 1 meets interstate 20
And the country boys weren't wearing overalls
They were wearing suits made of camouflage
Southern Bells talking like valley girls
He scratched his head and said, "What in the world?"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away!
Johnny took a trip to his Florida hometown
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
At first he thought that he was on the wrong road
'Cause he didn't see any orange groves
Now [big theme parks] and condos grew on the land that he once knew
He saw the city limit sign and guessed he'd crossed the city line
There were strangers everywhere he went
With loud sport shirts and strange accents
They took the North and moved it south
He said "Shut my redneck mouth!"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away!
Benny took a trip to his Tennessee town
To the land of his dreams and just to have a look around
He drove his car down Music Row to look up stars he used to know
But the secretaries wouldn't let him in, "Leave your name and call again"
So he thought he'd get some barbecue at little place that he once knew
But all he found were sushi bars and dealerships with foreign cars
And Buildings that reach for the sky
He said, "Where the hell am I?"
Dixie's had a face lift I guess she's looking better
But I kind of like the old one
I never will forget her
Look away, gone away, far away, Dixieland
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10 comments:
It's sad to say, but much of that is true. But Dixie is as much a state of mind and to put a slight twist on an old saying..."You can take the girl out of Dixie, but you can't take the Dixie out of the girl!" :)
i still miss it..even though i never lived there, it's a part of my family; and it's just not the same. great poem...thanks!
Both good and bad
But always sad
This thing we call Progress
Look away, Look away, Look away- in Dixieland...
It is my dream to live in NC, SC, or Georgia. I LOVE the south!! I was meant to live as a wealthy southern belle, drinking mint juleps & talking with a sweet, drawl.
Charleston & Savannah are my favorites!!
I'd probably be FAT if I lived there though. The food is divine.
Seems the same can be said about any place these days.
That's so true - Dixie definitely has had a face lift!!
Thanks for sharing that :) I've actually never heard it before...
We have only lived in Ft. Myers for 5 years but my folks moved in the early 70s to open the first fast food restaurant on Sanibel(besides the Dairy Queen).
So much has changed...McMansions line Bonita Beach, condos hi rise our downtown, and 41 is wall to wall car dealers, furniture stores and new developments. And then the residents complain the area has "lost its ambiance"...hmmmmmmmmm.
I am a girl of the south and and I can certainly see the truth in your words.
Miami, where I grew up and lived most of my life, has changed the most!
We've been in Ocala for the past 18 years and there's still a feel of The South here- but it, too, is changing!
June
Here in California is the same. Where I used to live, it was something like you can scream and no one will hear you, you're lucky even to get an echo on the 8 acre ranch, now, there's houses lined up right on the other side of what was a barbedwire fence where I used to go over and climb the forest trees. Where I live now, it used to take me 15 minutes to get to school, now it takes me 45 minutes... on a good day... usually over an hour passes before I even get close to the street its on.
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