What did Lynyrd Skynyrd have against Neil Young?

Young's 'Southern Man' from After The Gold Rush', a condemnatory number about the Ku Klux Klan and Southern racism. There was no genuine animosity between the parties, each admiring the other.

Where to start with the deal between Neil Young & Ronnie Van Zant!!
The two sparred with these songs and it became a legendary difference of opinion on vinyl, but in reality they were very good friends and had enormous respect for each other. Sweet Home Alabama wasn't in defence of redneck racism, but more a statement that the majority were good people in spite of those that gave The South a bad name, but the sentiment was always misunderstood. There is tons of stuff written about this and if you are interested and are into this Southern Rock thing, you could do worse than get the Drive-By Truckers album Southern Rock Opera, which deals with the whole issue of The South and the whole NY/RVZ thing. It's brilliant album anyway and rekindled my enjoyment of Syknyrd.
Take a peek

Then buy The Dirty South.

Then you're hooked.

quote:

Originally posted by Malky:
Young's 'Southern Man' from After The Gold Rush', a condemnatory number about the Ku Klux Klan and Southern racism. There was no genuine animosity between the parties, each admiring the other.

Young also sang about Alabama on 'Harvest':

Oh Alabama.
Can I see you
and shake your hand.
Make friends down in Alabama.
I'm from a new land
I come to you
and see all this ruin
What are you doing Alabama?
You got the rest of the union
to help you along
What's going wrong?

Lynyrd Skynyrd should have written more acurately "Sweet Home Jacksonville" Fl.

Howard