Alabama Alabama, heat lightning from The Nick All I see is project housing, chicken bones and broken bricks Standing, I been standing best part of 80 years with my Jim Crow benediction, ropes and hoods and local cheer Fighting, we were fighting and our namesake killed for Southern Gods Dying, we were dying, Lucifer’s divining rod Selling, we were selling, the bodies of black boys and girls Yelling, we were yelling, Rebel Yell heard round the world Hey now baby I’m a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground I ain’t sorry, ain’t regretting it, now they’re trying to tear me down Hey now baby I’m a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone I ain’t worried, I ain’t sweating it, wish they’d just leave me alone Snowflakes, August snowflakes, falling here in Birmingham and I never claim to think too deep and I never said I understand Swallowing my granite pride, they haul me out to gravel pits Forget that I lived and died, smash me up to chips and bits Buying selling humans was good work if you could get it Well the South could build great pyramids or rise up if you let it But they shine their light of righteousness upon my unclaimed darkest deeds Pulling up my withered roots, poisoning my righteous seed Jesus was a white man and he promised we could rule So we burn his holy cross in honor, hang the negro and the fool and Baby, I will rise again out on Highway 29 In the meantime, I’ll join the Earth, bide my wicked sands of time Hey now baby I’m a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground I ain’t sorry, ain’t regretting it, now they’re trying to tear me down Hey now baby I’m a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone I ain’t worried, I ain’t sweating it, wish they’d just leave me alone