Lyric discussion by Nonfactor 

Lester Maddox, for people who want to know was the governor of Georgia in the 1960's and was the meaning of the term "Redneck" who always wanted to keep the niggers down (opposed to civil rights).

But don't think this song is simply making fun of the southern boys, it sure seems that way in Newman's trademarked ironic way, but in the last bit of the song when he is describing how the niggers are free he lists all areas considered to be "northern" (I know St. Louis was in Missouri which was a southern state I think), showing that blacks really aren't free anywhere, even among people who want to give us civil rights, we are still discriminated against.

Yea if you watch Mad Men (I've heard that show was pretty accurate from a lady from Philly who got her first job in the '60s). Apparently it's accurate down to the way advertisements looked, costumes worn, the way black people were treated up north, and the race riots and stuff really happened. You didn't leave your house I heard when that was going on. Also my mom's from Traer and they tried to run out a black musician that I've heard was friends with my grandpa since they were both musicians.

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