User:Stanley Clifton/sandbox

McDill's lyrics, as sung by Williams, provide a deceptively simple comment on the complex and often misunderstood culture of the American South and the "good ole boys" who populate it. While making the expected observations and playing on the stereotype of "country folk" and Southerners as plain-spoken simpletons, the allusions to the literature, music, and both cultural and literal landscapes reveal that the singer and the songwriter are well aware of their roots and legacy.

Each stanza begins with a personal remembrance that depicts the challenges and ambiguities of growing up in the South. It suggests a Faulknerian ambivalence (see Quentin Compson) about the region before a strong affirmation of the cultural richness and depth that are equally representative.[1] The fact that Faulkner is not one of the overtly referenced figures fits neatly in with the simple and sincere approach of the singer and the songwriter as the litany of figures that are mentioned include Thomas Wolfe, Tennessee Williams, Hank Williams, and Joel Chandler Harris on the one side, and radio personalities "John R. and the Wolfman" on the other. The focus on speaker's relationship with his imperfect father, his deep religious faith, and the realization that he had to, like Faulkner, had to get out of the South to continue to love it. The final stanza tells how he was "smarter than most" and chose to "talk like the man on the six o'clock new" while a friend fell into substance abuse. But he always remembers from whence he came, and it is not surprising that his accent has reverted to its Southern roots.

The song is rich in allusion, and Williams' vocals are the perfect match for the material. The speaker freely admits to being a "good ole boy," but then questions what others, and society will do with all the good ole boys like him. Most would not put Wolfe, Tennessee Williams, or even Harris in the "bubba" camp, and the genius of Hank Williams, Sr. may be the quintessential counter to the dismissal and stereotyping of speaking and singing "Southern." It will no doubt come under attack and scrutiny in the current rush to condemn all things Southern, but the song possesses truly literary universality and quality. Williams, who seldom discussed his songs, might find its analysis humorous or unnecessary, but his own career and the vocals on this song clearly establish him as one exceptional good ole boy.