A Song of the South – Decoding Dixie

‘Dixie’ -the unofficial anthem of the Confederate States of America- is one of the most controversial and divisive songs in American history. For many modern day appreciators of the track, ‘Dixie’ is a charming, nostalgic look at the American South, a celebration of the region’s sense of its own identity. To its detractors, ‘Dixie’ is seen as a song which calls to mind the Confederacy whilst celebrating slavery as a positive good. In this episode of The Artist in American History, we will examine the meaning of the lyrics, exploring how and why the song was written and what some of the more innocent sounding verses were meant to symbolise. Play the podcast in this window by click in the Play button in the media player at the bottom of this post.

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