Rednecks

Randy Newman · The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol 1 [2003]

Last night I saw Lester Maddox on the tv show

With some smart-ass New York jew

The jew laughed at Lester Maddox

The audience laughed at Lester Maddox too

well he may be a fool, but he's our fool

If they think they're better than him they're wrong

So I went to the park and I took some paper along

And that's where I made this song



We talk real funny down here

We drink to much, we laugh too loud

We're too dumb to make it in no northern town

We're keeping the niggers down



We got no-neck oil men from Texas

Good ol' boys from Tennessee

College men from LSU

Went in dumb, come out dumb too

Hustlin' 'round Atlanta in their alligator shoes

Getting drunk every weekend at the barbecue

We're keeping the niggers down



We're rednecks, we're rednecks

We don't know our ass from a hole in the ground

We're rednecks, we're rednecks

We're keeping the niggers down



Well your northern nigger's a negro

You see, he's got his dignity

Down here we too ignorant to realize

The north has set the nigger free



Yes, he's free to be put in a cage in Harlem, New York City

He's free to be put in a cage in the south side of Chicago and the west side

And he's free to be put in a cage in Hough in Cleveland

And he's free to be put in a cage in East St. Louis

And he's free to be put in a cage in Fillmore in San Francisco

And he's free to be put in a cage in Roxbury in Boston

We're gatherin' them up for miles around

We're keeping the niggers down



We're rednecks, we're rednecks

We don't know our ass from a hole in the ground

We're rednecks, we're rednecks

We're keeping the nigger down

Rednecks

Randy Newman's "Rednecks" appears on his 2003 compilation, The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol 1. As a defining track in his discography, the song exemplifies Newman's signature blend of sharp social commentary and melodic pop sensibility. The recording showcases his characteristic vocal delivery, which balances a folksy tone with a biting wit that has become a staple of his public musical identity. Released decades after his initial work, this inclusion highlights his enduring relevance and the timeless nature of his songwriting. The piece stands as a testament to his ability to craft narratives that resonate across generations, maintaining his status as a pivotal figure in American songwriting.