About The Song
In the annals of country music, there are those who sing of love and loss, of heartache and honky-tonk revelry. And then there are those like David Allan Coe, renegades with a voice and a guitar, who dared to challenge the status quo and sing the songs that others were afraid to touch. “Longhaired Redneck” is one such song, a defiant anthem for those who didn’t fit the mold, a celebration of individuality in the face of adversity.
Coe, a man who never shied away from controversy, was a true outsider in the polished world of country music. With his long hair, untamed beard, and penchant for outlaw anthems, he was a stark contrast to the clean-cut crooners of the day. But it was this very rebellious spirit that resonated with a generation of listeners who felt marginalized and misunderstood.
“Longhaired Redneck” is a song for those who have ever felt like they didn’t belong, for those who have been judged and labeled by others. It’s a song of self-acceptance, a declaration that it’s okay to be different, to be true to oneself, even if it means going against the grain.
The song’s lyrics are simple yet powerful, painting a vivid picture of a young man who is proud of his Southern heritage and his working-class roots. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, to work hard for what he wants. But he’s also not afraid to stand up for himself, to fight for what he believes in.
The chorus is a rousing declaration of independence, a defiant cry that echoes through the decades:
“I’m a longhaired redneck, born and raised in the South I ain’t proud of nothin’, but I ain’t ashamed of nothin’ neither I’m a longhaired redneck, and I’m here to stay”
“Longhaired Redneck” is more than just a song; it’s a cultural touchstone, a rallying cry for those who have ever felt like they didn’t fit in. It’s a reminder that it’s okay to be different, to be true to oneself, even in the face of adversity. It’s a song that has stood the test of time, as relevant today as it was when it was first released in 1975.
So next time you hear “Longhaired Redneck”, crank it up and sing along. Raise a glass to the rebels and the outcasts, to those who dared to be different. And remember, it’s okay to be a longhaired redneck.
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Lyric
Country deejays knows that I’m an outlawThey’d never come to see me in this diveWhere bikers stare at cowboys who are laughing at the hippiesWho are praying they’ll get outta here aliveThe loud mouth in the corner’s gettin’ to meTalking ’bout my earrings and my hairI guess he ain’t read the signs that say I been to prisonSomeone ought to warn him ‘fore I knock him off his chair‘Cause my long hair just can’t cover up my red neckI’ve won every fight, I’ve ever foughtHey, I don’t need some turkey telling me that I ain’t countryAnd sayin’ I ain’t worth the damned ol’ ticket that he bought‘Cause I can sing all them songs about TexasAnd I still do all the sad ones that I knowThey tell me, I look like Merle HaggardAnd sound a lot like David Allen CoeAnd the bar maid in the last town that we played inKnew the words to every song I’d wroteShe said, Jimmy Rabbit turned her on to my last albumJust about the time the jukebox brokeYeah, Johny Cash helped me get out of prisonLong before Rodriguez stole that goatI’ve been the Rhinestone Cowboy for so long, I can’t rememberAnd I can do you every song, Hank Williams ever wroteAnd I can sing all them songs about TexasAnd I still do all the sad ones that I knowI can’t help it, I look like Merle HaggardAnd I sound a lot like David Allen CoeBut the country deejays, all think I’m an outlawAnd they’d never come to see me in this diveWhere bikers stare at cowboys who are laughing at the hippiesWho are praying they’ll get out of here aliveThe loud mouth in the corner’s gettin’ to meTalking ’bout my earrings and my hair