Did Ozzy bite the head off a bat? Is there a political message in Sweet Home Alabama? Bob Crawford sits down with music critic and author Mark Kemp to dissect some rock legends and myths.

We'll dive into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconic Sweet Home Alabama, unpack the band’s response to Neil Young’s critiques of the South and talk about Ozzy Osbourne's propensity for biting the head off winged creatures.

Mark Kemp also helps us understand the intersection of Southern rock and American politics of the1970s, including Lynyrd Skynyrd's references to controversial figures like George Wallace, the Confederate flag and the Watergate scandal. 

Discover the real stories behind the music (and some fake ones). RIP Ozzy and Ronnie Van Zant. 

GUEST: Mark Kemp, award-winning music journalist, former Rolling Stone editor, former vice president of music editorial at MTV, and author of the book: Dixie Lullaby: A Story of Music, Race and New Beginnings in a New South. 

Correction: In this episode we say that Black Sabbath's first album was Paranoid. In fact, their first album was the self-titled Black Sabbath, which came out in February of 1970. Paranoid came out later that fall. 

Did Ozzy bite the head off a bat? Is there a political message in Sweet Home Alabama? Bob Crawford sits down with music critic and author Mark Kemp to dissect some rock legends and myths.
We'll dive into Lynyrd Skynyrd&rsquo;s iconic Sweet Home Alabama, unpack the band&rsquo;s response to Neil Young&rsquo;s critiques of the South and talk about Ozzy Osbourne's propensity for biting the head off winged creatures.
Mark Kemp also helps us understand the intersection of Southern rock and American politics of the1970s, including Lynyrd Skynyrd's references to controversial figures like George Wallace, the Confederate flag and the Watergate scandal.&nbsp;
Discover the real stories behind the music (and some fake ones). RIP Ozzy and Ronnie Van Zant.&nbsp;
GUEST:&nbsp;Mark Kemp, award-winning music journalist, former Rolling Stone editor, former vice president of music editorial at MTV, and author of the book: <a href="https://a.co/d/jdHfsUH">Dixie Lullaby: A Story of Music, Race and New Beginnings in a New South</a>.&nbsp;
Correction: In this episode we say that Black Sabbath's first album was Paranoid. In fact, their first album was the self-titled Black Sabbath, which came out in February of 1970. Paranoid came out later that fall.&nbsp;

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history &mdash; from the Revolutionary War to rock &amp; roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

American History Hotline

American History Hotline with Bob Crawford

Uncover the truth behind Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama and Ozzy's bat biting. 

Why Watergate Didn't Bother Lynyrd Skynyrd / Ozzy vs. Winged Creatures

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6c0f7d98-fe62-43f5-bae3-b34201637db4/transcript

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