Sweet Home Alabama is a Southern rock anthem by Lynyrd Skynyrd, not Eminem. Released in 1974, the song celebrates Southern pride and pays homage to the band's home state of Alabama. The lyrics address the complex legacy of the South, touching on historical and cultural themes such as regional pride and Southern identity. Key themes include heritage, nostalgia, and resilience. The song also offers a retort to Neil Young's songs 'Southern Man' and 'Alabama,' which criticized the South for its past of racism and slavery. Notable moments in the song include the chorus that proudly declares, 'Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue,' reinforcing the sentimental and positive imagery of Alabama.