hootie & the rebel flag

In a UNC dorm room in 1994, I listened to the the South Carolina band Hootie & the Blowfish CD “Cracked Rear View” many, many times. 

One song, “Drowning” was about racism, but I never understood the first verse clearly, Darius Rucker kind of mumbles through it. 

But 21 years later, it’s timely. Very timely. 

Trouble with the world is we’re too busy to think about it, all right
Why is there a rebel flag hanging from the state house walls?
Tired of hearin’ this shit about heritage not hate
Time to make the world a better place

Why must we hate one another?
Well no matter what we gotta live together
Just that you don’t look like me, tell me what do you see
When we pass on the street what do you wanna see

P.E.’s coming is all I gotta say
Wanna turn and run away
They’re just telling you how they see it
Right or wrong they don’t care, you wish that they would quit

chorus:
Drowning in a sea of tears
Hatred trying to hide your fears
Living only for yourself
Hating everybody else
Cause they don’t look like you

Nanci singing it’s a hard life wherever you go
About some fat racist living in Chicago
Trying to teach his kids to hate everyone
Well tell me why is that something you wanna teach your son?

Why must we hate one another?
When the people in the church, they tell me you’re my brother
You don’t walk like me, … you don’t talk like me, saying
Go back to Africa, I just don’t understand

(chorus)

I’m trying to be someone that he could look up to, but
When I walk down the street, tell me what do you see
I’m a man, I’m a man, I’m a man
No I’m not like you
Why do you hate me so
I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know
Hating everybody else cause they don’t look like you