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Accidental Racist Lyrics by Brad Paisley

Wheelhouse (Deluxe Version)

2013

[Verse 1: Brad Paisley]
To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks down on Main
I hope you understand
When I put on that T-shirt, the only thing I meant to say
Is I'm a Skynyrd fan
The red flag on my chest somehow is
Like the elephant in the corner of the south
And I just walked him right in the room
Just a proud rebel son with an ol' can of worms
Lookin' like I got a lot to learn, but from my point of view
[Chorus: Brad Paisley]
I'm just a white man coming to you from the Southland
Tryin' to understand what it's like not to be
I'm proud of where I'm from but not everything we've done
And it ain't like you and me can re-write history
Our generation didn't start this nation
We're still picking up the pieces, walking on eggshells, fighting over yesterday
And caught between Southern pride and Southern blame
[Verse 2: Brad Paisley]
They called it Reconstruction, fixed the buildings, dried some tears
We're still siftin' through the rubble after a hundred-fifty years
I try to put myself in your shoes and that's a good place to begin
But it ain't like I can walk a mile in someone else's skin
[Chorus: Brad Paisley]
'Cause I'm a white man livin' in the southland
Just like you I'm more than what you see
I'm proud of where I'm from but not everything we've done
And it ain't like you and me can re-write history
Our generation didn't start this nation
And we're still paying for our mistakes
That a bunch of folks made long before we came
And caught somewhere between southern pride and southern blame
[Verse 3: LL Cool J]
Dear Mr. White Man, I wish you understood
What the world is really like when you're living in the hood
Just because my pants are sagging doesn't mean I'm up to no good
You should try to get to know me, I really wish you would
Now my chains are gold but I'm still misunderstood
I wasn't there when Sherman's March turned the south into firewood
I want you to get paid but be a slave I never could
Feel like a new fangled Django, dodging invisible white hoods
So when I see that white cowboy hat, I'm thinking it's not all good
I guess we're both guilty of judging the cover not the book
I'd love to buy you a beer, conversate and clear the air
But I see that red flag and I think you wish I wasn't here
[Chorus: Brad Paisley (w/ LL Cool J ad libs)]
I'm just a white man
(If you don't judge my durag)
Comin' to you from the southland
(I won't judge your red flag)
Tryin' to understand what it's like not to be
(Yeah)
I'm proud of where I'm from
(If you don't judge my gold chains)
But not everything we've done
(I'll forget the iron chains)
It ain't like you and me can re-write history
(Can't re-write history baby)
[Outro: Brad Paisley (LL Cool J)]
Oh, Dixieland
(The relationship between the Mason-Dixon needs some fixin')
I hope you understand what this is all about
(Quite frankly I'm a black Yankee
But I've been thinkin' about this lately)
I'm a son of the new south
(The past is the past, you feel me)
And I just want to make things right
(Let bygones be bygones)
Where all that's left is southern pride
(RIP Robert E. Lee
But I've gotta thank Abraham Lincoln for freeing me
Know what I mean?) It's real, it's real
It's truth
Credits
Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley

About “Accidental Racist” by Brad Paisley

Read the complete lyrics to "Accidental Racist" by Brad Paisley from the album "Wheelhouse (Deluxe Version)" in 2013. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country Pop, In English, USA.

"Accidental Racist" is performed by Brad Paisley. from the album "Wheelhouse (Deluxe Version)" in 2013 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Accidental Racist", explore more songs by Brad Paisley using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Accidental Racist" is credited to Brad Paisley. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Accidental Racist" appears on "Wheelhouse (Deluxe Version)" in 2013.

Visit the Brad Paisley artist page at /artist/brad-paisley for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.