Sweet Home Alabama

This is my fave song ever (apart from Don’t Stop Believing and Your Song and Sympathy for the Devil and Alive and Under the Bridge and With or Without You and many others, but for this purpose, this song is my fave song ever.)

So, we’re listening to it last night on New Year’s Eve and my American friend tells me that there is another version of this song, which is sung in Pennsylvania.

This version? Sweet Home South Towanda, and yes, it’s about a town called Towanda. From the lyrics they shared with me, I’m guessing that Towanda gets the same kind of ribbing that Norfolk gets….for example, they’ve changed some of the Sweet Home Alabama lyrics to: ‘Where your sister’s your mother too’ and such like 😉

Sadly, I could not find the complete lyrics to this alternative song, other than those randomly garbled by my merry chums last night. But, of course, the Interweb took me on a path to discover more about Towanda….

This is Towanda

Here is what I found out…..

1. Towanda is a borough in and the county seat of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Wilkes Barre, on the Susquehanna River. The name means “burial ground” in the Algonquian language. Settled in 1784 and incorporated in 1828, Towanda was once known primarily for its industrial interests, which included flour, planing and silk mills, a foundry and machine shop, dye works, and manufacturers of talking machines, cut glass, toys and furniture. The population in 1900 was 4,663 and, in 1910, 4,281. The population was 3,024 at the 2000 census. Currently, the 2010 census confirmed that the population of Towanda is 2,919.

I think it looks kind of pretty!

Um, sounds fun….

Honestly, there really is nothing more of note about Towanda on the Interweb.

2. Even this video, by some dude driving through Towanda is about as interesting as….well, you make your mind up 😉

3. Towanda does get an Urban Dictionary look in, however…. ‘A ‘pooly’ is a person usually with the last name Vanderpool or in relation to a Vanderpool living in the Towanda, Pennsylvania region, specifically South Towanda. Known to be rednecks etc. Have a reputation of walking main street and hunting and fishing in their spare time. Often picked on in school for it. Using phrases like “Haaaaa I tell ya!!” and “Goin’ fitin’ at da riva”. Toothless and uneducated and real, hard-working people who enjoy a good time respect their family and tend to stick to one side of town……the south side…..Poolies are great people!’ (Ouch, I hope ‘pooly’ is not used as a very mean, derogatory term….)

But, oh crikey, I’m beginning to think Deliverance…..

Yes, Deliverance…

Towanda, dear Towanda, I wonder if our paths may cross one day – that is if I decide I’m going hunting or fitin’, ever…. 😉 .