That’s Not the Way We Do Things

Song Meaning

The lyrics present a stark contrast between perceived Northern progressive values and Southern segregationist customs, as voiced by a character claiming to represent New York ideals. He observes segregated water fountains and men's rooms in Alabama, noting these practices are the 'custom here in Alabama' but 'not the way we do things in New York.' This sets up an immediate tension between the narrator's stated home and the observed reality he encounters. The central conflict arises from the narrator's self-proclaimed advocacy for 'equal rights' back in Manhattan, which he dramatically asserts he 'fights for' and 'lives for.' However, this claim is immediately undercut by his reliance on the testimony of his Black domestic staff—Magnolia, Jemima, Rufus, and his 'colored laundress'—to validate his progressive stance. The lyrics suggest a performative allyship, where his identity as an equal rights advocate is confirmed by those he employs and, presumably, holds power over. The most striking craft element is the ironic use of the domestic staff's interjections. Their enthusiastic affirmations, particularly Jemima's infantilizing "Mammy just loves her Mr. Sammy!" and the laundress's "Give 'em hell, Mr. L!," serve not to bolster the narrator's claim of equality, but to expose its hollowness. These moments highlight a paternalistic dynamic, where the 'colored' employees are expected to echo the master's sentiments, revealing the narrator's 'equal rights' as a potentially superficial or self-serving declaration. Ultimately, these lyrics hit hard by exposing the performative nature of progressive identity, especially when juxtaposed with power dynamics. The narrator's confident pronouncements about New York's enlightened ways crumble under the weight of his own examples, suggesting that his vision of equality is filtered through a lens of privilege and dependence on the affirmation of those he purports to champion. The repeated refrain, 'That's not the way we do things in New York,' becomes less a statement of genuine difference and more a hollow echo of a self-image that the surrounding narrative actively disproves.