I was up in New York City just the other week You should've seen the waitress face when I ordered sweet tea She said we don't have that here and I apologized I said, "Please forgive me, I'm in a Southern state of mind" And those girls out in California they don't understand They don't like it when I hold the door or when I say, "Yes, ma'am" They act like I done something wrong and they give me the evil eye I say, "Honey, I'm sorry, I'm in a Southern state of mind" I could be anywhere In my heart I'm always there Where they drink sweet tea and they raise you to be polite No changin' who I am That's the way I've always been No matter what state I'm in I'm in a Southern state of mind ♪ I'm always walkin' 'round tellin' everybody, "Hi" Just a wavin' at the strangers in the cars passin' by Some people may look at me and say, "That boy just ain't right" Hey, y'all, I ain't crazy I'm in a Southern state of mind I could be anywhere In my heart I'm always there Where you know everybody if you don't then you're still polite No changin' who I am That's the way I've always been No matter what state I'm in I'm in a Southern state of mind ♪ You can see it in the clothes I wear, you can hear it when I talk Ball cap, boots and jeans and a little Southern drawl I could be up in Ohio or back home in Caroline No matter what state I'm in I'm in a Southern state of mind Don't matter what state I'm in I'm in a Southern state of mind Yeah, alright A Southern state of mind Come on, come on oh-oh