[Intro] Reconstruction South... Folks picking sides... New faces coming down the road... Hold up... Who in tarnation is that? [Beat drops] [Verse 1 — Carpetbaggers] Train rolling South, New folks arrive. Northerners moving down After sixty-five. Southerners saw 'em coming, Bags in their hands— "Great gravy, Earl... Here come them Yankees again!" Carpetbaggers! That's what they called 'em. Cheap carpet suitcase— That's where the name started. Some chased money, Yeah, some played games. But many came South Trying to help things change. Teachers and workers, Helping rebuild— Not every carpetbagger Was chasing dollar bills. [Chorus] CARPETBAG! (Who's that?) Coming from the North! SCALAWAG! (Who's that?) Southern Republican, of course! One came DOWN! One stayed SOUTH! Reconstruction got everybody Running their mouth! CARPETBAG! SCALAWAG! Remember those names When the beat goes— [BOOM] [Verse 2 — Scalawags] Southern-born, But Republican side. Supported the Union, Now they catching side-eye. Businessmen, farmers, Some never owned slaves. Helping Reconstruction Bring political change. Old Confederates mad— "Well, butter my biscuit..." Called 'em Scalawags! Like "rascal," "no good," That's what the insult meant. But these were Southern whites Backing Republican government. [Chorus] CARPETBAG! (Who's that?) Coming from the North! SCALAWAG! (Who's that?) Southern Republican, of course! One came DOWN! One stayed SOUTH! Reconstruction got everybody Running their mouth! CARPETBAG! SCALAWAG! Remember those names When the beat goes— [BOOM Breakdown] [Final Chorus] CARPETBAG! (From the North!) SCALAWAG! (From the South!) Reconstruction politics Got folks calling names out! CARPETBAG! SCALAWAG! North or South— Now you know the facts! So when those two words Show up on your test— [beat cuts] YOU BETTER GET 'EM RIGHT!
