Where is South Detroit?

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August 6th, 2011 at 8:43 PM
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meddler
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Where is South Detroit?

Question for the folks out there:

Where is "South Detroit?"

I was born in Detroit and raised in the suburbs. I have never lived more than 30 miles from the Detroit border yet I have never wandered into this elusive part of Detroit. I can easily identify the east side, west side, and the southwest corner of the city. One would suppose from the way thousands of Detroit area fanatics belt out the lyrics from the classic rawk hit that the region is famous or populated or exists.

I hope someone can fill this gap for me. If not, well, I will forever endure the apprehensive shudder that courses through my soul each time the first note of the Journey song pierces the gameday sanctity of Michigan Stadium.

Twitter: @meddler76

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August 6th, 2011 at 8:47 PM | River Rouge (Score:1)
Bosch
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Joined: 04/03/2009
MGoPoints: 4275

Taylor, Southfield, Trenton.....

All right Lemmings. Bring the heat.

August 6th, 2011 at 8:50 PM | Southfield is Oakland County (Score:5 Normal)
dmcb32
Joined: 03/30/2010
MGoPoints: 90

Southfield is Oakland County buddy!

August 6th, 2011 at 9:13 PM | (Score:3 Normal)
TimH
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Joined: 01/26/2010
MGoPoints: 296

I think our brother means 'Southgate'.

August 6th, 2011 at 8:56 PM | Straight outta the streets of Taylor.... (Score:2)
Dizzo
Joined: 08/15/2010
MGoPoints: 314

August 6th, 2011 at 9:39 PM | Joe C was the man (Score:1)
MGoSoftball
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Joined: 10/18/2010
MGoPoints: 3578

from Taylor.  I guess that would be considered South Detroit.

My opinion South Detroit is South Gate.

From the Red Cedar Message Board:  "God hates us."  Yes He does Lil Bro, yes he does.  Everyone hates you.

August 7th, 2011 at 9:15 AM | dont forget (Score:1)
Ohioblueblood
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Joined: 09/03/2009
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Holly, Davidsburg

"The team..The team...The team" 

August 6th, 2011 at 8:59 PM | Skeptical (Score:3 Normal)
meddler
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Joined: 09/08/2010
MGoPoints: 239

 

All the folks I've met from downriver say they are from "downriver." I've never heard anyone refer to the area as South Detroit.

Twitter: @meddler76

August 6th, 2011 at 9:37 PM | There is no South Detroit.  (Score:5 Informative)
jmblue
Joined: 11/07/2008
MGoPoints: 28961

There is no South Detroit.  One of the members of Journey admitted  that they got it wrong in the song.

August 7th, 2011 at 1:29 AM | Yeah (Score:1)
1112scadmi
Joined: 09/30/2009
MGoPoints: 36

Yeah, those guys are from San Francisco.  They don't know anything about Detroit geography.

August 6th, 2011 at 10:22 PM | Just wanted to give you props on your username and pic there. (Score:1)
pinkfloyd2000
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Joined: 01/27/2009
MGoPoints: 434

Carry on. :-)

 

 

Obviously you're not a golfer.
August 6th, 2011 at 11:44 PM | but thats what they meant (Score:1)
Steenie
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Joined: 09/04/2010
MGoPoints: 247

they meant born and raised in those downriver communities, however for purposes of songwriting, south detroit sounds a lot better and really isnt THAT much of a stretch geographically or culturally

"Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback." -The Dude

August 7th, 2011 at 1:45 AM | This is the answer to why they say South Detroit in the song (Score:1 Normal)
San Diego Mick
Joined: 05/11/2011
MGoPoints: 1556

Back when the song was released and it was in the top 40, kasey Kasem had a weekly rundown and would sometimes in between songs give us tidbits about the song.

 

Well I guess the story goes that one of the guys from Journey met some chick and she was from Southfield, since most of the country wouldn't know where that is and South Detroit sounds cooler, that is why they say that in the song.

 

I'm not making this up, I remember Kasem telling that story.

August 7th, 2011 at 8:45 AM | As a former Detroiter, (Score:1 Normal)
George Blogha
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Joined: 11/14/2009
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(and someone who fucking hates that song) I researched this a few years back and found out that Steve Perry just liked the sound of it and had no clue of the geography of the city. Fuck him for me having to put up with that song when I go back to that shithole.

August 7th, 2011 at 12:25 PM | What "shithole" are you (Score:1 Normal)
skunk bear
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What "shithole" are you referring to, Blogha? The Big House?

August 7th, 2011 at 3:26 PM | I was referring (Score:-1 Overrated)
August 7th, 2011 at 3:34 PM | Ahem, (Score:3 Normal)
michimoby
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The Joe is a shithole, but it's OUR shithole.

--------------------------------------------

"I cannot think of a better person to guide our university's athletic strategy than the inventor of The Noid."

August 6th, 2011 at 8:46 PM | It's hard to find. You have (Score:5 Normal)
BostonWolverine
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Joined: 11/13/2008
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It's hard to find. You have to take a midnight train going anywhere.

August 6th, 2011 at 8:49 PM | Dude that is extemely funny! (Score:-1 Flamebait)
August 6th, 2011 at 10:31 PM | also wondering (Score:1)
Number 7
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Joined: 06/09/2009
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In what small town plausibly near "South Detroit" is there a "midnight train"? 

August 6th, 2011 at 8:46 PM | windsor (Score:5 Normal)
varsity
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Joined: 06/29/2010
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windsor

 

 

 

 

 

August 7th, 2011 at 12:07 PM | Correct (Score:1)
VicVal
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Joined: 06/05/2011
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South Detroit can only be Windsor, geographically speaking.

You're fat, you're mine, and I NEVER forget.

August 6th, 2011 at 8:46 PM | Windsor. (Score:3 Normal)
SCS100
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Joined: 10/26/2009
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Windsor.

August 6th, 2011 at 8:48 PM | Oh, Canada.. (Score:4 Normal)
ChuckWood
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Oh, Canada..

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day. 

August 6th, 2011 at 8:52 PM | It exists in here, (Score:4 Normal)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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Joined: 07/02/2008
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It exists in here, man.

(pointing to heart)

In all of us.

OK, really.  People call the Delray area and various other neighborhoods "southwest Detroit" because it's west of Woodward and therefore technically on the "west side," but look on a map: it's smack in the middle from east to west.  Like, where Fort and Livernois meet, that is literally midway between the eastern tip and the western edge.  Why that can't be the "south Detroit" of the song, I dunno.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

August 6th, 2011 at 8:54 PM | Bingo. (Score:1)
Sommy
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Joined: 07/29/2008
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Bingo.

...and by that, I mean helter-skelter, willy-nilly and putt-putt!

August 6th, 2011 at 9:14 PM | Yes, true, I just looked on a (Score:3 Normal)
gordie bell
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Yes, true, I just looked on a map and West Fort Street becomes South Fort Street as you get west of the Rouge River and  head into Southwest Detroit.  Where Fort and Livernois meet is pretty close to both Southwestern HS and Western HS, leaving no room for a South High School.

All in all I suppose sections of the city are named due to their proximity to the oldest part of the city which happens to be the present day downtown area. Everything south of downtown puts you in Canada, hence no South Detroit. People south of the border in Windsor certainly have a different accent than us Americans.

It's kinda weird, my nephews grew up in Windsor and have the Canadian way of saying certain words such as ''Dohlar" instead of the the correct way dollar.

How much is a looney worth? One Dohlar

August 6th, 2011 at 9:22 PM | You should tell your nephews (Score:3 Normal)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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You should tell your nephews you're sorr-e for making fun of their Windsor accent.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

August 7th, 2011 at 12:27 AM | posted from iPhone (Score:1)
Amaizeinblue
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Joined: 01/18/2011
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You make fun of a Canadian accent? It's hilarious how funny it is to hear an American say sah-dah paap (soda pop) or hah-key (hockey) to name a few.

August 7th, 2011 at 12:46 AM | "sah-dah paap" and "hah-key" (Score:2 Normal)
Big Shot
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"sah-dah paap" and "hah-key" are examples of the midwestern accent. You don't really hear that in other parts of the country.

People who claim they actually saw Denard on the field are liars.

August 7th, 2011 at 1:59 AM | Wrong! We say pop and only (Score:3 Normal)
Rico616
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Joined: 07/01/2009
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Wrong! We say pop and only pop....wtf is soda. And for sure not "soda pop".

August 7th, 2011 at 7:44 AM | They sell soda in the south. (Score:1)
cbuswolverine
Joined: 08/14/2008
MGoPoints: 1762

They sell soda in the south, pop in the midwest.  I haven't spent enough time out west to know what they sell there and I certainly don't know who sells freaking "soda pop."

August 7th, 2011 at 9:38 AM | no (Score:1)
Mi Sooner
Joined: 02/09/2010
MGoPoints: 1307

they sell soda in the east/new england area.  in the south, including oklahoma and texass, they sell coke.  it took me by suprise when I was at OU, and the waitress asked me:

what kind of coke would i like?

 

Born in Oklahoma
Raised in Ohio
Escaped to Meechigan

August 7th, 2011 at 3:09 PM | West is soda (Score:1)
jelster
Joined: 03/30/2010
MGoPoints: 49

if you ask for a pop, youre likely to get a blank stare. 

August 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM | Is this freshman orientation? (Score:4 Normal)
OMG Shirtless
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Is this freshman orientation?

I put up a tough front, but deep down I just want to be held.

August 7th, 2011 at 1:35 PM | Walk through the fountain, my (Score:1)
BlueDragon
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Joined: 11/14/2010
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Walk through the fountain, my pretties...

Abort, Retry, Fail?

August 9th, 2011 at 4:25 AM | I know "pop" is the regular (Score:1)
Big Shot
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I know "pop" is the regular term in the midwest and people rarely say "soda pop." My point is that the accent with the "ah" sound replacing the short O and some long O sounds is a midwest thing. 

People who claim they actually saw Denard on the field are liars.

August 7th, 2011 at 9:32 AM | c'mon now (Score:3 Normal)
That.Guy
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Joined: 05/18/2011
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1. it's either soda or pop, rarely do people say soda pop.

2. no one over here talks about hockey.

Yes...that guy.

August 7th, 2011 at 12:28 PM | There's no W in "hockey," no (Score:1)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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Joined: 07/02/2008
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There's no W in "hockey," no matter how many Canadians try to put it there.  Come to think of it, there's no such place as "Detroyit," either.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

August 6th, 2011 at 8:53 PM | Ouellette Avenue will get you (Score:2)
gordie bell
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Joined: 03/15/2009
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Ouellette Avenue will get you there

August 6th, 2011 at 8:54 PM | Bisect (Score:2 Normal)
acnumber1
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Joined: 10/19/2009
MGoPoints: 2653

Bisect the city horizontally and you'll find the lower half to be south.

5 4 3 2 1 Touchdown!

Touchdown Billy Taylor!

Touchdown Billy Taylor!

August 6th, 2011 at 9:20 PM | I've always assumed that (Score:2 Normal)
blue95
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Joined: 10/01/2009
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I've always assumed that Journey knew nothing of Detroit and since the "Southside" is rough and ghetto in places like Chicago, they figured South Detroit must be the baddest-of-all-ass places to come from.

People try to claim it's Down River, but it's Windsor.

mgoblog: it's a perfectly cromulent website

August 6th, 2011 at 9:08 PM | others (Score:2 Normal)
Jasper
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Joined: 12/30/2010
MGoPoints: 995

All I know for sure is that I'll be happy if I never hear that song or "Sweet Caroline" in the Big House again. For some reason, Thunderstruck never got old for me. No idea why ...

"500 channels and nothing but cats."

August 6th, 2011 at 9:11 PM | Thunderstruck... (Score:1)
blue95
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Joined: 10/01/2009
MGoPoints: 703

Is the song they open games with at Comisky-cellular field in Chicago.  Never ever need to hear that.

mgoblog: it's a perfectly cromulent website

August 6th, 2011 at 9:10 PM | It's not Downriver, it's (Score:1)
Bando Calrissian
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Joined: 07/02/2008
MGoPoints: 7911

It's not Downriver, it's Windsor.  Which is the only geographical location where Canada is due south of the United States.

August 6th, 2011 at 9:15 PM | Not only that... (Score:1)
blue95
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Joined: 10/01/2009
MGoPoints: 703

It occurred to me that Journey probably played at Cobo Hall quite a bit, basically the heart (Hart) of downtown.  So if they looked due south they would have seen  nothing but water and Canada.

mgoblog: it's a perfectly cromulent website

August 6th, 2011 at 9:12 PM | Detroit, Oregon (Score:1 Normal)
Laveranues
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Joined: 02/09/2009
MGoPoints: 797

Search 'South Detroit' on Wikipedia and it returns 'Downriver.'  I believe Wolverine318 to be correct.

Alternatively, it could be the Detroit in Oregon.  Per Wikipedia (again), all the Journey dudes seem to be northern Californians / San Franciscans with no connection to the midwest (save one guy who was born in Chicago and moved west later).  Detroit, OR is closer to San Fran that Detroit, MI, so maybe that's what they meant.

Finally, there is a borough of Quezon City in the Philippines called Detroit.  Several of the members of Journey are of Philippino descent, so that, too, could be it.

Does it say Deke on the paper? Are there any other Dekes in your class?

August 12th, 2011 at 7:30 PM | Wikipedia does not know all.  (Score:3 Normal)
jmblue
Joined: 11/07/2008
MGoPoints: 28961

Wikipedia does not know all.  If there is a "South Detroit," it has to be part of the city proper.  The suburbs are part of Metro Detroit, but they're not Detroit.  There's a clear distinction in peoples' minds.

August 6th, 2011 at 9:13 PM | Journey's from SF. There is a (Score:2)
joffle
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Joined: 07/11/2008
MGoPoints: 1120

Journey's from SF. There is a South San Francisco, but that obviously doesn't fit into the line quite as well.

August 6th, 2011 at 9:20 PM | South Detroit. (Score:2 Normal)
shnweller187
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Joined: 07/22/2011
MGoPoints: 57

I wish going south on I-75 just past Ford Field a bit and there is a sign literally saying "South Detroit". It was your average city sign.

August 6th, 2011 at 9:20 PM | South Detroit... (Score:1)
LSAClassOf2000
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Joined: 01/07/2011
MGoPoints: 8709

Directly south of downtown would be the Detroit River. Southwest Detroit, on the other hand, is an established area with a few thriving neighborhoods. Downriver is thought to be the collection of communities south and west of Detroit and near the river. There is actually a collective community organization which represents the business interests of the region. 

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