American Soldier

Album: Shock'n Y'all (2003)
Charted: 28
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Songfacts®:

  • Toby Keith penned this song with Nashville songwriter Chuck Cannon. Their other collaborations include "How Do You Like Me Now!?," which spent five weeks at #1 on the Country chart and was the biggest-selling country song of 2000.
  • The song is about a soldier who is headed off to war. "It's written for all the times that I get to meet the troops on these USO tours," Keith explained to CNN's Larry King. "Since 'Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American),' the P.O.W.s and the families and stuff that have come and brought me back my old CD covers and stuff that they had and shown how much support they had, and this is my support for the American fighting men and women."
  • Released on November 24, 2003 as the second single from Shock'n Y'all, the song topped the country charts for four weeks. It was Keith's second #1 hit with "America" in its title, following "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" in 2002. The patriotic Oklaholma singer has since achieved two more, in 2009 with "American Ride" and "Made in America" in 2011.

Comments: 2

  • Cathy from Belle, WvI would like to use "Boys of Fall" as background music for my short play "Army Strong". The play is about a high school football player trying to explain to his mom why he wants to join the Army after high school. I can send you the script if you like.
  • AnonymousPerhaps one of his most emotional songs. It almost makes me cry when I hear this song because it’s about scarfing for your country. As sad as this song is. It’s one of his best songs.
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