American Soldier

Album: Shock'n Y'all (2003)
Charted: 28
Play Video

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.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.