But like… what else could it have been? This one just hits different.
We recently marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of the great Toby Keith, and his children, Krystal and Stelen, particular shared beautiful tributes about the loss of their father.
It’s still hard to accept that he’s gone for good, and it’s clear by the way his kids and family talk about him that he was an amazing father and special person, outside of being a legendary and beloved country music artist.
He had an impressive and storied career, full of hit songs and sold-out concerts, but still what stands out when you hear people talk about him was his character and heart, which accounts for a lot when become as successful as he did.
And on this date in 1993, he released the song that started it all, his debut single “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” which was included on his self-titled debut album. The 4x Platinum song peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Song chart. The song has more than three million spins on country radio too, which makes it the most-played country song of the 1990s (and rightfully so).
Yeah, it’s true… the first song he ever put out became the most-played song on country radio in the ’90s, which was a golden era of country and produced so many classics like “Friends in Low Places,” “Any Man of Mine” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” just to name a few. That’s no easy feat, and calling it impressive doesn’t feel like anywhere close to the description that really deserves.
In an interview with Billboard in 2018, Keith shared a little bit of inspiration behind the song, which is an incredible story too:
“I think we were actually at the Long Branch Saloon or Miss Kitty’s Saloon — it was something to do with Gunsmoke. This highway patrolman who I had met on the trip, his name was John, he jumps up.
He was probably 45 or 50 back then, and he runs over to this 25-year-old cowgirl. He was going to show that he could bust a move. She turns him down. He comes over, and said, ‘She says she doesn’t dance.’
About 15 minutes later, a young cowboy comes in — and off they go on the dance floor. Everybody was making fun of him, and one of the guys said, ‘John, I guess you should have been a cowboy.’”
Classic… and the rest was history.
It’s amazing to think that Keith came out of the gate swinging with a song like this, and he’d follow it up with an impressive 20 #1 hits throughout his career. The song, which he wrote by himself, launched his career, and to this day, is probably his most beloved. North Carolina alt country band, American Aquarium, covered the song on their 2021 album Slappers, Bangers, and Certified Twangers: Vol 1.
Gonna continue to spin this one today, and here’s to the great Toby Keith.
“Should’ve Been A Cowboy”
