Song Review – Toby Keith (w/ Willie Nelson) in “Wacky Tobaccy”
Marijuana is marketing when it’s employed in music, plain and simple. There is nothing more conformist that you can do in 2017 than use marijuana to help market your music. It is the great American sedative. And I don’t care if you’re Kacey Musgraves or Margo Price making marijuana posts on your Instagram account, or some stoner doom metal group with a big pot leaf as a stage backdrop. It’s just not cool anymore. And if you need any more evidence of this assessment, just get a load of this new Toby Keith song.
Toby Keith has made a career out of being uncool, and making cool things uncool by his mere presence. And now he’s done it with marijuana. Not that this is Toby Keith’s first dalliance with the subject matter, or with Willie Nelson as a principal character. Keith’s 2003 song “Weed With Willie” off the godawful Shock’N Y’all album was about taking a tiny taste of Willie’s stash and ending up in a fetal position on the floor of Honeysuckle Rose. Toby Keith wanted to be cool by singing about weed, but he didn’t want to upset his constituency by admitting he actually enjoyed it.
Even in this new account, Toby Keith and crew seem to love to sing about marijuana, but are too pussy to partake in it in a public setting. They just want to get your attention by broaching the subject matter, and then turn the cameras on Willie to actually smoke it. That’s because they think their conservative fans will raise a stink if they go too far. But like Jamey Johnson knew, churchies have some of the best smoke. They’re just not supposed to speak about it.
“Wacky Tobaccy” as a song has got nothing. The fact that it’s supposed to be a stupid song doesn’t let it off the hook for being a stupid song. And there’s nothing really even funny about it, even if you’re stoned. There’s been rumors of a Toby Keith side project coming down the pike for a while now, with the premise being songs that the band would sing on the bus after getting off stage or rolling down the road. From what I understood, it wasn’t supposed to be for radio necessarily, just more of a pause between studio projects. This song and video would certainly fit that profile. However with the video going viral already, and visions of “Red Solo Cup” and the resurgence it caused in Keith’s career dancing in their heads, either by accident or brilliant scheme, “Wacky Tobaccy” may be the vehicle to ensure Toby Keith won’t just go the hell away for now another few more years.
We can’t come together on anything these days, but apparently Willie Nelson and Toby Keith can come together on pot. We can also all come together to concur that this song sucks. “Wacky Tobaccy” isn’t just uncool, it’s outdated. It’s built off of some 90’s perspective of what dumbass stoners act like, which is getting ripped and then mowing down pizza and cheese puffs. Is this the stereotype marijuana advocacy groups want portrayed about marijuana users? This song would have been relevant back when Toby Keith was, which is during the Bush Administration.
And I’m getting sick and tired of people turning Willie Nelson into a pot punchline at every turn. They’re making a country icon into the Ronald McDonald of pot, putting his mug on the front of every marijuana product possible. And don’t give me any lines about how Willie’s Reserve is against Big Marijuana. They’re against Big Marijuana eating into their market share and the ridiculous prices Willie’s marijuana apparatus is charging for their boutique products.
Trust me folks, Willie Nelson isn’t in the back of the bus sucking down one joint after another these days, he’s in the back of the bus sucking on oxygen tanks because his lungs are so shot from decades of heavy marijuana use, while he’s nearly passing out on stage and forgetting where he is because his brain can’t get enough oxygen on a nightly basis.
Yes, smoking pot doesn’t pose even close to the health risks smoking cigarettes do, and marijuana can have incredible health benefits for certain ailments. This is all well established, so don’t pot proselytize to me. But it doesn’t take away the fact that it’s smoke in the lungs and can cause harmful side effects, something Willie has said himself in the past. Of course, the Willie Nelson camp is trying to hide that fact from you, and the fact that Willie’s mere months from his lungs giving out, just like Merle Haggard’s did, because nobody wants to know that The Marlboro Man died of lung cancer. In fact if it was Cancer, you could blame cigarettes. But it’s not, so you can’t.
In Willie Nelson’s autobiography with Bud Shrake, the singer proclaimed, “There’ been a lot of talk about marijuana being harmless, bit I think it’s a lot more dangerous to the lungs than most dope smokers realize. Especially the strong marijuana that’s around these days. Each year it seems to get a little stronger. The wise course is to not abuse it. Your lungs are not really supposed to breathe anything but oxygen—pure, fresh air.”
Meanwhile at Willie Nelson concerts, they’re selling basic cotton T-shirts for $60. Scared that the gravy train will run out as soon as Willie dies, his camp is doing everything they can to stash money at the expense of Willie’s legacy, including stamping his mug on any marijuana product they can get their hands on. It’s also worth pointing out that Willie and Toby Keith share the same publicist and other management. Why do you think the two have been so buddy buddy over the years? It’s certainly not common social interests. Willie’s too much of a kind soul to understand all the adverse stuff that’s going on around him.
Marijuana should be made legal across all the 50 states, and immediately. Nonviolent marijuana offenders in the lockup should be let free and pardoned. America’s drug policies have made a killing field out of South America by turning an otherwise harmless plant into forbidden fruit. But marijuana use has already been normalized, and for years now. You’re a weirdo and a subvert if you don’t smoke pot these days. Marijuana use is just another symptom of America’s insatiable appetite to consume. Soon enough marijuana will be legal all across the land as it should be, despite the hiccup certain elements of the Trump Administration may pose, and then you’ll pray for the days when it was illegal and was easier to get, cheaper, and in better strains.
Read: Let’s Remember Willie For More Than Marijuana
“Wacky Tobaccy” doesn’t do anything to advocate for pot, it sets it back by presenting a negative stereotype, and uses it for marketing to prop up a dwindling pop star and an ailing country legend who’s letting money mongrels walk over him due to his kind heart and humility. Really it’s just a horrible example of how gullible the American consumer is, and frankly the whole thing just makes me sick.
Wallace
June 27, 2017 @ 9:53 am
This is worse than that Sam Hunt knock off you posted as the worst country song ever a few days ago.
Steve
June 27, 2017 @ 12:32 pm
Yes and no. It is just as bad of a song, but at least it’s not a (bad) hip hop song being forced onto country radio for absolutely no reason. It’s just a really bad country song.
Corncaster
June 27, 2017 @ 9:55 am
Gotta agree with all that.
Now, what’s with Toby’s weird tan? He looks like something out of a Chuck Jones cartoon.
Mountain air, people. Get you some.
Doyle Hargraves
June 27, 2017 @ 10:01 am
Great, the old jack in the box is back
HayesCarll23
June 27, 2017 @ 10:01 am
I am not as hard on some of this stuff as you guys are. I tend to think and there is such thing as overthinking a song. Some songs are meant to make you laugh or dance. With that being said, this isn’t funny and isn’t good. I am so sick of Toby Keith’s and Brad Pasiley’s “Whitty” songs. It’s not my kinda humor and it’s so douchey.
Mike
June 27, 2017 @ 3:01 pm
I agree that there’s a place for the novelty songs and songs written to make people laugh or dance. That’s a staple of all music and has been forever. But comedy is tough, and when the jokes don’t land (as is the case here) it’s the auditory equivalent of watching a train wreck. It’s just embarrassing.
You also have a point that we all have different senses of humor. I actually think most of Brad Paisley’s funny songs are genuinely funny and clever (even the ones based on internet memes, old jokes, and strings of innuendo). When it comes to Toby Keith’s funny songs, it’s way more hit and miss, but I’ll happily cop to thinking Red Solo Cup had some funny lines.
Anna
July 7, 2017 @ 2:01 pm
Totally agree. I can’t stand this Wacky Tobaccy song and don’t find it the least bit funny/amusing. Could be just my sense of my humor as well. I did admittedly find Red Solo Cup amusing and catchy even if I simultaneously wanted to roll my eyes at it.
Brad Paisley isn’t trying to be cool, he’s just funny in his dad-humor kind of way and I enjoy most of his efforts.
Benjamin
June 27, 2017 @ 4:10 pm
I would like to respectfully disagree with this comment. Brad Paisley shouldn’t be thrown under the same bus as Toby Keith. Are brad paisley’s “funny” songs cheesy? Check. Will they make you roll your eyes? Check. But will they make you chuckle? Yes, I believe they will. Even though they are corny at times, I don’t believe they are “douchey”. Brad Paisley has never tried to be a “bro” or even come off as cool. I think he embraces his dadness very well. “I’m gonna miss her” or “online” or “celebrity” or even his newest Selfie song are all genuienly creative and amusing. This new Toby Keith song isn’t creative or amusing. It’s just dumb.
Cindy
June 27, 2017 @ 10:04 am
He has reached a new low. Sad to see
HalSf
June 27, 2017 @ 10:06 am
One of the more humorless, rant-ier, killin’ a skeeter with a shotgun things I’ve read on my beloved SCM. I suggest a nice uncool sativa hybrid (safely consumed with a non-combusting vape pen) might take the scowley-faced edge off your day…
Tom Smith
June 27, 2017 @ 10:09 am
“…it doesn’t take away the fact that it’s smoke in the lungs and can cause harmful side effects, something Willie has said himself in the past. Of course, the Willie Nelson camp is trying to hide that fact from you, and the fact that Willie’s mere months from his lungs giving out, just like Merle Haggard’s did, because nobody wants to know that The Marlboro Man died of lung cancer. In fact if it was Cancer, you could blame cigarettes. But it’s not, so you can’t.” — Truth.
Boatwrong
June 27, 2017 @ 10:59 am
Tom Smith – Is your comment satire or are you the new infowars writer?
Boatwrong
June 27, 2017 @ 11:26 am
NM. Musta speed read that part of the article.
Kevin Broughton
June 27, 2017 @ 10:10 am
Willie Nelson taking part in something lame?
Stop it.
Robert
June 27, 2017 @ 10:19 am
Ok. This may be the worst country song ever.
Luiz
June 27, 2017 @ 10:32 am
Another good voice wasted.
Warthog
June 27, 2017 @ 10:40 am
Eh, the song is dumb for sure, but I don’t think it insults intelligence. Just my opinion, though.
On a totally unrelated note, has anyone ordered Bob Wayne’s “Bad Hombre” from his website? I ordered mine on June 5th, and I still don’t even know if it’s shipped yet. This is the first thing I’ve ordered from his site in a long time, and I don’t remember stuff taking this long. I was just wondering if this kind of delay was normal, or if I should be concerned, and thought I’d try to get some info. Thanks.
Travis
June 27, 2017 @ 11:45 am
I think I got mine within a week of ordering
Travis
June 27, 2017 @ 11:52 am
It’s been in my cd player in the car since (replacing Blood Feast’s new album).
Eric
June 27, 2017 @ 3:39 pm
I ordered the 3 pack of cds 3 weeks ago and have not recieved anything either had to open up a claim
Travis
June 27, 2017 @ 3:54 pm
Now that I’m thinking, I may have got mine from Amazon. I find with a lot these underground type artists they ship things out themselves so you have to wait until they have time. I went back and forth with Sweet GA Brown for months although he was super nice in contacting me and following up.
whatswhat1
June 27, 2017 @ 9:20 pm
I pre-ordered and it took a little longer than expected, but it arrived eventually, along with a sticker and a patch. He is sending them out himself, while on tour in Europe. Mine was mailed from somewhere in Germany. I’m sure it will show up soon.
Boatwrong
June 27, 2017 @ 10:46 am
Worst pot song ever. Toby looks like he is taking grooming lessons from Cletus T Judd. Can’t blame Willie for this song though. If you give him an opportunity to smoke (and possibly get paid), he is gonna show up.
Mike Honcho
June 27, 2017 @ 11:14 am
Only thing worse than the song is the video. Everybody is emboldened by the shit leaving Nashville these days. My gardener says he is going to become a country songwriter.
Jacob W.
June 27, 2017 @ 11:17 am
Worthless article, cannon fodder. Toby Keith ain’t all that bad, Willie DOES smoke a lot of weed(a lifetime romance with pot can’t be overshadowed by a few years of bad lungs in the last years of your life, that’s the price you pay). This article comes off like a bully picking on the slow kid.
Trigger
June 27, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
Who’s the slow kid in this case? Willie?
Jacob W.
June 27, 2017 @ 1:37 pm
C’mon, we all know who the slow kid is. I don’t think anyone is taking advantage of Willie Nelson, he seemed to have all his faculties in that Chelsea Handler interview. He is old and probably not in touch with what current trends, and Toby was cool with Willie for nearly 20 yrs, it’s not a stretch to think he would be in Toby’s corner and contribute however.
Trigger
June 27, 2017 @ 11:09 pm
For the record, the article portrays Willie as the “kind soul” in this situation, not a “slow kid.”
Jacob w.
June 28, 2017 @ 7:30 am
I obviously meant Toby, why would I be referring to Willie, one of my own personal heroes, instead of the guy who got into a grudge match with the Dixie chicks and released “wanna talk about me”
This article is milking a dead cow is what my comment was all about.
hoptowntiger94
June 27, 2017 @ 2:34 pm
I think from the standpoint of how our views about marijuana have evolved in music in the last 15 years, this is a very important article. And the fact that TK is pandering a dated conception is icing on the cake.
Barstool Hero
June 27, 2017 @ 11:22 am
Is Toby Keith morphing into Sammy Hagar? This song isn’t as horrible and juvenile as the Sam Hunt copycat from yesterday.
Kevin Davis
June 27, 2017 @ 2:32 pm
They’re both juvenile, but at least the Sam Hunt copycat isn’t 55 years old. This is pathetic and an embarrassment for Toby Keith, but he’s too stupid or stoned to realize it.
Mule
June 29, 2017 @ 12:31 am
Well, Sammy covered “I Love This Bar” a few years back, so….
Bertox
June 27, 2017 @ 11:48 am
This song is absolute dogshit, but I’ll admit that I’ve always liked “Weed With Willie,” and a few of his other songs. The bad FAR outweigh the good, though. He should be bullwhipped for “I Wanna Talk About Me.” And this is almost as bad
scott
June 27, 2017 @ 12:03 pm
Dang, never knew I was a weirdo, and a subvert. Prefer beer, bourbon, or vodka to the “weed from the devil’s own playground”. Oh, and a real country song over this shit.
Tezca
June 27, 2017 @ 1:07 pm
Now that I think about it you can include Waylon too since I remember reading that he didn’t like weed I think.
scott
June 27, 2017 @ 1:50 pm
Unfortunately, Waylon and I shared an affinity for the same drug for a while.
pgwenz
June 27, 2017 @ 12:14 pm
The thing that always bothered me about Toby Keith is how, in the 1990s, he could crank out pretty well-written material when he wanted to. Songs like “Who’s That Man,” “Upstairs Downtown,” “Me, Too,” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” are quite good. Then “How Do You Like Me Now” happened and everything he did became so cookie-cutter. He definitely started going for quantity over quality and it finally caught up with him around 2011. A lot of 90s country stars altered their sound as the decade wound down (Garth, Clint Black, even George Strait). But no one surrendered substance for $$$$$$ more than Toby Keith, and that was probably a big step towards getting us to the giant cesspool of white boy hip hop we have now.
shastacatfish
June 27, 2017 @ 4:50 pm
Well said.
Jim Bob Junior
June 27, 2017 @ 12:18 pm
Weed makes good songs even better, and bad songs even worse. This number would be the latter. It sounds like classic 90’s comedic music that has no staying power. Unoriginal garbage.
RD
June 27, 2017 @ 12:20 pm
You know the end of Easy Rider where the good guys win and those damn dirty hippies are left laying in a ditch?
hoptowntiger94
June 27, 2017 @ 12:21 pm
Toby looks like Cledus T. Judd in this video and this song was probably found on Judd’s cutting floor.
Like you said, dated, uncool, not funny.
Gena R.
June 27, 2017 @ 12:26 pm
Ugh… I shut it off after the first chorus, and had to clean my brain out with THIS “Wacky Tobacky”:
NRBQ (from their 1979 album ‘Kick Me Hard’) —
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmutwfV76lQ
hoptowntiger94
June 27, 2017 @ 1:41 pm
1979?!? I thought this song was from the 90’s!!
I first heard it on the TV show, “Weeds.” I had it on a Weeds playlist (that show introduced me to a ton of new bands in the early seasons: Rouge Wave, New Pornographers, Girls in Hawaii).
I remember an interview with Mary Louis Parker where she stated they stopped showcasing music in the later seasons because it got too expensive. Which makes me wonder if the model changed and artists showcase their music on shows like The Ranch for free to get the exposure (with radio dying).
Mule
June 29, 2017 @ 12:34 am
Nope. It’s a classic from ’79. The Q’s been going strong since the ’60s – and this song was the first thing I thought of when I saw this article!
RWP
June 27, 2017 @ 12:36 pm
I think if Kacey Musgraves or Miranda sung this a lot of commenters here would be calling it the song of the year..And tired of Willie being the pot punchline? Isn’t that Willie’s fault for always partaking in this shit?
Jim Bob Junior
June 27, 2017 @ 1:09 pm
“I think if Kacey Musgraves or Miranda sung this a lot of commenters here would be calling it the song of the year”
But neither of them would ever sing this so I guess we’ll never know if your hypothetical would be true.
RWP
June 27, 2017 @ 1:24 pm
By all means Jim Bob,pull that lil red wagon and follow yer arrow
Jim Bob Junior
June 27, 2017 @ 2:07 pm
Sorry, but a lot of people around here love Chris Stapleton but I didn’t see a lot of love in the comments section for “Them Stems”(although I personally like it) in Trig’s review of From A Room: Volume 1 so I really don’t see how you came to your conclusion.
hoptowntiger94
June 27, 2017 @ 2:35 pm
Musgraves and Lambert are way too progressive and self aware to ever sing a song like this one.
CountryKnight
June 27, 2017 @ 2:48 pm
Yeah, this song is so much dumber than lines about biscuits and gravy and being the fastest girl in town.
Greg Green
June 30, 2017 @ 12:44 pm
I think Willie should get more criticism for this than Toby. Toby is what he is and one shouldn’t expect much more, but Willie should have higher standards. I was disappointed with the other Willie and Toby song, beer for my horses. Two really good voices wasted on a frivolous song.
On the other hand Toby deserves some credit for substitute singing for Merle at some those last concerts. He did it with no ego or showboating, even getting out of the way of the sight lines when the musicians had their solos. A class act from a guy I didn’t think had it in him.
hoptowntiger94
June 30, 2017 @ 12:54 pm
It’s just plain bad business for Willie. He sells his own strain of weed!! He shouldn’t be singing about the negative effects – pushing forward a dated narrative – of smoking marijuana.
With that said, I doubt he even heard the song (or the finished product).
Kevin Wortman
June 27, 2017 @ 12:37 pm
I have to disagree. I think this song is pretty good….it may not meet the Jason Isbell / folksy/ bash Trump generic threshold but it still entertains.
RWP
June 27, 2017 @ 12:47 pm
Imagine that, a White,Fox news loving,Islamaphobic, homophobic ,racist kkk loving alt-right freak like @KEVIN WORTMAN likes a Toby Keith song. (I Don’t really mean this,just thought I’d be the first to post it)
Kevin Wortman
June 28, 2017 @ 6:42 pm
Don’t forget xenophobic, chauvinistic deplorable.
J
June 27, 2017 @ 1:10 pm
Funny that soon after your latest take down Toby Keith should resurface here, since I’d personally award his song ‘American Soldier’ the title of ‘Worst Country Song Ever’. This is an excellent article.
Oyster Boy
June 27, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
Eh, a novelty song. Nothin’ wrong with ’em and it is what is it. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of wonderful country drinking songs and yet cannabis is verboten? What gives?
Trigger
June 27, 2017 @ 1:36 pm
Cannabis is not verboten, it’s cliche. That’s the problem. Folks think it’s edgy or something when it is extremely commonplace, especially in music. Pot went mainstream 20 years ago. Artist put it in their songs for the same reason they collaborate with Willie: they think it will shield them from criticism. If someone disagrees with your pot song, you can just label them as uptight. I agree it’s a novelty song so it’s important to not make too much of it. But it’s just a bad song no matter the subject matter. In my opinion.
Carter
June 27, 2017 @ 6:04 pm
Who thinks its edgy? No one on here that is for sure.
Erik North
June 27, 2017 @ 8:33 pm
Willie’s career has suffered much worse things than this (like owing $16 million in back taxes to Uncle Sam twenty years ago), and his status as a music legend will more than survive this travesty. and his use of marijuana. But there are far worse addictions than marijuana; and Toby Keith has been suffering from one of them for a long time, in my opinion: he’s addicted to his own success, an addiction that is downright dangerous.
Mike
June 27, 2017 @ 2:04 pm
I don’t have issues with novelty songs (believe me!), but slapping the tag novelty on this does not excuse it for being unimaginative and tired. It goes from a story that’s not a story, to a list of ways to partake, to a list of brands. If it took them more than 20 minutes to write this song I’d be shocked. I’d love for anyone who likes it to give a coherent explanation of why. Is it clever? No. Is it original? No. Is it catchy? No (though the guitar lick is kind of fun). Is it relevant? No. I can’t for the life of me find a redeeming quality of this thing. BTW… I actually like Toby Keith and that he does the music he wants to and doesn’t seem to mind following his gut (even when it’s wrong). But he’s wrong here.
joshua
June 27, 2017 @ 1:37 pm
As a full time lurker who doesn’t really like Toby Keith, I think you’re being overharsh. Ever is entitled to their opinion (mine just happens to be that no one should praise marijuana because it drove my dad paranoid and depressed a friend of mine until she hung herself).
Musically its harmless, real musicians etc. And ifsome edm is taken OFF radio to make room for that, yay Toby.
Id give it 1 gun and then go back to listening REKs song about him. THATS funny…
Storiesofyou
June 27, 2017 @ 2:30 pm
I saw this video a couple days ago. I kept thinking “Don’t be in this, Willie. Please, don’t be in this”. I was starting to get hopeful toward the end, but then, there he was. Most watchers were probably cheering “Heyy, it’s Willie! Alright!”, while I just hung my head because if (God forbid) we lost him now, this would be his last video appearance, and that’d be a damn shame.
FeedThemHogs
June 27, 2017 @ 2:46 pm
As a fun song that stands alone… I like it. However, it would be an odd fit on any album, and weigh down said album. But taking it where it stands, pot reference being overdone and all, it’s not bad to my judgement.
CountryKnight
June 27, 2017 @ 2:49 pm
At least, Toby Keith knows how to sing a silly song correctly. That is a skill that has been lost by most singers.
Aldean and BG would have been angrily screaming this tune.
CountryKnight
June 27, 2017 @ 2:52 pm
Willie made himself into a pot punchline. He is not a victim. Maybe he could have learned to say no to these dumb tunes. Take some responsibility.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
June 27, 2017 @ 3:18 pm
Sweet Jesus people take a deep breath and get it together. It’s Willie and Toby Keith together again, for God’s sake.
It’s SUPPOSED to be stupid. that’s why it’s got the title it has.
I’m sure Willie Nelson is having a joke at his own expense.
Calm down.
drugs are bad.
Willie Nelson is a genius.
and let’s complain some more about Sam Hunt. because that’s fun and this song isn’t worth complaining over because it’s fun.
CountryKicksAss
June 27, 2017 @ 4:01 pm
Amen Fuzzy !! Whoa on the over the top negatives people. Right now, 2.5 million views on youtube and many people find it Funny because it is a ‘classic Toby Bus song’. If you don’t know, he writes Bus Songs to be out of the ordinary and fun. He and Scotty Emerick penned this.
Trigger
June 27, 2017 @ 11:06 pm
2.5 million views, and a 1/3 Thumbs Down rating, which is a very high ratio. Many of those views are hate watching, but Toby Keith is getting himself attention, that’s for sure.
CountryKicksAss
June 28, 2017 @ 3:28 pm
Bearing down on 3 million and just released on June 23rd. More positive attention than negative. Being able to get music out there doing it your own way is clever & strategic, Since Radio doesn’t play most great artists now.
CountryKicksAss
June 27, 2017 @ 4:35 pm
The bus songs are even better when Toby performs them live. ( Starkist, Get out of my car, weed with wilie, running block , ballad of Balad…) Now if more videos were made of the bus songs, could be interesting!
rideus
June 30, 2017 @ 8:11 am
Saw him live for the first time last night and he played this song – seems it serves the song and listener better in a live atmosphere. He would’ve been better off not making a video and just playing it live…..sure it helps most people had been drinking for 4 hours, including me.
shastacatfish
June 27, 2017 @ 4:49 pm
I guess this churchie is a weirdo and a subvert.
CountryKnight
June 28, 2017 @ 6:21 am
You are a menace to society! You must join in! Haha
Shelly
June 27, 2017 @ 4:55 pm
And this is why I love the Toby song called “The critic”
Seems to be on target ?
Cory
June 29, 2017 @ 12:02 am
critics should listen to What She Left Behind & Beautiful Stranger from Toby’s last album
Cory
June 29, 2017 @ 12:11 am
And why is singing about weed cliche but drinking and cheating songs are ok?
Jim Bob Junior
June 29, 2017 @ 6:57 am
It’s the way the song is written that makes it cliché. Just like all the bro country songs about boozin.
Wayfast
June 27, 2017 @ 6:08 pm
Part of what makes Willie Nelson Willie Nelson is he doesn’t take himself too serious. This song is awful and uncool but who cares
Cobra
June 27, 2017 @ 7:05 pm
Thanks a lot, Trigger. Until tonight, when reading this post, I’d forgotten that “Shockin Y’all” existed. Now you’ve gone and reminded me and I’m pissed off at the world for allowing that album to exist.
rideus
June 30, 2017 @ 8:17 am
To think it won Album of the Year at 39th Annual ACM’s……
Sam Cody
June 27, 2017 @ 7:55 pm
Holy shit! Did Trump’s spray tan rub off on Toby the last time they made out, or what?!?!?! :O
Honky
June 27, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
Proud weirdo and subvert, here.
CountryKnight
June 28, 2017 @ 6:19 am
Proud to be a weirdo and a subvert if it means my lungs are staying smoke free.
Also, it is a sad state for society when the people not using drugs are considered strange.
CountryKnight
June 28, 2017 @ 6:25 am
C’mon, Willie isn’t senile, he knows what he is doing with these songs. His voice is old but not his mind. And if you ask me, his role in that awful Dukes of Hazzard remake was more of a sellout. The guy knows and doesn’t care. There is no need to manufacture excuses for him. Yeah, it stinks that he is doing these songs but it is what it is.
jimsouls
June 28, 2017 @ 7:18 am
Why not just cover the far-superior “Wacky Tobacky” by NRBQ?
Gena R.
June 28, 2017 @ 7:49 am
Exactly!
Toby in AK
June 28, 2017 @ 3:03 pm
I didn’t think it was too bad. As far as stupidity and douchey-ness, I’d place it on par with Wheeler Walker’s lowest common denominators
Collin
June 30, 2017 @ 9:42 am
What’s most frustrating about this is that it’s another reminder that Toby Keith really does have a great voice for country. But instead of using it for good, he uses it for evil.
Remember Cryin’ for Me? How can someone that talented spend 98% of his career phoning it in?
Lance
July 1, 2017 @ 10:15 am
Dope songs are total eye rollers to me…so juvenile i cant believe people lower themselves to such. Yawn.
Bradley Olson
July 1, 2017 @ 3:38 pm
A current artist ought to cover Commander Cody’s Seeds and Stems Again as well.
Robert St
July 2, 2017 @ 1:53 pm
Margo Price did when I saw her earlier this year.
Keith Heisler
July 6, 2017 @ 8:15 am
Trigger I love everything about this site and couldn’t agree more with your review. Your comments about the folks in Willie’s camp doing damage to his legacy by over merchandising are particularly accurate. I do also realize that a lot of your commentary is done in a humorous, sarcastic, tone but I think it’s really harsh and misleading to talk about how Willie sucks oxygen tanks and can’t make it through a show anymore. I’ve been to six shows of his in the last three years and am going again on Sunday. His shows are shorter than they were but he still puts on a quality performance and is nowhere near embarrassing himself. I’ve never heard of anyone talking about him passing out on stage either My point is the internet decides he dies damn near once a week these days as you pointed out in the review of his recent single and fantastic album but I would hope that this would be the one place I could go where I didn’t have to hear about that. That said Toby and Willie can and should do better than this garbage.
Trigger
July 6, 2017 @ 9:32 am
Hey Keith,
I appreciate your concern. Reports from recent Willie Nelson shows in Dallas and at his 4th of July Picnic seem to point to him doing a bit better, though he did show up on stage 40 minutes late at the picnic. That commentary is not a criticism of Willie Nelson, or even his shows. At 84-years-old, he’s going to be moving a little slower, and that’s totally understandable. However I have very specific information that Willie is spending a lot of time on oxygen tanks these days. I also filed this report from one of his shows in late April that was the precursor to the comments about his health:
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/willie-nelson-unexpectedly-leaves-stage-in-texas-returns-to-finish-show/
I received some criticism for being too harsh in that report as well, but another reporter that was on site concurred in his report:
https://www.guidelive.com/texas-yall/2017/04/23/saw-willie-nelson-perform-saturday-night-beautiful-sad
But oh wait, that report has been taken down. That’s yet another reason I feel there is a concerted effort to hide Willie’s breathing issues from the public from fear it will be seen as a blemish on the family marijuana business.
I’m not criticizing the quality of Willie Nelson’s shows as if he’s not giving his best effort or attempting to discourage people from going. If anything, I would implore folks to see Willie Nelson while they can. But as a reporter, it is also my job to inform the public. And as a critic, it’s my job to be honest about my feelings.
Long live Willie Nelson.
Keith Heisler
July 6, 2017 @ 12:23 pm
You may be right about their being an effort to make sure Willie appears healthier in public than he really is. I hope that’s not the case and I’ll be interested to see how Sunday’s show is. I can say that just about everyone’s set later in the evening at the picnic was delayed by at least 20 minutes from the times posted on Sirius XM’s website (I recorded the whole thing off Willie’s channel) What the reasons for that are I’m not sure. Willie’s set sounded like a normal great Willie show from what I could tell. I hope it was. With that said I have to say thank you Your honest reporting and sincere desire to see country return to what it should be is what make me appreciate you Trigger. Love that you give us real country fans a great community to be a part of.