“He Wasn’t Writing for America — He Was Writing for His Father.”
In the aftermath of 9/11, Toby Keith released what would become one of the most polarizing and patriotic songs in country music history — “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”
But what few know is that this song was never just about war, vengeance, or national pride. At its core, it was a grieving son’s love letter to his late father.
Toby’s father, Hubert Keith (HK) Covel, was a war veteran and the backbone of Toby’s patriotism. He passed away in March 2001 after a tragic car accident — just months before 9/11. That loss, compounded by national tragedy, ignited a deep emotional fire inside Toby. In just 20 minutes, he wrote a song that the world thought was for a country, but in truth, it was for a man who had shaped his soul.
The song’s explosive lines — “We’ll put a boot in your ass, it’s the American way” — weren’t just a battle cry. They were Toby channeling the fierce, protective pride of his father — a man who had taught him that freedom wasn’t just a word but a responsibility, a sacrifice.
Critics saw the song as jingoistic. But Toby always knew it came from a place of raw, personal grief. That’s why, when the Pentagon invited him to perform for troops overseas, he didn’t hesitate. Every show was a tribute — not just to soldiers, but to HK Covel, the man who raised a boy into a fighter.
Sometimes, songs that shake the world come from the quietest moments of heartbreak.
Toby Keith – Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue
Lyrics
American Girls and American Guys
W¡ll always stand up and salute
>W¡ll always recognize
When we see Old Glory Flying
There’s a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night
When we lay down our head
My daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
Until the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free.
Now this nation that I love
Has fallen under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flying in
From somewhere in the back
Soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man, we lit up your world
Like the 4th of July
Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly
Man, it’s gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue
Justice will be served
And the battle will rage
This big dog will fight
When you rattle his cage
And you’ll be sorry that you messed with
The U.S. of A.
‘Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass
It’s the American way
Hey Uncle Sam
Put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly
Man, it’s gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue