Toby Keith

Bobby Pinson is one of the most respected songwriters in Nashville, and deservedly so. Though he's known for crafting two of the most annoying songs of recent times (Sugarland's "All I Want to Do" and Keith's "She's a Hottie"), anyone who's listened to Pinson's own albums, or followed his songwriting career, knows that he is a masterful songwriter, full of nuance and a rugged grace. So it's telling, then, that Pinson co-wrote (with Keith) eight of the eleven songs here.

Not to say that Keith isn't a solid songwriter himself; of course he is. It's just that, lately, he's become too enamored with selling himself as a roughneck bad boy. Perhaps he is (there's too much arrogance in a lot of his stuff to be COMPLETELY fraudulent), but those of us who've followed his career miss the singer/songwriter of yore. It appears that it took another singer/songwriter (Pinson, filling in for Scotty Emerick, who is conspicuously absent here) to bring Keith back around.

His attitude is present here, most noticeably in "Time That It Would Take" and "You Already Love Me" (neither track a complete throwaway; the only cringe-inducing number here is "I Got It For You Girl," with "Cabo San Lucas" running a close second). But elsewhere, Keith is surprisingly tender and vulnerable--"Hurt a Lot Worse When You Go" is a stunner, and the first single, "She Never Cried in Front of Me," is a perfect example of Pinson's nuanced writing and Keith's subdued wit (often at his own expense). The title track is a good ol' number, reminiscent of "As Good As I Once Was." "God Love Her" is the story of a girl "baptized in dirty water," a little rocker that shows Keith in fine form. He shows impressive vocal restraint on the bluesy "Missing Me Some You," a song flawed only by its shallow hook (as a songwriter myself, I view the phrase "missing me some you"--especially as it is sung in this song--as a filler line, to be replaced later; apparently, Keith got lazy and decided to just go with it). "Lost You Anyway" is another powerful ballad, balanced out by "Creole Woman," another rockin' number kept afloat thanks to above-par writing and musicianship.

THAT DON'T MAKE ME A BAD GUY is definitely Keith's best overall album in a long time (since, say, HONKY TONK UNIVERSITY). He's grown as a producer, and has apparently learned to restrain the attitude somewhat (even to the extent of using it against himself, as he does on "She Never Cried in Front of Me"). While it's not a perfect record, it's proof--to those Keith fans who've appeared late in the game--that Toby Keith is a fine singer/songwriter, with a powerful voice that can convey an array of emotions (not just redneck pride). It certainly begs the question of where his next record will go: Is BAD GUY a bump in the road, or a promise of future craftsmanship? We can only hope for the latter.

In my opinion, Toby has done the smart thing with his new album. He has decided to lean more to his sensitive side ("She Never Cried In Front Of Me," "God Love Her") and tone down his famous in-your-face attitude ("How Do You Like Me Now?")that some have tired of. This is not to say Toby still can't kick things up with such numbers as the title track and "Time That It Would Take." After Toby's dissapointing last single, "She's a Hottie" it's nice to see Toby back with a nice collection of songs sung with feeling and emotion minus the attitude.

I used to be a Toby fan, been to his concerts and own literally every album he ever made. This is the last one I will buy. He started his own label to be independent, but this is a "focus group" album. Just junk. Nothing new, he rides his horse until it drops, and that looks to be pretty soon. He is a creative guy, but this cd has no place on the market.

As usual Toby has put out a first class CD, I think this may be his best yet, it has a little of everything and thankfully those wondeful ballads that showcase his awesome voice.

What has happened to Toby Keith. When I get a Toby Keith album, I expect an order of kick butt with a side of an old school beatdown. I expect songs like his ford truck commercial that make me want to get in my truck and drive through coves in my neighborhood yelling things like, "Grits are done. Come get 'em or you're going to meet my foot!" There are too many ballads on this thing. If Johnny Cash was alive, he would eat at Waffle House. I don't mind one or two ballads, but I'm buying a Toby Keith album to give me something to listen to while I'm getting ready to go fish for bass in Lake Gorp. I want some fun in your face country. Old school country like Shania Twain and Alan Jackson. I love Chattahoochie more now than when it came out. There were days this summer in Syracuse where it actually WAS hotter than an oochie coochie.

Overall, anything Toby puts out is going to be awesome, but this is just slightly less awesome than other Toby Keith. I want a new ford truck song on the next CD. Average tried to sell me some magazines yesterday and I didn't answer the door again.

Toby Keith is always there to share his love of life and zest for our USA. With this album you can capture his best Tributes and enjoy his sincere and pure Country Music. Thanks Toby and Thank you Amazon.com for a price i could afford and the fast shipping you provided as well.

Got this for my hubby - he likes Country music but is picky and one of his favorites is Toby Keith. I am not a fan but like this one very much. I can listen to it and enjoy the genre without wishing the music would end. Would recommend this purchase as a gift for anyone who loves Country. Very catchy songs - many of them in this compilation in fact.

35 Biggest Hits [2 CD]

Another great one from Toby Keith, Not a Pro country fanatic, but out of the few I do like this one is added to the list.this is one worth getting. Thanks Toby Keith.

I love Toby Keith and I listen to this in my car almost every day! Love him and his music and I would, and have, recommended this CD.

Great as always. If you like Toby Keith-you'll enjoy this CD.
It has all of his greatest hit.

Broken Bridges
I purchased this for a friend , as he loved the movie. This soundtrack is awesome! He was really happy with it, the music is great!

I play this CD all the time. It is very seldom that I ever buy a CD and love 90% of the songs. You will be surprised how wonderful Toby Keith and Lindsey Haun sound together too. The movie was great and this is the #1 soundtrack of the year for me. I love the songs by Toby Keith. He slows things down a little. Several of these songs are about forgiveness but all of them are very touching. If you listen to the words, there is a song on this CD for you. Buy the movie too. It is really, really good. You did good Toby. Lindsey Haun is precious in this movie.

Love the cd but two of the songs skip so not too happy about that

I am a big Toby fan and loved this movie. The music was just as great as the movie. I like the variety of the songs and singers. It would have been just another Toby cd if they weren't on there. Whenever I listen to it, it makes me want to watch the movie again! I waited to buy it until after I watched the movie a few times-- it was worth the wait! Enjoy!

Thanks so much for the speedy shipment. I have thoroughly enjoyed Broken Bridged. The movie was great and the soundtrack just as good!

If you're a fan of Toby, like my 5 year old granddaughter, this album will set the tone for the best gal dern redneck Christmas you've ever had. Brings back all the memories of your youth, both happy and sad. Nuf said

A great CD that enables Toby Keith to show his range and use his amazingly low tone to put a spin on old favorites. The slower songs are sure to send chills down your spine. A must have for any Toby Keith lover!

Although I love Toby's style of country music, I was very pleased to hear that he left the Classics alone. I like my Christmas music to be classic with perhaps a hint of the artist's personal style. He did a great job and even my friends that do not like him enjoyed the cd. Give it a try! You'll be pleasantly surprised. I can't think of a single song that is left out of this 2 cd set. Enjoy!

This album has songs to please the traditionalists and the people who favor modern songs. It is just the best! The new Randy Travis album and this are all the Christmas music anyone would ever need!

Wonderful set of Christmas music divided into the Christian style and the popular secular type on separate CD's. I never paid as much attention to Toby Keith's "voice" as I do now on these. Gorgeous voice and the prettiest and most enjoyable versions of these 20 songs that I have ever heard. I'm still listening to them a month after the holidays.

I love this CD. My favorite number is "Big Dog Daddy" because it truly rocks. Don't want to date myself, but I'm from original rock with Gerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard etc. I always turn up the volume on this one. The instrumentals are spectacular and generous. I hate for it to end. I never tire of this album. It has great variety, nostalgia, heart, thought and humor.

Toby's first album on his own label is great. I am a huge fan, and have noticed some differences between this album and his past albums, but I am pleased with this one. Good listening!!

Big Dog Daddy - Every song on this CD is great! I love it ! and I love you Amazon!

I think Big Dog Daddy is a platypus because no matter what you enjoy Toby put a little something together on this CD for you to relate to and enjoy and maybe make you smile. Toby touches all the bases including some signature hard hitting rowdy songs and some ballads that bounce between love and nostalgia. You might not get all of what you want but your going to get some of what you want - Toby touches all the bases and creates a cd that probably represents his fan base - diverse, concise, with a little humor, a little romance and a lot of rowdy.

Whether you disagree with Toby's politics or lifestyle isn't what a review is about it's about the music. And Toby carries Big Dog Daddy not only with the diversity of the songs but with his strong, baritone that doesn't carry the southern nasal or twang but instead has a well-rounded Southern Ease that is just plain enjoyable to listen to. I'm not of the bar scene rowdy variety and truly enjoyed the very grown up White Rose and Love Me if You Can but the kid in me laughed all the way through the High energy Big Dog Daddy. When all is said and done - Big Dog Daddy is crazy, interesting and fun - sort of like a platypus.

this is a good album athough it is similar in sound to some of his other stuff. But if you like Toby, you will still like it.

My kids (5 & 8) really loved the movie and have enjoyed the soundtrack. They know them all by heart. This soundtrack even has some of the songs from Jonah that they love.

Good fun music!

Even though there is a lot of instrumental music on this disc, there are enough silly songs as well to keep my son laughing every time we listen to it in the car - it's one of his favorites and as much as I hate to admit it, I find myself humming these tunes throughout the day!

One of the highlights of each VeggieTales episode is the songs. So, while I don't normally buy movie soundtracks, I made an exception for this disc. And it's a great combination of fun songs and instrumental pieces.

The first half of the disc is made up of songs with lyrics. They're about half and half Veggie and Christian artists. We've got "Spanish Gold," the song from the dinner theater show and "Jolly Joe's" from the pirate hangout they visit. If you sat through the credits, you found the video for "Rock Monster," a spoof on "Rock Lobster" that tells part of the story. You'll be glad to know it is here as well.

My favorite track on here is "Yo Ho Hero," the song sung by Steve Taylor and the Newsboys. The song was actually used during the movie, and I find it fun. It makes fun of how lazy our heroes are. I'm not normally a fan of tobyMac, but I do like his contribution, "What we Gonna Do?" It's still got the hip hop feel he's known for, but it isn't so over the top it annoys me. Finally, there's Mandisa's song "The Right Thing." Best I can tell, it was never in the film, which is a shame because it is a great summary of the message of the film.

Now if you thought this soundtrack wouldn't have "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," you were dead wrong. We get two versions of it here, the classic Silly Song version that started it all, and the Reliant K punked up version done for Jonah.

Speaking of Jonah, the include "Second Chances" from that soundtrack as a bonus song.

The second half of the disc is made up of instrumental pieces. They usually include a line or two of dialog surrounded by several minutes of full orchestra. This stuff is beautiful.

And this is an enhanced CD, which means there are three videos you can find on your computer. There's the silly song version of "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" and "Do the Moo Shoo." Finally, they give us the video they made for "Rock Monster" which is half the fun of the song.

All told, this is a fun soundtrack that will make fans of the Veggies very happy.

I rarely like all the songs on a CD and this one is no different. But the price was right, I like Toby, and I'm glad I got it.

Very good CD if you like Toby Keith and you also don't want a CD of traditional Christmas music. Some very pretty ballads.

Like a lot of Christmas albums released by "flavor of the month" entertainers, this disc really only contains two or three songs that stand out, the rest, not so hot. A real Toby Keith fan might disagree, but then again a real Toby Keith fan is probably not a Christmas music shopper. I'd recommend Santa I'm Right Here, Santa's Gonna Take It All Back, and a couple others, but that's hardly worth the price of the full disc.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VERSION OF "THE CHRISTMAS CAROL"...GEORGE C SCOTT IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SCROOGE...YOU MUST HAVE THIS DVD IN YOUR CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

I just bought this album just this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. My thirteen-year-old daughter loves "Hot Rod Sleigh" which is a really great up-beat original Christmas song written by Toby himself. As a hopeless romantic I love "Blame It On The Mistletoe", "The Night Before Christmas", and "All I Want For Christmas". Toby also has some really great Christian Christmas music on this album. "Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus" (written by Keith Urban), "Mary, It's Christmas", and "What Made the Baby Cry"- all superb songs by any standard....especially mine. There are also songs on this album that will make bring a smile to your face such as "Christmas Rock" and "Santa's Gonna Take It All Back"... so as you can plainly see there is a little something for everyone on this album.

If you are tired of the same old Christmas songs being remade over and over, and would like a completely original album then I highly recommend this album.

I feel sometimes he tries to push the envelope see what he can stir up.
My favorite tune on this album is "If I were Jesus". It is very witty

When it comes to "Country Music", I barely possess 'pedestrian knowledge. But for the past couple of years, I'm settling in.
I have one guideline, however; A USO tour will be a selling point in any album purchase.

This is one of the best all time Country singers. He knows how to write songs.

I'm so tired of these coca cola cowboys with hats that match their outfit, and lyrics that I could have written while takin' a leak behind a walgreens. I remember when I was in the military and he had all these stupid support the troops songs that were horrible, I mean when your in the military you don't wanna hear this war music all dang day and when you get one of these stupid songs stuck in your head, believe me it's a long dam* day. Oh yeah and Terry Clark opened up for him once at a concert of his and made him look like Tito. Hopefully he made a lot of money off of the war so hopefully he can retire from country music and let Randy Rogers or Pat green or somebody with half an ounce of talent correct the wrongs he's made in country music. Man he sucks, ok, i'm done

This one of my favorite albums that Toby has released. I love all the tracks on here they are fabulous. My favorite are Whiskey Girl & American Soldier. A must for Toby fans that haven't added it to their collection or someone that isn't a fan yet but is interested in buying an album that showcases Toby's style as well as this album does.

If you love Toby, you'll love the last live track of "shoulda be a cowboy"

This is the 3rd copy of this I have purchased. It is one of my favorites and I have acquired it as gifts for my husband and step son. It's the best and got it very quickly from Amazon.

i received this great cd w/in just a few days of ordering. great price too.

Another Great one from Toby! If you are a Toby Kieth fan this is a must

Can ANYONE tell me why this song is not on any of the "greatest hits" packages I can find? It's one of Toby Keith's biggest hits!!! It's also my favorite song of his, but the album it's on is not very good otherwise (in my opinion), so I'd rather just find a nice greatest hits package that includes this song. What gives?

The title track is the Keith I enjoy. A little bravado and a whole lot of tongue firmly planted in cheek. The earnest country singer of "When Love Fades" and "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like That" (This one sounds like a Meatloaf reject) pale in comparison to the cowboy of "Country Comes to Town." I like the way Keith works a song like "Hold You, Kiss You, Love You," with the emphasis on vocals and selling the idea, but the overall effect sounds like something any country artist could put together. The problem here is there are far too many traditional sounding country songs and not enough of the songs that make Keith stand apart from the pack.

Your reviewer, Bob Allen, who I believe has reviewed some other of Toby Keith's albums previously, must have a tin ear and has never written a song in his life. Saying Keith is neither a "remarkable singer nor songwriter" is ludicrous. He also refers to him as a "journeyman." Keith has been writing songs and singing them for more than 30 years. Obviously Allen has no liking nor appreciation for country music; he'd be better writing reviews for cook books. Those who know - really know - country music consider him a master songwriter and the voice is magic, whether he is singing a love ballad or one of his "in your face" songs that have a meaning for those who have lived, loved, laughed, and cried in our lifetime. He has paid his dues in his lifetime with his music and songwriting, being shifted from label to label because of the Nashville exercise of label taking over another label. But the people who have known him have gone to bat for him and he has never forgotten that. He finally has the following and the clout to start his own record label. He did it "his way" but without stepping on the people who helped him along the way. Those folks are still with him. I just happen to own every album he ever cut and there isn't anything on any of them I don't like. Over the years, I can hear the differences in his voice - always great - but now coming of age. Unlike many artists, he writes or co-writes 85% or more of his songs. I give this album 5 stars, just like I'd give 5 stars to all his albums to date. Bob Allen - Check out cut 10 "The Critic" on Toby's "Shock'n Y'all." Sounds familiar to me!! Sydney in San Antonio

This cd is a little slower overall than we're used to from Toby, but still definitely a great cd.
I have several favorites on this cd, and I guarantee you will too.

This and Tim McGraw's Set This Circus Down are the best 2 country cd's released EVER!

Here is why:

How Do You Like Me Now: Great song with some funny lyrics. A good song that all of us wish we could apply to that beautiful girl from school when she turns out to be a stay at home fat ugly joke, and we turn out to be successful, rich and desirable.

When Love Fades: THE BEST SONG HE HAS EVER DONE! HANDS DOWN. NO CONTEST! Some of the best "Relationship is ending" lyrics that have EVER been written.

"Going through the motions,
pretending to be,
The man you used to see in me.
Dont wanna hurt me,
so you play along,
and it dont feel right and it dont feel wrong.
It just like a memory,
barely alive,
when will we let it die.

Who'll be the one
To say goodbye
Who'll be the one to stay
When Love Fades

Simply brilliant! The dual vocals with himself towards the end are especially great. WHY IN THE WORLD it wasnt released as a single is beyond me. This would have been an EASY #1 HIT!

Blue Bedroom: Not a slow song but a heavier type lost love song. One of those: "I lost you and i miss you and come back home" songs. Totally throws you off being sequenced right after When love fades which was a "I know its over, lets break up" kind of song. good nonetheless!

New Orleans: A story song in the same type as a Jim Croce or Harry Chapin type of story song. About a woman and man who get together. She fled a bad relationship in New Orleans and how she is getting on with her life. GREAT TUNE!

Country Comes to Town: One of the huge hits this album produced! Strange to hear a horn section in a country song but it works and VERY WELL!

Heart To Heart (Stelen's Song): Stelen is Toby's son. A nice poignant tale about how children are or can be with their parents.

She Only Gets That Way With Me: Kinda like my ex-wife, she only gets THAT way with me. Well, except with her other exes. Who get THAT way RIGHT BACK AT HER! This is a good song but my stupid joke may not be representative with what this song is about.

Die With Your Boots On: One of the weaker tracks, for a non-country fan (or someone who likes a small amount of country songs. This sounds modern with an old time country topic.

You Shouldnt Kiss Me Like This: Another of the hits. To me a ballad is not a country song, just like it isnt a rock song or anything like that. The only evidence of country in this love song is the twang to his voice, if even that.

Hold You Kiss you Love You: I love the beat to this one. For when you get that lustful feeling with the one you love.

Bottom Of My Heart (do i know you): A sad lost love type of song, and a very good one at that!

I Know A Wall When I See One: Ever date someone who got away and you wish you hadn't let that happen? Then this is your song!

This album is under 40 minutes which is a shame but it is a FANTASTIC, PHENOMINAL ALBUM!

"How Do You Like Me Now" is the song that first captured my attention and got me to buy this CD. From the upbeat songs to the ballads, Toby knows how to draw a listener into his world. The emotions on the ballads come thru, the fun he is having on the upbeat songs come thru, you can't lose.