About the song
There’s something timeless and enduring about a song that speaks to the strength of self-reliance, the grit of rural life, and the stubborn pride of a man who doesn’t need much more than land, freedom, and his own two hands. “A Country Boy Can Survive” is one of those anthems—and while it was originally written and recorded by Hank Williams Jr. in 1981, Toby Keith’s heartfelt version pays tribute not just to the song itself, but to the enduring spirit it celebrates.
Toby Keith recorded his rendition of this classic in 2002, following the September 11 attacks. Like so many Americans at the time, Keith turned to music to express a mix of anger, pride, and unshakable resilience. His version of “A Country Boy Can Survive” appeared on the tribute album America: A Tribute to Heroes and struck a chord with a country that was grieving, healing, and trying to remember what it stood for. Toby Keith’s unmistakable baritone, full of grit and conviction, gave new life to the familiar lyrics—infusing them with the urgency and defiance of that moment in American history.
The song itself is a celebration of rural values: independence, resourcefulness, and a deep connection to the land. It contrasts the fast-paced, often dangerous world of city life with the steady, grounded strength of country living. “We grow good ol’ tomatoes and homemade wine,” the narrator boasts, drawing a clear line between the chaos of modern life and the peace found in tradition. It’s a declaration that no matter what the world throws at him—economic hardship, violence, or loss—a country boy has the tools, and the attitude, to make it through.
Toby Keith’s cover doesn’t try to outshine Hank Jr.’s original. Instead, it honors it—echoing the same sense of rugged pride while placing it in a new context. For longtime fans of country music, it’s a powerful reminder that some truths never change: strength comes from roots, resilience from character, and survival from knowing who you are. And in times of crisis, songs like this don’t just entertain—they help us hold on.
Video
Lyrics
The preacher man says it’s the end of time
And the Mississippi River, she’s a-goin’ dry
The interest is up and the stock market’s down
And you only get mugged if you go downtown
I live back in the woods, you see
My woman and the kids and the dogs and me
I got a shotgun, a rifle and a 4-wheel drive
And a country boy can survive, country folks can survive[Verse 2]
I can plow a field all day long
I can catch catfish from dusk ’til dawn
We make our own whiskey and our own smoke, too
Ain’t too many things these old boys can’t do
We grow good ol’ tomatoes and homemade wine
And a country boy can survive, country folks can survive[Chorus]
Because you can’t starve us out and you can’t make us run
‘Cause we’re them old boys raised on shotguns
And we say grace and we say Ma’am
If you ain’t into that we don’t give a damn[Verse 3]
We came from the West Virginia coal mines
And the Rocky Mountains and the western skies
And we can skin a buck, we can run a trotline
And a country boy can survive, country folks can survive
See upcoming country shows
Get tickets for your favorite artistsYou might also like
Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)
Toby Keith
The Giver
Chappell Roan
Henry, come on
Lana Del Rey[Verse 4]
I had a good friend in New York City
He never called me by my name, just “hillbilly”
My grandpa taught me how to live off the land
And his taught him to be a businessman
He used to send me pictures of the Broadway nights
And I’d send him some homemade wine
But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife
For 43 dollars my friend lost his life
I’d love to spit some Beech-Nut in that dude’s eyes
And shoot him with my old .45
‘Cause a country boy can survive, country folks can survive[Chorus]
‘Cause you can’t starve us out and you can’t make us run
‘Cause we’re them old boys raised on shotguns
And we say grace and we say Ma’am
And if you ain’t into that we don’t give a damn[Verse 5]
We’re from north California and south Alabam’
And little towns all around this land
And we can skin a buck, and run a trotline
And a country boy can survive, country folks can survive[Outro]
A country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
