About the song
Toby Keith didn’t just sing about honky-tonks; he practically built a university dedicated to them with his 2005 anthem, “Honkytonk U.” This isn’t your dusty, dimly lit corner bar; it’s a vibrant institution where the curriculum is country, the professors pour strong drinks, and the alma mater rings out with the clinking of glasses and the twang of a steel guitar. From the moment the song kicks off with its signature driving beat, you’re enrolled in a crash course on good times and letting loose.
Keith masterfully paints a picture of this hallowed hall of honky-tonk education. You can almost see the neon signs glowing, hear the laughter echoing, and smell the spilled beer mingling with the perfume of a Friday night. It’s a place where worries are checked at the door, replaced by the simple pleasures of cold beer, good company, and music that makes you want to two-step across the sawdust-covered floor.
The lyrics are a playful celebration of the honky-tonk lifestyle. Keith sings about the essential lessons taught within its walls: how to handle heartbreak with a stiff drink, how to find solace in a country melody, and the unspoken camaraderie among its patrons. It’s a place where everyone understands the language of heartache and the healing power of a good song.
“Honkytonk U” isn’t just about drinking and dancing; it’s about community. It’s about finding your tribe in a place where boots scuff the floor and stories are shared over rounds of drinks. Toby Keith, with his signature blend of swagger and down-to-earth charm, positions himself as the headmaster of this institution, inviting everyone to come on in and learn a thing or two about having a good time, country style. The song’s infectious energy and relatable themes made it a staple in honky-tonks across the nation and a testament to Keith’s enduring appeal as a storyteller of the common man’s joys and sorrows. It’s a song that makes you want to raise a glass and declare, “To Honkytonk U!”
Video
Lyrics
My grandmother owned a nightclub on the Arkansas-Oklahoma line
Momma put me on a Greyhound and I went to stay with her in the summertime
I’d box up those empty long necks and stack ’em in the back and make a hand
Then at night she’d let me sneak out of the kitchen and sit in with the band[Verse 2]
Yes, I have sacked some quarterbacks and broke my share of bones along the way
I knew it wouldn’t last forever, semi-pro always means semi-paid
I started climbin’ drillin’ rig, I’m oil field trash and proud as I can be, yeah
Then I took my songs and guitar and sang ’em to a man from Tennessee[Chorus]
I’ve played every beer joint tavern from New York City out to Pasadena
Every corn dog fair and rodeo and sold out every basketball arena
I like to get down with my boys in Afghanistan and Baghdad city too
I am a red, white and blue blood graduate of Honkytonk U[Verse 3]
A star can’t burn forever and the brightest ones will someday lose their shine
But the glass won’t ever be half empty in my optimistic mind
I’ll still have a song to sing and a band to turn it up and play it loud
As long as there’s a barroom with a corner stage and a honkytonk crowd[Chorus]
I’ve played every beer joint tavern from New York City out to Pasadena
Every corn dog fair and rodeo and sold out ever basketball arena
I like to get down with my boys in Afghanistan and Baghdad city too
Son I’m a red, white, and blue blood graduate of Honkytonk U
That’s right a red, white, and blue blood graduate of Honkytonk U
