Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)

Keith wrote this shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. He said he wrote the song based on what he thought his father's thoughts on the terrorist attacks would have been. Keith's father was a veteran and a patriot.

This song established Toby Keith as an unwavering supporter of the American armed forces and a staunch supporter of the Bush administration. Those who didn't share Keith's views felt the song perpetuated a view of Americans as simple-minded thugs, particularly the lyrics, "We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way." Keith got a lot more attention when he spoke out against The Dixie Chicks after Natalie Maines said she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Toby Keith told the CBS show 60 Minutes that he wrote this song in just 20 minutes, a week after 9/11. His intention was to play it for troops on USO tours, but not to be part of a commercial release. However, after playing it for Pentagon brass in Washington, the Marine Corps commandant said, according to Keith: "You have to release it. You can serve your country in other ways besides suiting up in combat."