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Peak
25
Weeks
21
Score
2,158
Chart Year
2002
Toby Keith wrote this song shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 based on what he thought his father's reaction to the terrorist attacks would have been. Keith's father, who died in a motor vehicle accident on March 24, 2001, was a US Army veteran, and Toby is pretty sure he would want America to fight back against its enemies, or as he says in the song, rain down courtesy of the red white and blue. 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 in 2003 when he spoke out against The Dixie Chicks after group member 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. At first, he planned to play it for troops on USO tours but not release the song. 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." Stephen Colbert got a big kick out of the "put a boot in your ass" line, and when Toby Keith was his guest on The Colbert Report in 2006, Stephen was ready to make him the butt of some jokes. He thought better of it, and the two ended up becoming close friends, proof that folks from opposite ends of the political spectrum can get along. Colbert even gave the induction speech when Keith entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015. "I didn't know what to make of the boot up your ass guy," Colbert said in his speech about having Keith on his show. "But something down deep told me, 'Just relax. Listen to what this man was going to say and sing, and I just might have a good time.' And I think it's pretty much the reaction everybody has to Toby Keith: once you listen to what he has to say and sing, everybody has a good time." It's common for Christmas songs to return to the charts every year, but here we have a patriotic favorite that might be an Independence Day perennial. "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" returned to the Country chart at #8 in July 2025 and even reached #31 on the Hot 100. The song also re-charted in 2024 following Toby Keith's death. The song has particular Independence Day appeal because it mentions the 4th of July in the lyrics: Man, we lit up your world Like the 4th of July
American girls and American guys We'll always stand up and salute We'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 'Til 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 flyin' 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 fourth of July Hey Uncle Sam, put your name at the top of his list And the Statue of Liberty started shakin' her fist And the eagle will fly, and it's gonna be hell When you hear mother freedom start ringin' her bell And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you Oh, brought to you courtesy of the red, white and blue Oh, and 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 shakin' her fist And the eagle will fly, and it's gonna be hell When you hear mother freedom start ringin' her bell And it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you Oh, brought to you courtesy of the red, white and blue Oh-oh, of the red, white and blue Oh-oh-oh, of my red, white and blue
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 8, 2002 | 73 | 53 |
| 2 | Jun 15, 2002 | 70 | 56 |
| 3 | Jun 22, 2002 | 63 | 63 |
| 4 | Jun 29, 2002 | 47 | 79 |
| 5 | Jul 6, 2002 | 42 | 84 |
| 6 | Jul 13, 2002 | 35 | 91 |
| 7 | Jul 20, 2002 | 29 | 97 |
| 8 | Jul 27, 2002 | 30 | 96 |
| 9 | Aug 3, 2002 | 25 | 101 |
| 10 | Aug 10, 2002 | 26 | 100 |
| 11 | Aug 17, 2002 | 29 | 97 |
| 12 | Aug 24, 2002 | 39 | 87 |
| 13 | Aug 31, 2002 | 43 | 83 |
| 14 | Sep 7, 2002 | 51 | 75 |
| 15 | Sep 14, 2002 | 55 | 71 |
| 16 | Sep 21, 2002 | 62 | 64 |
| 17 | Sep 28, 2002 | 61 | 65 |
| 18 | Oct 5, 2002 | 72 | 54 |
| 19 | Oct 12, 2002 | 78 | 48 |
| 20 | Oct 19, 2002 | 83 | 43 |