Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single "How Do You Like Me Now?!" in late 1999. This song, the title track to his 1999 album of the same name, was the #1 country song of 2000, and one of several chart-toppers during his tenure on DreamWorks Nashville. His next three albums, Pull My Chain, Unleashed, and Shock'n Y'all, produced three more #1's each, and all of the albums were certified 4Γ Platinum. A second Greatest Hits package followed in 2004, and after that, he released Honkytonk University.
When DreamWorks closed in 2005, Keith founded the label Show Dog Nashville, which merged with Universal South Records to become Show Dog-Universal Music in December 2009. He has released ten studio albums through Show Dog/Show Dog-Universal: 2006's White Trash with Money, 2007's Big Dog Daddy, 2008's That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy, 2009's American Ride, 2010's Bullets in the Gun, 2011's Clancy's Tavern, 2012's Hope on the Rocks, 2013's Drinks After Work, 2015's 35 MPH Town, 2017's The Bus Songs, and 2021's Peso in My Pocket, as well as the compilation 35 Biggest Hits in 2008. Keith also made his acting debut in 2006, starring in the film Broken Bridges, and co-starred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film Beer for My Horses, inspired by his song of the same name. On February 5th, 2024, Toby passed away from a 3 year battle with Stomach Cancer.
Whiskey Girl
Toby Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tight on the top with a belly button ring a little tattoo
Somewhere in between
She only shows to me
Hey we're going out dancin', she's ready tonight
So damn good lookin', boys, it ain't even right
And when the bartender says
I tell him man
She ain't into wine and roses
Beer just makes her turn up her nose and
She can't stand the thought of sippin' champagne
No Cuervo Gold Margaritas
Just ain't enough good burn in Tequila, she needs
Somethin' with a little more edge and a little more pain
She's my little whiskey girl
She's my little whiskey girl
My Ragged on the edges girl
Ah, but I like 'em rough
Baby got a '69 mustang
Four on the floor and you ought to hear the pipes ring
I jump behind the wheel and it's away we go
Hey, I drive too fast, but she don't care
Blue bandanna tied all up in her hair
Just sittin' there
Singin' every song on the radio
She ain't into wine and roses
Beer just makes her turn up her nose and
She can't stand the thought of sippin' champagne
No Cuervo Gold Margaritas
Just ain't enough good burn in Tequila, she needs
Somethin' with a little more edge and a little more pain
She's my little whiskey girl
She's my little whiskey girl
My Ragged on the edges girl
Ah, but I like 'em rough
No Cuervo Gold Margaritas
Just ain't enough good burn in Tequila, she needs
Somethin' with a little more edge and a little more pain
She's my little whiskey girl
Oh, she's my little whiskey girl
My Ragged on the edges girl
Ah, but I like 'em rough
Yeah, I like 'em rough
I like 'em rough
Toby Keithβs βWhiskey Girlβ is a classic country song that describes his love for a woman who defies traditional gender roles and societal expectations. The first verse describes her physical appearance, with the singer admiring her tight blue jeans, belly button ring, and tattoo. He also notes that she only shows these things to him, which implies a sense of exclusivity and intimacy. The rest of the song explores the girlβs personality and interests, which stand in sharp contrast to traditional femininity. She doesnβt like wine, roses, or champagne; instead, she prefers rougher, more βmasculineβ drinks like whiskey. The singer seems to find her rebelliousness attractive, as evidenced by his repeated refrain that he likes his women βrough.β
Thematically, βWhiskey Girlβ is similar to other country songs about tough, unconventional women who donβt conform to gender norms. The song celebrates the womanβs rebelliousness and independence, and suggests that traditional notions of gender roles are outdated and limiting. The lyrics also touch on themes of exclusivity and intimacy, as the singer repeatedly emphasizes that the girl only shows her body and personality to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't my baby look good in them blue jeans?
A rhetorical question that implies an admiration for one's partner in their attire
Tight on the top with a belly button ring a little tattoo
A description of a specific fashion choice that the partner has made
Somewhere in between
An acknowledgment that one's partner is not easily categorized
She only shows to me
A declaration that the partner's physical features are only visible to the artist
Hey we're going out dancin' she's ready tonight
An indication that the artist and partner are planning to go out for a night of social dancing
So damn good-lookin' boys it ain't even right
A comment on the partner's physical attractiveness and the jealousy that it may inspire in others
And when bar tender says for the lady what's it gonna be?
An invitation for the singer to order a drink on behalf of their partner
I tell him man
A declaration that the artist will be making the drink order
She ain't into wine and roses
A comment on the partner's preference for less refined things
Beer just makes her turn up her nose and
A continuation of the above sentiment, suggesting that the partner has a more specific taste in beverages
She can't stand the thought of sippin' champagne
Further suggestion that the partner has a preference for less sophisticated alcoholic drinks
No Cuervo Gold Margaritas
Naming a specific drink that the partner does not prefer
Just ain't enough good burn in Tequila she needs
A declaration that the partner prefers stronger, more intense liquors
Somethin' with a little more edge and a little more plain
An expression of the partner's specific preference in alcoholic beverages
She's my little whiskey Girl
A declaration that the partner's drink of choice is whiskey
My Ragged-on-the-edges girl
A description of the partner's personality as rough and unrefined
Ah, but I like 'em rough
A justification for the artist's attraction to the partner's rough-edged personality
Baby got a '69 mustang
A comment on the partner's possession of a specific type of car
Four on the floor, and you ought to hear the pipes ring
A specific description of the car's engine and the noise it produces
I jump behind the wheel and it's away we go
The artist's excitement at getting to drive the partner's car
Hey, I drive too fast, but she don't care
The artist's willingness to drive recklessly and the partner's apparent lack of concern
Blue bandanna tied all up in her hair
A description of the partner's fashion choice
Just sittin' there
A simple observation of the partner's presence in the car
Singin' every song on the radio
A comment on the partner's enthusiasm for singing along to the radio
Oh she's my little whiskey Girl
Reiteration of the partner's preferred drink
Ah, but I like 'em rough
Final justification for the singer's attraction to the partner's rough edges
Lyrics Β© Tokeco Tunes, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Scott Emerick, Toby Keith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dennis Cooney
Toby is one of my personal hero's. He served his country and returned to his home state of Oklahoma. He wrote and performed his music and America instantly fell in love with him. Now in addition to his hectic schedule Toby takes his music to the troops overseas. My kind of guy! I served 21 years in the US Navy and returned home to find people throwing rocks, bottles and calling us killers and napalm users. I served three back to back tours in South Vietnam. Hat's off to Toby, a veteran's man..:)
Donald Meyer
Thank you for your service!!!
Charles Lentz
Thanks for your service sir.
Anthony Mentillo
Welcome home brother. Thank you for your service.
Alice Graham
Thank you for your service
Courtney Lambert
thank you so much for your service. god bless
Tanner Maxwell
Hearing this song as a little kid might be the reason why whiskey is my favorite drink lol
Alex Ivanov
This song is a masterpies for all the tmes! With love from Russia! I hope to vsit his show someday.
King Jon Starkgeryan
Same
Acerthorn
Well, it sure is a good thing THIS is the song you grew up with, rather than Whiskey Lullaby, which came out at around the same time as this one, and was played on the same radio stations as this song was!