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 4× 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.
Wish I Didn't Know Now
Toby Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never ask you where you've been
I've never called and checked your story,
When you stayed out with all your friends
I've never tried to catch you lyin',
I didn't want to know the truth
I'd rather go on lovin' blind girl,
Than go on lovin' without you
I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I wish I could start this whole thing over again
I'm not sayin' it's you,
You could never be true
I just don't want to know how it ends
You'd still have my heart in the palm of your hands
I'd still look like a fool in front of your freinds
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I've always said what I don't know
Couldn't hurt as bad as leavin' you
Turns out I knew what I was thinkin',
It ain't an easy thing to do,
Well I guess I should be goin'
I sure found out too much to stay,
Please don't say your sorry
I might wait another day
I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I wish I could start this whole thing over again
I'm not sayin' it's you,
You could never be true
I just don't want to know how it ends
You'd still have my heart in the palm of your hands
I'd still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
You'd still have my heart in the palm of your hand
I'd still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
In "Wish I Didn't Know Now," Toby Keith sings about a painful realization of infidelity in a relationship. The song starts by describing a trustful relationship where the singer never questioned or doubted his partner’s whereabouts or plans, even when she was with her friends. The singer loved her blindly, with no need for explanations or justifications. However, everything changes when the singer discovers her partner’s infidelity. He wishes he could go back and continue living in ignorance, without ever knowing the truth. He acknowledges that he could be wrong about it being her fault, but he doesn't want to know the truth - he just wants to continue loving her without knowing the reality of the situation. The song ends with the singer admitting he knows too much to stay and wants to leave, but he’s afraid he might regret it later.
The song's lyrics echo the emotional turmoil that comes with the realization of infidelity in a relationship. The singer's admission that he doesn't want to know the truth highlights the pain and the desperation of the situation. It is a sad reality that, sometimes, ignorance is bliss, and learning the truth can lead to feelings of regret and a desire to go back to not knowing.
Line by Line Meaning
I never ask you where your goin',
I never questioned your whereabouts
I never ask you where you've been
I never asked about your past
I've never called and checked your story,
I never verified your stories
When you stayed out with all your friends
When you hung out with your friends all night
I've never tried to catch you lyin',
I never tried to catch you in a lie
I didn't want to know the truth
I preferred to remain ignorant of the truth
I'd rather go on lovin' blind girl,
I'd rather continue to love you blindly
Than go on lovin' without you
Than lose you and continue living
I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I regret having found out the truth
I wish I could start this whole thing over again
I wish I could go back in time and change things
I'm not sayin' it's you,
I'm not blaming you
You could never be true
It's not in your nature to be honest
I just don't want to know how it ends
I don't want to know how our relationship will end
You'd still have my heart in the palm of your hands
You still have my heart under your control
I'd still look like a fool in front of your friends
I would still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I wish I was still ignorant of the truth
I've always said what I don't know
I've always believed that ignorance is bliss
Couldn't hurt as bad as leavin' you
Not knowing the truth hurts less than leaving you
Turns out I knew what I was thinkin',
It turns out I was right to think that way
It ain't an easy thing to do,
It's not an easy decision to make
Well I guess I should be goin'
I should probably leave now
I sure found out too much to stay,
I've found out too much to continue staying
Please don't say your sorry
Your apologies won't change anything
I might wait another day
I might still give you another chance
You'd still have my heart in the palm of your hand
You still have control over my heart
I'd still look like a fool in front of your friends
I would still be embarrassed in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I wish I could unlearn what I now know
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TOBY KEITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@poohbearsauntie
Rest In Peace, Good Sir.🥀
@erinmsamples1559
😭
@derrickwatson3303
a country legend
@user-bx8pd4qr6y
@@derrickwatson3303legends never die❤
@eileenbenson1294
I only just found out today that Toby Keith passed away Monday, I am so saddened by his loss, I thought he was progressing and the cancer was dormant, I stayed in bed today for awhile, crying over this news, RIP TOBY KEITH, you will be missed by so many. Amen❤
@mariapavlov
Rest in peace 🙏❤️🙏
@keystoneplumber
This loss hit me harder than i thought it would for being someone i never met
@rosemaryjonston8529
Me too.. so darn unfair🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲
@judithmendez-irra3015
Now I understand why people say: :He was so young….” He really was …… so much talent. May he rest in peace 😞
@kathieovercash8414
Same. Broke my heart.