Toby Keith – Take A Look At My Heart

Ah, Toby Keith, a name synonymous with American country music for over three decades. Now, when you think of Keith, mind you, you probably conjure images of rowdy anthems, flag-waving patriotism, and that unmistakable, gravel-laced voice belting out tales of working-class grit and small-town pride. But Toby Keith, the Oklahoma native, is a man of more than one shade.

Released in 2021 on his album Peso in My Pocket, Take A Look At My Heart showcases a different side of the country music icon. This isn’t the arena-filling singalong you might expect. Take A Look At My Heart is a slow-burning ballad, a contemplative look into the soul of a man who’s seen a bit of life. Here, Keith trades in his signature electric guitar for a more acoustic sound, a bed of strummed chords and a touch of melancholy fiddle weaving a tapestry of experience.

The song itself is a collaboration between Keith and two other songwriting giants: the revered John Prine, a folksy poet laureate of the American heartland, and John Mellencamp, another Midwestern legend known for his working-class anthems and introspective ballads. This powerhouse trio behind the scenes hints at the depth Take A Look At My Heart aspires to reach.

Peso in My Pocket, the album Take A Look At My Heart finds itself on, wasn’t a chart-topping juggernaut like some of Keith’s earlier works. It wasn’t meant to be. This album, produced by Kenny Greenberg alongside Keith himself, is a return to roots, a project driven by artistic exploration rather than commercial ambition. Take A Look At My Heart reflects this perfectly. It’s a song that unfolds slowly, demanding your attention rather than grabbing it.

So, if you’re looking for a Toby Keith fix of good ol’ boy bravado and arena-ready riffs, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you’re curious about the man behind the larger-than-life persona, the one with a weathered soul and stories to tell, then Take A Look At My Heart might surprise you. It’s a testament to the versatility of Toby Keith, a song that proves even the loudest voices sometimes have something softer, something more personal, to say.