Introduction:
“Beer For My Horses” is a 2003 country song performed by Toby Keith featuring Willie Nelson. It was released as the fourth single from Keith’s 2002 album Unleashed. Co-written by Toby Keith and his frequent collaborator Scotty Emerick, the song blends a catchy tune with a nod to old-fashioned justice, capturing a mix of outlaw imagery and humorous storytelling.
The collaboration marked the first time Keith and Nelson worked together, resulting in a highly celebrated partnership. The song’s title originates from an old expression used in cowboy culture, referring to camaraderie and shared victory. Upon its release, “Beer For My Horses” became a massive hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, where it stayed for six weeks. This achievement gave Nelson his first number-one hit in 14 years and made him, at age 70, the oldest artist to top the country charts at the time.
The music video for “Beer For My Horses” features a crime-solving narrative where Keith and Nelson play detectives. This creative approach earned the video the ACM Award for Video of the Year in 2003. The song’s popularity later inspired a feature film of the same name, released in 2008, which starred Toby Keith alongside Willie Nelson and other actors.
The track has been celebrated as a classic of modern country music, highlighting the unique chemistry between the two artists and their ability to connect with audiences through humor, storytelling, and traditional country themes.
Video:
Lyrics:
“Beer For My Horses”
Willie man, come on, six o’clock news
Said somebody’s been shot, somebody’s been abused
Somebody blew up a building
Somebody stole a car
Somebody got away
Somebody didn’t get too far, yeah
They didn’t get too far[Willie Nelson:]
Grandpappy told my pappy back in my day, “Son,
A man had to answer for the wicked that he done.”
Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree,
Round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street
For all the people to see
[Toby Keith and Willie Nelson:]
That justice is the one thing you should always find
You gotta saddle up your boys
You gotta draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing, “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”
[Toby Keith and Willie Nelson:]
We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
Too much corruption and crime in the streets
It’s time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send ’em all to their maker and he’ll settle ’em down
You can bet he’ll settle ’em down
‘Cause justice is the one thing you should always find
You gotta saddle up your boys
You gotta draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon
And we’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing, “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”
“Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”
Justice is the one thing you should always find
You gotta saddle up your boys
You gotta draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon
And we’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing, “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”
Singing, “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”