Toby Keith Only Released a Few Love Songs, but These 3 Are Particularly Romantic

Toby Keith spent more than 30 years as part of country music, a career that was cut too short when he passed away in 2024 from stomach cancer. Although most of the songs Keith released were more partying anthems, he did have a romantic side, which is evident in these three love songs, all written solely by him.

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“You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This”

On his How Do You Like Me Now?! record is “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This”. The 2000 single is one of his few songs that charted on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 as well.

A two-week No. 1 hit for Keith, “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This” is about someone ready to take the relationship to the next level. The song says, “They’re all watchin’ us now / They think we’re falling in love / They’d never believe we’re just friends / When you kiss me like this / I think you mean it like that / If you do baby kiss me again / Kiss me again.”

“Crash Here Tonight”

At first glance, “Crash Here Tonight” might seem like not much more than a song about a casual fling. But “Crash Here Tonight” is actually a sweet love song.

“Crash Here Tonight” begins with, “I almost said I need you / Girl, I shouldn’t go there anymore / Act like I never been in love before / You probably think it’s my first time / Is this what love’s all about / Am I getting in too deep / Wouldn’t want to freak you out / Make a promise I can’t keep / So close your eyes and hum along / And I’ll sing you one more love song / If everything is still alright / Why don’t you just crash here tonight.”

Surprisingly, the song didn’t do well at radio, although Keith says he understands why.

“I’ve been hearing feedback for three years from my promotion staff that they’ve been crying for a love ballad,” Keith tells Telegram & Gazette. “And I thought, ‘Well, hey, here’s a mighty one.’ It’s a song about a good guy treating a woman right for a change. I haven’t done anything like this, and man, they just never got a hold of it. It’s so far off the mark from what I usually do that I just felt ashamed that I even released it. I let myself down by going in that direction and listening to everybody’s advice.”

“Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You”

Out as a single in 1996 on Keith’s Blue Moon album, “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You” is a song about rekindling a relationship that seems to be ending.

An honest admission of making a mistake, something that is uncommon for Keith to sing about, “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You” says, “Does that blue moon ever shine on you / I want to hold you close to me, feel just like it used to be / And baby, if you feel like I do / You can come to me / Does that blue moon ever shine on you.”

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