Toby Keith‘s “Don’t Let the Old Man In” continues to resonate with audiences. This week, the song jumped from No. 11 to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart, in addition to climbing from No. 19 to No. 3 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart. The song saw a resurgence in popularity after Keith’s performance of the stirring ballad at the inaugural 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards in September where he received the Country Icon Award.
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The song was written solely by Keith and recorded in 2018 for the Clint Eastwood film, The Mule. Keith was inspired to write the song after a conversation he had with Eastwood at a golf tournament about how the then-88-year-old was continuing to make films. “He said, ‘I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in,’ and I thought, ‘I’m writing that,’” Keith told Billboard at the time. “When I finally sang the line, I thought, it’s got to be dark, it’s got to be a ballad and it’s got to be simple.”
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind Toby Keith’s Solemn Ballad “Don’t Let the Old Man In”]
Upon its initial release in 2018, “Old Man” peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The song also appears on Keith’s 2019 compilation album, Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years. Keith’s performance at the People’s Choice Country Awards was one of the few public appearances he’s made since he was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021. He has been undergoing treatment since.
“I feel pretty good, you have good days and bad days, it’s a little bit of a rollercoaster,” he reported on the red carpet at the awards show. “But I’m doing a lot better than I was this time last year…I’ve walked some dark hallways, Almighty’s riding shotgun. I’ve always rode with a prayer and as long as I have Him with me, I’m cool. You just have to dig in, you don’t have a choice.”
The country legend will celebrate his success as a songwriter with 100% Songwriter, his new compilation album of all the hits he penned solo. It’s set for release on November 3.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI
