“Happy Birthday America” by Toby Keith
Whereas Toby Keith’s “Happy Birthday America” is to some degree political and being relayed by a White male country musician, let it be known that Keith is not a Republican. Nor does he appear a Confederate sympathizer or anything like that, as some may presume, all surface facts considered.
Rather Keith is a patriot in the truest sense of the word, being a known supporter of both Democrats and Republicans in times past. But in more recent times things have changed, and he’s become woefully pessimistic in terms of America’s future.
Lyrics of “Happy Birthday America”
The first verse refers to the greatness of American history, specifically within the context of the two World Wars. The United States emerged victorious from both, most notably the latter.
In fact Keith tersely points out that if not for America’s intervention in said conflict, “France would just be a part of Germany now”. And those who are actually learned in what went down during WWII can attest to the fact that verily for a moment there, Germany had more or less bested its southwestern neighbor. But the inferred point would also read like the United States being a superpower has allowed entire nations to remain free.
Thus it bothers the vocalist, as revealed in the second verse, that now many of America’s own citizens have turned against her. Indeed they’re burning their country’s flag on the streets, so on and so forth. In fact, it would appear that they detest their homeland more so than any other place on Earth.
Who are you going to call when trouble comes?
And whereas it might seem strange to be talking about WWII one moment and civil protests in 2020 the next, it seems that Keith makes the connection at the beginning of the third verse. And what he is asking these individuals is who are they going to call if they too find themselves in trouble like France during the 1940s?
In other words, the singer perceives America as being a heroic nation. So if it does actually go down, as such people, then the world at large is going to be more vulnerable to tyranny. But the persistence of such individuals has Toby believing that America’s ‘days as being numbered’.
Indeed he has concluded that unless God Himself intervenes, such is exactly what’s bound to happen given its current trajectory.
Keith isn’t talking about America’s Destruction in a Literal Way
And concerning said trajectory, all things considered it doesn’t appear as if Keith is talking about America being destroyed literally. Rather what he is referring to is the ideologies which have defined the nation, if you will, being torn asunder by internal forces.
And on the surface yes, he is referring to protesters, rioters or others who are wildin’ out in such regard on the streets. But of course some unknown dudes burning a flag on CNN wouldn’t be enough to bring down one of the greatest nations of history.
So we can conclude that Keith is also concerned about more-powerful figures also who desire America’s undoing, who he refers to as “the left” in the bridge. And as for their opponents, “the right”, ultimately they’re not much help in the matter anyway. So for instance when Toby does go to vote, as is his patriotic duty, he feels as if he is choosing between “the lesser of two evils” as opposed to the best candidate per se.
And no, this does not contradict what has been put forth in the first verse, as it has been the last “18 months” in particular that really inspired him to drop this song. So if nothing else, we can conclude that who he has an issue with politically would be the present US President, Joe Biden, as well others who are currently in power on both sides of the coin.
Indeed many people, including apparently Toby Keith, feel that President Biden and his cohorts are both directly and indirectly leading the country into a type of social organization that it has never experienced before. But in the name of trying to be terse ourselves, we won’t even go there.
Meaning of “Happy Birthday America
Meanwhile, it is said that Toby wrote this song on the 4th of July, 2020. Said holiday is to commemorate the “birthday” of America, with the country’s Declaration of Independence from the British Empire being signed on 4 July 1776.
So the vocalist is wishing the nation a “happy birthday”, as if it were a person. And the reason he is appreciative for being a resident citizen of the United States is the “freedom” (as implied by the Declaration of Independence itself) such affords.
And being that this right is indeed extended to all of America’s people, that has the vocalist wondering why some of his countrymen are so fiercely unpatriotic.
Toby Keith
Toby Keith is a musician who has been professionally active since the early-1990s. It appears that his professional heyday was back in the aughts, during which time he dropped eight albums (including one compilation) that reached the pinnacle of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. During that time he also had 15 chart-topping singles.
Concerning Keith’s political history, he publicly supported Barack Obama, a Democrat, when he was in office. Prior to that, he endorsed George W. Bush, a Republican’s, reelection. Additionally he performed for Trump, another Republican, during his pre-inauguration in 2017. Furthermore, the Donald granted Toby a National Medal of Arts award in 2021.
And to note in 2008 the singer also helped promote one of Al Gore’s, a Democrat, climate change initiatives.
Credits for “Happy Birthday America
“”Happy Birthday, America” was written by Toby Keith, who also co-produced the track. And in the latter regard he worked with Kenny Greenberg.
This song was released as a standalone single on 30 June 2021.
NOTE
As alluded to earlier, France was occupied by Germany during World War II. Or more specifically the country was split in two. And the northern half, which was more or less run by Nazis, was referred to as Vichy France.
So the general implication of what transpired historically is that if the Allies, led by America, had lost the war, then Germany would have taken over the entirety of France.
