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About the Song

Toby Keith, a country music icon known for his anthemic songs and bravado, takes a more lighthearted approach with “My List.” Released in 2002 on his album “Pull My Chain,” the song offers a humorous glimpse into the priorities of a laid-back country character.

“My List” isn’t your typical tear-jerking ballad or rowdy party anthem. Instead, it’s a tongue-in-cheek look at the simple pleasures in life. Keith, with his signature gruff charm, sings about the things that truly matter to him: a cold beer, a loyal dog, a truck with a working radio, and of course, “a woman who understands.”

The lyrics, penned by Tim James and Rand Bishop, are filled with playful imagery and relatable experiences. Lines like “don’t need a mansion, just a place to call my own” and “don’t need a fancy car, just one that gets me down the road” capture the essence of small-town values and the importance of finding contentment in the simple things.

The song’s lighthearted tone is further accentuated by the upbeat melody. A catchy guitar riff and a driving rhythm section create a carefree atmosphere, perfectly complementing the laid-back attitude of the lyrics. Keith’s signature vocals add a touch of authenticity, making the list feel genuine and relatable.

Despite its lightheartedness, “My List” offers a subtle message about living a life true to oneself. It celebrates the importance of finding joy in the everyday and prioritizing what truly matters. The song reminds us that happiness doesn’t come from material possessions or chasing grand ambitions, but from appreciating the simple things that bring us comfort and joy.

While not one of Keith’s most critically acclaimed songs, “My List” remains a fan favorite. Its catchy melody, relatable lyrics, and lighthearted humor make it a perfect singalong anthem for a summer afternoon or a night with friends. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life are the simplest ones.Picture background

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Lyrics: My List 

Under an old brass paperweight is my list of things to do today
Go to the bank and the hardware store, put a new lock on the cellar door
I cross ’em off as I get ’em done but when the sun is set
There’s still more than a few things left I haven’t got to yetGo for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It’s time that I make time for that
Wade the shore and cast a line
Look up a long lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin’, that’s the next thing on my listWouldn’t change the course of fate but cuttin’ the grass just had to wait
‘Cause I’ve got more important things like pushin’ my kid on the backyard swing
I won’t break my back for a million bucks I can’t take to my grave
So why put off for tomorrow what I could get done todayLike go for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It’s time that I make time for that
Wade the shore and cast a line
Look up a long lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin’, that’s the next thing on my listRaise a little hell, laugh ’til it hurts
Put an extra five in the plate at church
Call up my folks just to chat
It’s time that I make time for that
Stay up late, then oversleep
Show her what she means to me
Catch up on all the things I’ve always missed
Just start livin’, that’s the next thing on my list

Under an old brass paperweight
Is my list of things to do today

 

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MINNIE PEARL WALKED ONSTAGE AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY FOR 50 YEARS WITH A $1.98 PRICE TAG ON HER HAT — AND THEN ONE NIGHT, SHE JUST COULDN’T ANYMORE. Here’s something most people don’t think about with Minnie Pearl. That price tag hanging off her straw hat? It wasn’t random. Sarah Cannon — that was her real name — created it as a joke about a country girl too proud of her new hat to take the tag off. And audiences loved it so much that it became the most recognizable prop in country music history. For over fifty years, that tag meant Minnie was here, and everything was going to be fun. So imagine what it felt like when she couldn’t put the hat on anymore. In June 1991, Sarah had a massive stroke. She was 79. And just like that, the woman who hadn’t missed an Opry show in decades was gone from the stage. But here’s what gets me. She didn’t die in 1991. She lived another five years after that stroke, mostly out of the public eye, unable to perform, unable to be “Minnie” the way she’d always been. Her husband Henry Cannon took care of her at their Nashville home. Friends visited, but they said it was hard. The woman who made millions of people laugh couldn’t get through a full conversation some days. Roy Acuff, her old friend from the Opry, kept her dressing room exactly the way she left it. Nobody used it. The hat sat there. She passed on March 4, 1996. And what most people remember is the comedy. The “HOW-DEEE” catchphrase. The big goofy grin. What they don’t remember is that Sarah Cannon was also a serious fundraiser for cancer research. Centennial Medical Center in Nashville named their cancer center after her — not after Minnie, after Sarah. She raised millions and rarely talked about it publicly. There’s a story about the very last time Sarah tried to put on the hat at home, months after the stroke, and what her husband said to her in that moment — it’s the kind of detail that makes you see fifty years of comedy completely differently. Roy Acuff kept Minnie Pearl’s dressing room untouched for years after she left — was that loyalty to a friend, or was he holding a door open for someone he knew was never coming back?