About the Song

Toby Keith, an American country music legend, has crafted a discography filled with anthems about love, loss, and the American way of life. Among his many hits, “Tired” stands out as a poignant ballad that captures the weariness and longing that come with enduring life’s challenges.

Released in 2002, “Tired” was the second single off Keith’s album “Unleashed”. The song quickly resonated with listeners, reaching number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and number two on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It also earned Keith a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

“Tired” is a slow-burning ballad that begins with a gentle acoustic guitar strumming. Keith’s weathered voice enters, carrying the weight of the song’s lyrics. He sings of a man who is worn down by the struggles of life, longing for a place of rest and peace.

The chorus is particularly powerful, with Keith repeating the word “tired” with increasing emphasis. He sings, “I’m tired of the fight, I’m tired of the chase, I’m tired of the heartache, I’m tired of the pain.”* These lyrics capture the universal sentiment of feeling overwhelmed by life’s burdens.

The song’s bridge offers a glimmer of hope, as Keith sings of a “better place” where he can finally find solace. The lyrics are simple but profound, speaking to the human desire for peace and contentment.

“Tired” is a moving ballad that has touched the hearts of millions of listeners. Keith’s sincere vocals and heartfelt lyrics make the song a powerful anthem for those who are feeling weary and lost. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles, and that there is always hope for a brighter future.

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Lyrics: Tired

My name is Jackson, I was named after my father
Followed in his footsteps, down here to this factory
I ain’t complainin’, wouldn’t waste my breath to bother
This work ain’t hard, it’s only borin’ as can beMarried Rebecca back in seventy-seven
I still love her and I guess she loves me too
We go to church on Sundays ’cause we want to go to heaven
Me and my family, ain’t that how you’re supposed to doBut I’m tired, Lord I’m tired
Life is wearin’ me smooth down to the bone
No rest for the weary, ya just move on
Tired, Lord I’m tiredI’ve only missed six days in nigh on twenty years o’ work
The money went to taxes and these bills I’ve paid on time
The raise I got two months ago don’t meet the cost o’ living
Selling my body for these nickels and these dimesThe smell of Becky’s coffee rolled me out of bed this morning
I showered and shaved and dressed and pulled my work boots on
Walked in the kitchen, she was starin’ out the window
The way she said good morning made me ask is something wrong
She said I’m tired, woke up tired
Life is wearin’ me smooth down to the bone
No rest for the weary, ya just move on
I guess you just keep goin’ till your gone
Tired, Lord I’m tired
Tired, Lord I’m tired

 

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Before he ever stepped up to center stage under his own name, Cal Smith spent years standing quietly in the shadows as a sideman, playing guitar behind country legend Ernest Tubb. Born Calvin Shofner in Oklahoma and raised in California, he paid his dues in clubs and on radio before joining the Texas Troubadours in the early 1960s, watching other stars soak up the applause while his own solo ambitions moved at a crawl. By 1972, Smith was well into his late thirties with little more than modest chart placings to show for his efforts. Everything flipped when fellow songwriter Bill Anderson handed him “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking,” a sharp track about a man taking heat from a churchgoer whose own hands weren’t exactly clean. The single struck a nerve, shooting straight to No. 1. The true lightning strike arrived soon after. In December 1973, Smith walked into Bradley’s Barn to lay down Don Wayne’s “Country Bumpkin.” Tracing an ordinary man’s journey through marriage, children, and the devastating loss of his wife, the song packed an entire lifetime into a few poignant verses and climbed to the top of the charts in 1974. The accolades poured in, sweeping Single Record and Song of the Year at the ACM Awards, alongside a CMA Song of the Year honor for the writing. Smith quickly proved he wasn’t a one-hit wonder by following up with another chart-topper, “It’s Time to Pay the Fiddler.” After more than a decade of holding down the rhythm section for everyone else, Cal Smith’s long-delayed moment in the sun finally arrived—forever stamping his voice onto one of the defining country anthems of the 1970s.