About The Song
Released on September 27, 2010, “Bullets in the Gun” was first recorded and performed by American singer-songwriter, actor and Oklahoman native Toby Keith. It is the second single from his 2010 album with the same title, Bullets in the Gun. Keith co-penned the song with American country music songwriter Rivers Rutherford. In addition, Keith also co-produced it with American music producers Mills Logan and Kenny Greenberg.
After its release, “Bullets in the Gun” debuted at the country music charts placing at no. 37. Also, it first entered the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 97. The song did not stop there. It then peaked at no. 12 and no. 83 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Billboard Hot 100, respectively in 2010. Moreover, this four-minute song managed to appear on the Billboard Country Songs 2011 year-end charts where it notched the 69th spot.
The song has been well received by fans all over the country upon its release. In fact, “Bullets in the Gun” received a “thumbs up” from Juli Thanki of Engine 145. Thanki praised Keith’s vocals saying,
“Keith’s vocals had nearly tangible bravado.”
On the other hand, Randy Lewis of Los Angeles Times described the song as “cinematic” and moreover, compared it to the classic hit of Marty Robbins, “El Paso.”
As many speculate about the story behind the song, Keith is ready to answer all the queries. On his website, Keith explains the story and inspiration of his hit. He revealed:
“When we started writing this idea, which I’d had for a while, we thought we would do five or six verses and just tag the last line of each verse with ‘bullets in the gun.’ But then we came up with that fantastic chorus, which is just so strong. Growing up in Oklahoma, playing shows in New Mexico and Texas and being around the real cowboy thing, I’ve always been a huge fan of the Wild West. We’ve modernized it here – the guy’s not riding a horse, he’s riding a motorcycle. I never thought it could be a single, but with the response we’ve gotten from radio, it looks like it’s going to be.”
Furthermore, in one of his interviews, Keith enthusiastically spilled the beans on his inspiration in creating the song. He said:
“Rivers Rutherford was on the road with me a year ago in Buffalo, and we were trying to figure out what are we going to do next. I said, ‘I haven’t written a Western themed song in fifteen years. I want to do an attitude song where a drifter, instead of riding a horse, is riding a motorcycle and make it Western theme but bring to modern day time. In the name of love, this drifter in the matter of days meets his soul mate, and she’s wilder and crazier and maybe even meaner than he is. And we wrote with that whole thing in mind. I love this song.”
On the other hand, the co-writer of the song, Rivers Rutherford, also had something to say:
“Toby is such a creative guy. He had that title, and it just sounded something like Willie (Nelson) would have cut. So we tried to write it like a Highwaymen record. We started writing, and it became this mini-movie, an Outlaw story.”
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Lyrics
They used to call me lightening
I was always quick to strike
Had everything I own
In the saddles on my bike
I had a reputation
For never staying very long
Just like a wild and restless drifter
Like a cowboy in a song
I met a dark haired beauty
Where they lay the whiskey down
In southern Arizona
In a little border town
She had to dance for money
In that dusty old saloon
I dropped a dollar in the jukebox
Played that girl a tune, yeah
Never see it comin’
It just hits you by surprise
It’s that cold place in your soul
And the fire in her eyes
Makes you come together
Like wild horses when they run
Now the cards are on the table and
The bullets in the gun
She was sittin’ on my lap
We still had shots to kill
When a man pulled up
Who owned the bar
In a Cadillac Deville
He grabbed her by her raven hair
And threw her on the floor
Said no free ride for the cowboys
That ain’t what I pay you for
She jumped up and grabbed my pistol
Stuck it in the fat man’s back
Said open up the safe
And put your money in the sack
Then tied his hands behind him
And put a blindfolded on his eyes
Said if you’re dumb enough to chase us man
You’re dumb enough to die
Never see it comin’
It just hits you by surprise
It’s that cold place in your soul
And the fire in her eyes
It makes you come together
Like wild horses when they run
Now the cards are on the table and
The bullets in the gun, yeah
We rode across the border
Down into Mexico
When you’re runnin’ from the law
Ain’t that where everybody goes
We came to a town
With a name I couldn’t spell
She gave me what I came for
In that Mexican motel
I woke to the sound of sirens and
The sound of running feet
There were fifty Federales
Locked and loaded in the street
She grabbed my 44
I grabbed the money in the sack
She kissed me for the last time
And we headed out the back
Every gun was on us
And every heartbeat pounded
The only thing that’s left to do
When they got you all surrounded
She fired that old pistol
But we didn’t stand a prayer
Money hit the gravel
Man, bullets filled the air
You never see it comin’
‘Til it hits you by surprise
It’s that cold place in your soul
And the fire in her eyes
Makes you come together
Like wild horses when they run
Now the cards are on the table and
And the bullets in the gun
The bullets in the gun
The bullets in the gun
The bullets in the gun