“A Father’s Pride, Framed in Time” He’s worn many hats in his life — country superstar, patriot, rebel — but in this moment, Toby Keith simply stood as a proud dad. Holding the wedding portrait of his daughter, his smile said what words never could: this is what truly matters. Years of touring stages couldn’t compare to standing still for this kind of memory — the kind built on family, love, and legacy. You can feel it in his eyes: a quiet joy, a little nostalgia, and a whole lot of heart. ▶️ Listen to “Love Me If You Can” — because behind every tough guy is a man who fights for the ones he loves most.

Introduction

“Love Me If You Can” is a stirring mid-tempo country ballad performed by Toby Keith and released on June 26, 2007, as the second single from his Big Dog Daddy album. Written by acclaimed country songwriters Chris Wallin and Craig Wiseman, the song became Keith’s 34th Top Ten hit and marked his 16th #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart . Notably, it was his first chart-topping single since founding his own label, Show Dog Nashville, in 2005 .

Musically, “Love Me If You Can” is characterized by its reflective, mid-tempo melody that supports deeply personal and socially conscious lyrics. The song directly addresses the backlash Toby Keith received after his 2002 patriotic anthem “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)” . In this new track, Keith embraces his stance as a “man of [his] convictions,” calling attention to the importance of standing firm in one’s beliefs, even when they provoke controversy. The refrain — “Hate me if you want to / Love me if you can” — underscores his appeal for mutual respect despite divided opinions .

Critically, the song was praised for softening Keith’s image and advocating for civility in public discourse. Reviewer Kevin John Coyne from Country Universe gave the single a “B,” noting its earnest message of agreeing to disagree with dignity and praying for peace, even when war seems necessary .

Accompanying the release was a music video directed by Michael Salomon, debuting on July 3, 2007 . The song made a strong debut, entering the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at No. 42 in the week of June 23, 2007, before rising to the top.

In the context of Toby Keith’s career, “Love Me If You Can” stands as a significant milestone: a self-produced, introspective anthem that reaffirmed his artistic independence and ability to balance conviction with reconciliation.

Video

Lyrics

Sometimes I think that war is necessary
Every night I pray for peace on Earth
I hand out my dollars to the homeless
But believe that every able soul should work
My father gave me my shotgun
That I’ll hand down to my son
Try to teach him everything it means
I’m a man of my convictions
Call me wrong, call me right
But I bring my better angels to every fight
You may not like where I’m going
But you sure know where I stand
Hate me if you want to
Love me if you can
I stand by my right to speak freely
But I worry ’bout what kids learn from TV
And before all of debatin’ turns to angry words and hate
Sometimes we should just agree to disagree
And I believe that Jesus looks down here and sees us
And if you ask him he would say
I’m a man of my convictions
Call me wrong, call me right
But I bring my better angels to every fight
You may not like where I’m going
But you sure know where I stand
Hate me if you want to
Love me if you can
I’m a man of my convictions
Call me wrong, call me right
But I bring my better angels to every fight
You may not like where I’m going
But you sure know where I stand
Hate me if you want to
Love me if you can