Tough Guys

Album: Bare Feet (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • There's some double meaning in this song, which finds Caroline Jones holding her own with the boys, something she had to do to be taken seriously in the world of country music. These are tough guys, but it's also tough, guys, if they feel threatened by Jones.
  • Jones writes and co-produces her own songs; "Tough Guys" is one she really identifies with. "It's a statement of stubborn individualism, and I would say that speaks to me a lot as I've built my life and my career in unconventional ways that allow me to have creative freedom and march to the beat of my own drummer," she told Songfacts. "That's something I really stand for and that's a message in a lot of my music even when it's not a lyrical message in my music. It's kind of a buried or blended message in my production or in my instrumentation in ways where I'll blend things that are unconventional."
  • This was part of Caroline Jones' debut album, Bare Feet, which she produced with Ric Wake and recorded in Palm Beach, Florida. Wake produced most of Taylor Dayne's hits and has worked with Whitney Houston, Dixie Chicks and Celine Dion.
  • "Tough Guys" is a great live stomper that has served Jones well as an opening act for Jimmy Buffett, Zac Brown Band and Kenny Chesney. Buffett and Chesney can be heard backing Jones on her track "Gulf Coast Girl."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Chris Isaak

Chris IsaakSongwriter Interviews

Chris tells the story of "Wicked Game," talks milkshakes and moonpies at Sun Records, and explains why women always get their way.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.