She Never Cried in Front of Me

Album: That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy (2008)
Charted: 42
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The male narrator in this song of melancholy regret is claiming he's ready to move on now that his ex is marrying another man. However he can't help thinking that if only she would have cried in front of him to show how pained she was, maybe he'd have changed his ways and they'd still be together.
  • This was written by Keith together with Bobby Pinson. The duo also wrote Keith's single "She's A Hottie." Among the other songwriting credits Pinson has is "Want To" and "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland and "We Weren't Crazy" by Josh Gracin.
  • Toby Keith credited Pinson, who also co-wrote several other songs on the album, with inspiring him to develop his songwriting. He explained to Billboard magazine: "He just talks differently and he's real inspiring for me to write with. He just says things differently, his choices of words and everything, and he sees the world through a different set of eyes. He came out here on the road and we hit it off right off the bat. He really inspires me to want to write more."
  • Toby Keith told the story of this song on the press release for That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy: "We (Toby Keith and Bobby Pinson) were at my house; first thing I've ever written on a piano. Everything I've ever recorded I've written on guitar. We had this idea and were playing it in my office on guitars and he said, 'I need to borrow your piano a minute.' So we went in and sat at the piano. He started playing and as we wrote it, the song took on a whole different approach. By the time we were done it had an old rock anthem ballad, Journey kind of feel. After I recorded it I had three different people call me and say it reminded them of Coldplay, which I know nothing about. I couldn't tell you one of their songs. But we'd have never recorded it that way if we'd written it on guitar."

Comments: 1

  • Kylee from Hartford, CtThanks for the infomation. I found this song on itunes and put it on my ipod and I have been trying to find out who he was talking about. This information helps a lot!!!!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

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

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.