Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

From Father to Son: Inside Gary Allan’s “Tough Little Boys”

Tough Little Boys + Gary Allan
Arden Lambert
by
  • Arden Lambert covers breaking country music news for Country Thang Daily.
  • His beat includes today’s biggest stars, award shows, new music, tours, and the headlines fans are talking about.
  • If it just happened in country music, Arden is on it.
Get Country Thang Daily first on GoogleGet CTD first on GoogleAdd us as a preferred source in Top StoriesAdd us as a preferred sourceAdd

Accompanied by the mellow piano and violin strings, Gary Allan touched everyone’s hearts when he released one of his top songs, “Tough Little Boys.” As soon as it debuted on June 28, 2003, it landed on the 45th spot on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs. The song peaked at the no. 1 spot for two weeks in October of 2003, making it his 2nd hit that topped the country charts.

“Tough Little Boys,” written by Don Sampson and Harry Allen, is a country song about how men are viewed as tough but become vulnerable, even emotional, when their children come into the picture.

RELATED: 10 of Gary Allan’s Best Songs of All Time

The song’s first verse tells about the bravery of men: how they would stand up to a fight and never back down, how they would face their fears and ultimately conquer them, and how they would shrug off the pain, forget about it, and smile despite the pain they’re going through. 

Men are often portrayed as having tough shells and unbreakable walls, but when they see someone they love who completely changed their lives, they let their walls down and open themselves emotionally. Gary Allan‘s “Tough Little Boys” perfectly embodies this thought.

The second verse represents the separation anxiety that dads (and moms, too) can experience once their children start growing up. It isn’t easy to see your kids grow up. You’ve spent too much time taking care of them and treating them like princes and princesses only to see them achieve goals on their own. 

RELATED: 15 Country Songs About Dads To Honor The Hardworking Man of The House

In connection to the lines of the third verse, no matter how rugged or strong you are, you always have a weakness. And that weakness would be your sweet, little child whom you will protect and love for the rest of your life.

Gary Allan’s “Tough Little Boys” is the perfect song to describe a father’s love for his child. With over 10 million views since the premiere of its music video on YouTube, people are commenting how “relatable,” “true,” and “beautiful” the song is. Others are sharing how it struck them emotionally and made them reminisce about their relationships with their dads, and dads looking back on their memories with their beloved children.

Take a break with your dad (or mom) and listen to Allan’s heartwarming song here.

From Father to Son: Inside Gary Allan’s “Tough Little Boys”

Know someone who loves Gary Allan?

Pass this story along to your friends and family on Facebook.

Share on Facebook

Latest Stories

Kid Rock Felt Called to Record His First Christian Album and He Went All In on Jesus

The song came to him in the middle of the night. Everything else followed from there. Kid Rock announced Halfway 2 Jesus, the first Christian album of his career, arriving ...

Kid Rock and Eminem Chose Friendship Over Politics and Reunited on His Christian Album

Kid Rock dropped the tracklist for his first Christian album on Thursday, October 1, and one name on it stopped people cold. Track three is called “7 Sins,” and it ...

Dolly Parton Day Is Here With Book Drives, Sparkle, and a Lot of Giving Across the Country

Somewhere in Ohio, a small charity asked people for 925 donations of $9.25 each. They blew past it and funded free books for 1,110 kids. That is what September 25 ...

Dolly Parton’s Nephew Who Announced Her Death Was Reportedly Fired From Guarding Her Properties

Three weeks after Bryan Seaver stood in front of a camera to tell the world his aunt had died, he was reportedly told to hand over the keys. Seaver, the ...

The CMA Will Honor Dolly Parton With a Two-Hour Live Special on October 21

Dolly Parton wrote the most famous goodbye song in American music. Now, country music is using it to say goodbye to her. The Country Music Association announced it will honor ...

Reba Wore Dolly Parton’s Rhinestone Earrings and Butterfly Ring During Her Emmys Tribute

The first time Reba McEntire ever saw Dolly Parton in person, Dolly was covered in rhinestone butterflies. McEntire has told the story more than once. She was backing up against ...

Sally Field Called Dolly Parton an Angel on Earth in Her Emmys Tribute Speech

Sally Field worked with Dolly Parton on one movie in 1989. She spent the next thirty-seven years loving her anyway. Field introduced the Dolly Parton tribute at the 78th Primetime ...

Reba McEntire Sang “Appalachian Memories” for Dolly at the Emmys and Got Emotional at the End

Forty-three years ago, Dolly Parton stood on the Emmy stage and sang a song she wrote about her daddy and the mountains that raised her. On Monday night, her friend ...

A Massive Dolly Parton Mural Went Up on a Fort Worth Honky-Tonk and People Keep Pulling Over

His daughter took the news hard, so he went and found a wall. Juan Velazquez saw how Dolly Parton’s death hit his daughter and decided he wanted to honor her. ...

Jennifer Nettles Honored the 9/11 Victims With Vince Gill’s Go Rest High on That Mountain

Vince Gill wrote that song for his own dead. On Friday, Jennifer Nettles sang it for nearly three thousand of them. Nettles performed “Go Rest High on That Mountain” at ...