“Don’t Let The Old Man In” And The Story Behind The Song

Toby Keith’s Emotional Performance Of “Don’t Let The Old Man In” At The People’s Choice Country Awards Was One Of The Most Powerful Television Moments We’ve Seen In Recent Years.

In honor of Toby Keith and his incredible career, we wanted to share some of our favorite moments. While Toby was battling cancer for the last 2 years, the 62-year-old took the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House and performed this.

He looked more tired than usual, and thinner, but his voice was clear and extremely strong. Many consider “Don’t Let The Old Man In” to be Toby’s best song he ever wrote.

After his People’s Choice Country Awards performance, the song jumped to the top of the iTunes country chart. It also brought a lot of new people to learn about the story behind the song.

So, let’s take a look at the story behind “Don’t Let The Old Man In”.

The Inspiration Behind “Don’t Let The Old Man In”

Back in 2017, Toby Keith was at a charity golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California, where he ended up being paired up with Clint Eastwood.

On that day, Eastwood told Keith that he was about to start filming a movie called The Mule. Toby was surprised and in awe of the 88-year-old still full of energy and his desire to keep working.

Toby asked Clint how he does it and was inspired by the response.

“He said, ‘I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in,’” Keith recalled. “And I thought, I’m writing that.”

In 2018, Toby revealed to Billboard his fixation on crafting a song inspired by Eastwood’s words.

“People were talking to me and they would say, ‘Did you hear what I just said?’ And I was like, ‘No,’ because I wasn’t listening to any conversations. I was consumed by ‘Don’t Let the Old Man In.’ I worked so hard on it,” Keith says. “When I finally sang the line, I thought, it’s got to be dark, it’s got to be a ballad and it’s got to be simple.”

When Toby finished the song, he recorded a demo to send to Clint Eastwood as a gift. Toby wasn’t feeling well, the day he recorded the demo, but recorded it anyway with the intention of re-recording a better version later. But, that didn’t happen. Clint loved the “sick and tired and dark” sound of Toby’s vocals on the demo and called the singer less than an hour after hearing it.

“He said, ‘I’ve got a spot in the movie and I’m putting it in there.’ And then Warner Bros. called asking did I read the script before I wrote this song because it fits perfectly,” Toby said.

The country star told SiriusXM that he had no idea what the movie was about when he wrote “Don’t Let The Old Man In.” He initially penned it as a present for Eastwood, thus he was surprised upon discovering their interest in featuring it in the film.

Clint Eastwood included “Don’t Let The Old Man In” in the closing credits of The Mule.

Story Of The Mule

“The Mule,” released in 2018, portrays the life of Leo Sharp, a World War II veteran who worked as a drug runner for the cartel for a decade. Sharp, an acclaimed horticulturist, faced financial ruin when the internet led to the closure of his business, causing him to lose his home. Driven by desperation, he turned to drug trafficking. While the movie focuses on his short stint in this illegal trade, in reality, he served as one of the cartel’s top couriers for a decade.

At the age of 90, he was apprehended and received a three-year prison sentence. However, he was released after serving just one year, as his health was deteriorating, and he regained freedom in 2015. A year later, at 92, he peacefully passed away.

Willie Nelson’s Version Of “Don’t Let The Old Man In”

In 2020, Willie Nelson included the song in his 70th studio album, “First Rose of Spring”. Producer Buddy Cannon was captivated by Willie’s voice for the track, describing it as “the best song Toby Keith’s ever written..”

Nelson agreed, telling The Sun that he wanted to record the song as soon as he heard it.

“I really love that song. (Country star) Toby Keith, a friend of mine, wrote it and as soon as I heard it, I said, ‘Wait a minute, I’ve got to record this song’.” Nelson said, adding that one of the song’s lines hit him especially hard.

“There’s one line in there that really flipped me out – ‘Many moons I have lived and my body’s withered and worn but how old would I feel if I didn’t know the day I was born?’” the singer said. “I feel like that line.”