If you are a fan of country music, you might be familiar with the song “I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith. It is one of his most popular and successful songs, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 2003. But do you know the story behind the song and what inspired Keith to write it?
According to Wikipedia, Keith wrote this song with his friend and fellow songwriter Scotty Emerick. They were inspired by a bar they visited in Syracuse, New York, where they saw a diverse crowd of people having fun and enjoying themselves. They decided to write a song that celebrates the bar culture and the sense of community it creates.
The song describes various characters that frequent the bar, such as bikers, yuppies, college kids, soldiers, and farmers. Keith sings about how he loves the bar for its atmosphere, music, drinks, and friendly staff. He also mentions some of the features of the bar, such as a jukebox, a dance floor, a pool table, and a big TV screen.
The song’s title also inspired a chain of restaurants owned by Keith named Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. The restaurants feature live music, memorabilia, and southern-style food. The first one opened in 2005 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and since then more than 20 locations have been opened across the US.
You can listen to the song on Spotify or watch the official music video on YouTube. You can also read more about the meaning behind the song on this website. If you love this song as much as Toby Keith loves this bar, you might want to check out his other hits from his album Shock’n Y’all, such as “American Soldier” and “Beer for My Horses”.
See alsoAnnie’s Song by John Denver
Actress Quinta Brunson Is Upset With ‘No Black Characters’ On Friends
The conversation around diversity has been intensifying lately, making everyone think about its importance in all areas of life. One recent topic of discussion? The iconic 90s sitcom Friends.
Quinta Brunson, known for her role in Abbott Elementary, recently pointed out Friends for its lack of diversity. While hosting Saturday Night Live, Brunson used her monologue to highlight the absence of Black characters in the beloved show.
Brunson contrasted the diversity on Abbott Elementary, which features the lives of teachers in a predominantly Black, state-funded elementary school in Philadelphia, with the noticeable lack of diversity on Friends. The difference was strikingly evident.
With her well-known wit, she joked: “I wanted to be on SNL back in the day, but the audition process seemed long – so instead, I just created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys, and then got asked to host. So much easier, so much easier.”
While the audience chuckled, the underlying point was clear. Brunson continued, “It’s a network sitcom like, say, Friends. Except, instead of being about a group of friends, it’s about a group of teachers. Instead of New York, it’s in Philadelphia, and instead of not having Black people, it does.”
Her playful commentary sparked serious reflection, even from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman. Kauffman has publicly expressed embarrassment over the show’s lack of diversity and pledged $4 million to support African and African-American studies at a university.
“I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years,” Kauffman admitted. “Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It’s painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know better 25 years ago.”
She added, “It took me a long time to begin to understand how I internalized systemic racism. I’ve been working really hard to become an ally, an anti-racist. And this seemed to me to be a way that I could participate in the conversation from a white woman’s perspective.”
The discussion around diversity is far from over, but it’s clear that the conversation has advanced—even for a cherished sitcom like Friends.
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