Riley Green Honors Late Idol Toby Keith in New Song ‘Think as You Drunk’
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The outro of Green’s single features Toby Keith performing his hit “As Good as I Once Was,” recorded before his death in 2024.
Riley Green has released a playful new single that serves as a heartfelt tribute to his late musical hero Toby Keith.
On Friday, May 29, Green dropped “Think as You Drunk,” a track that carries clear echoes of Keith’s well-known drinking anthems. The song also includes a special feature in its closing moments: Keith’s voice performing his 2005 hit “As Good as I Once Was.”
Green told Billboard that he wrote the song in just 20 minutes and that Keith’s influence played a major role in shaping both the sound and spirit of his music. He explained that one of the highest compliments he can give a song is saying it feels like something Keith would have recorded, adding that no artist has had a greater impact on him as a songwriter.
After completing the track, Green and his team shared it with Keith’s management and family. According to Green, they embraced the idea as a fitting tribute and supported the inclusion of Keith’s vocals in the final version.
The recording ultimately features “As Good as I Once Was,” a song Keith once co-wrote with Scotty Emerick. Green noted that his father often joked that the hit felt like it was written about him, making the choice even more meaningful on a personal level.
Green described the collaboration as a full-circle moment, especially since he has frequently performed Keith’s songs during his live shows. The tribute also credits Keith and Emerick alongside Green and his co-writers Jessi Alexander, Erik Dylan, and Wyatt McCubbin.
Originally released in 2005, “As Good as I Once Was” became one of Keith’s signature tracks, topping the country charts and crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached No. 28.