Introduction
Released in August 2002, “Who’s Your Daddy?” is the playful second single from Toby Keith’s album Unleashed, co-written and produced with James Stroud under DreamWorks Records
Musically, the song blends country with a hint of bluesy groove, featuring a New Orleans–style piano and a swaggering rock-‘n’-roll rhythm, which Keith described as having “that groove…humorous…about a sugar daddy”
Daddy?” marked Keith’s continued success: it became his sixth consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart (for the week of December 21, 2002) and reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 The song also earned Gold certification for shipping over 500,000 units
The Michael Salomon–directed music video premiered on CMT on September 20, 2002. It features Keith as a wealthy music executive romancing a young singer in a mansion setting, complete with luxury cars—fitting its tongue-in-cheek, sugar-daddy theme .
Critics have praised its clever framing: Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe noted the song’s ironic twist—that the narrator is in fact the “side piece,” reveling in his role with wit and charisma—and gave it a B+ for its entertaining blend of adult humor and self-awareness.
Over time, the song has retained cultural resonance. It was performed in Toby Keith tribute specials, and contemporary artists like Megan Moroney, Riley Green, and Ella Langley have honored its clever storyline and catchy energy