These Boots Are Made for Walkin' explained

These Boots Are Made for Walkin
Type:single
Artist:Nancy Sinatra
Album:Boots
B-Side:The City Never Sleeps at Night
Released:December 16, 1965
Recorded:November 19, 1965
Studio:United Western, Hollywood[1]
Genre:
Length:2:40
Label:Reprise
Producer:Lee Hazlewood[5]
Prev Title:So Long, Babe
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?
Next Year:1966

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin' is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966,[6] and reached No.1 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart.[5]

Subsequently, many cover versions of the song have been released in a range of styles: metal, pop, rock, punk rock, country, dance, and industrial. Among the more notable versions are the singles released by Megadeth, Billy Ray Cyrus and Jessica Simpson.

Nancy Sinatra version

The song was written by Lee Hazlewood; it was inspired by a line spoken by Frank Sinatra in the comedy-western film 4 for Texas (1963): "They tell me them boots ain't built for walkin'."[7] [8] [9]

Nancy Sinatra's version of the song was released as a single in December 1965,[10] as the second song to be taken from her debut album, Boots (1966), and was a follow-up to the minor hit "So Long, Babe". The song became an instant success and, in late February 1966, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a move it replicated in similar charts across the world.

Billboard described the song as "fine folk-rock material" and praised Sinatra's vocal performance and "the Billy Strange driving dance beat."[11] Cash Box described it as a "funky, slow-shufflin' folk-rocker about a gal who serves notice on her boyfriend that she can't be pushed around."[12]

In 2020, the 1965 recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[13]

Recording

Lee Hazlewood intended to record the song himself, saying that "it's not really a girl's song", but Sinatra talked him out of it, saying that "coming from a guy it was harsh and abusive, but was perfect for a little girl to sing". Hazlewood agreed.[14] Sinatra's recording of the song was made with the help of Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew.[14] This session included Chuck Berghofer on double bass, providing the notable bass line with its quarter-tone descent.[15] The session was held on November 19, 1965, at United Western Recorders in Hollywood, and additionally produced the songs "Foursome" and "The City Never Sleeps at Night".

Promotional film

In the same year, Sinatra recorded a promotional film, which would later be known as the music video, for the song. It was produced for Color-Sonics and played on Scopitone video jukeboxes.[14] The film was directed by choreographer Robert Sidney and was produced by Official Films at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.[16] In 1986, for the song's 20th anniversary, cable station VH1 played the video.

Sinatra told Alison Martino that other videos and performances are from TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullaballoo and Shindig![14] These other videos featured Sinatra wearing an iconic pair of red leather boots.[14]

In popular culture

The song was used by Stanley Kubrick for a scene in his 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, where a South Vietnamese prostitute in a miniskirt propositions a couple of American GIs.[17]

A part of the song was sung by Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers.

The song was featured in the 1997 film .

In Family Guy season eight, episode 18, "Quagmire's Dad", Quagmire's father, Lt. Dan Quagmire used this song to make an entrance when meeting Peter and Joe.

The song was featured in the 2001 film, The Mexican.

In 2006, Pitchfork Media selected it as the 114th best song of the 1960s. Critic Tom Breihan described the song as "maybe the finest bitchy kiss-off in pop history".[18]

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company used portions of the song for its 1960s ad campaign promoting its "wide boots" tires. Nancy Sinatra unsuccessfully sued Goodyear for using the song, claiming that it had violated her publicity rights.[19]

The song was featured in the 2018 film Ocean's Eight.[20]

A portion of the song was used in the 2021 Disney film Cruella.

During the 1993 standoff in Waco, Texas between David Koresh and the FBI, the FBI played Sinatra's recording of the song on a loudspeaker in an attempt to torment Koresh and his followers in hopes they would surrender.[21]

The song was interpolated and sampled on Beyoncé's 2024 Cowboy Carter on the song "Ya Ya."[22]

The Song was covered by Sabrina Carpenter and Kacey Musgraves during Carpenters set at Outside Lands Festival in August 2024.

Track listing

  1. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin – 3:03
  2. "The City Never Sleeps at Night" – 2:54

Personnel

Other personnel, as seen in the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) contracts for the session include:[23]

Despite multiple claims by Wrecking Crew drummer Hal Blaine that he played drums on the track, the contract shows he was not present at the session. Rather, it was Donald "Richie" Frost.[24]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1966)Peak
position
Argentina (CAPIF)[26] 1
Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 7
Canada Top Singles (RPM)1
Denmark (Danish Singles Chart)[28] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[29] 4
France (IFOP)[30] 13
Italy (Italian Singles Chart)3
Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[31] 2
Mexico (Mexican Singles Chart) 3
Netherlands (Dutch Singles Chart)1
New Zealand (RIANZ)1
Norway (VG-lista) 3
Singapore (Radio Singapore)1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[32] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)5
UK Singles (OCC)1
US Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard)1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[33] 2

Year-end charts

Release history

Billy Ray Cyrus version

These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
Type:single
Artist:Billy Ray Cyrus
Album:Some Gave All
Released:[36]
Genre:Country
Length:3:31
Label:Curb
Producer:Joe Scaife, Jim Cotton
Prev Title:Wher'm I Gonna Live?
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:She's Not Cryin' Anymore
Next Year:1993

In 1992, Billy Ray Cyrus covered the song and included it on his debut album, Some Gave All (1992). Later, the cover was included on the compilations De Nationale Voorjaars CD 1993, Alle 40 goed – Country and The Definitive Collection.

Track listing

CD-maxi

  1. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" – 2:48
  2. "Ain't No Good Goodbye" – 3:22
  3. "Could've Been Me" (acoustic mix) – 3:45

Charts

Jessica Simpson version

These Boots Are Made for Walkin
Cover:Jessicasimpson_single_thesebootsaremadeforwalking.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Jessica Simpson
Album:The Dukes of Hazzard
Length:3:41
Label:Columbia
Producer:Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Prev Title:Angels
Prev Year:2004
Next Title:A Public Affair
Next Year:2006

Jessica Simpson recorded her own version of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin (and added her own lyrics) for the soundtrack to the film The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). The version was also included in the international version of her fifth studio album, A Public Affair (2006). Simpson's cover was co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and was released as the soundtrack's first single on June 20, 2005. It became Simpson's fifth top-20 single in the United States,[37] and its music video drew controversy because of its sexual imagery.

Recording and release

Simpson's version of the song is performed from the point of view of her character in The Dukes of Hazzard, Daisy Duke, and it has several major differences from Sinatra's version. The song's lyrics were changed almost completely as Simpson felt that they did not accurately convey the feelings needed for the film; in the original Sinatra dealt with a cheating boyfriend, while in the new version Simpson explored Daisy Duke's personality and experiences. She rewrote the majority of the lyrics herself, although some elements were retained such as the opening line "You keep saying you got something for me..." and the spoken "Are you ready, boots? Start walkin.

Simpson also added some new music to her version of the song. Whereas the original version did not have a bridge, she created one for the cover. A risqué rap-like/spoken breakdown was added after the bridge. Because of the legalities of songwriting, Simpson has not been credited for the new music or lyrics that she wrote. The production of the song was altered as well. Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis gave the cover a country-inspired production because of its relationship to the film The Dukes of Hazzard, but they also added a more hip hop-like beat.

Chart performance

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin peaked at fourteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, and in late 2005 the RIAA certified the single Gold for 500,000 legal downloads or more. Its digital downloads were high, but radio airplay was low. Due to this, it is the song that reached the lowest chart position on the Billboard Hot 100 for a song topping the Hot Digital Songs chart. It reached the top ten on Billboard's Pop 100 chart, and was Simpson's first single to appear on the chart. On July 23, 2005, the song jumped from 8 – 1 on Hot Digital Songs charts in its second week with 43,000 downloads.[38] On December 11, 2006, the single was certified Gold by the RIAA again, this time by Epic Records. In total, the single has received 1 million digital downloads.

Internationally it was a success, reaching top 5 in several European countries. It became her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number two and remained in the top forty for twenty-four weeks. In Ireland, the single also reached number 2. The song also cracked the top five in the United Kingdom, where it reached number four and is to date, her highest peaking single in Britain. It reached the top ten in the chart European Hot 100 Singles, Belgium, and New Zealand and the top twenty in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. As the end of the year 2005, the single had sold 69,500 copies in UK.[39]

Music video

The music video, directed by Brett Ratner, caused controversy because of its sexual imagery.[40] It famously presents "footage of Simpson writhing suggestively in a bikini against a suds-soaked motor vehicle".[41]

Track listing

  1. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin (Radio edit) – 4:10
  2. "With You" (Live from Universal Amphitheater)
  3. "Take My Breath Away" (Live from Universal Amphitheater)
  4. "I Think I'm in Love with You" (Live from Universal Amphitheater)
  5. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin (Video clip)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2005)Peak
position
European Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[42] 7
Greece (IFPI)[43] 18
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[44] 81
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[45] 12

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)Position
Australia (ARIA)[46] 16
Germany (Official German Charts)[47] 98
Ireland (IRMA)!scope="row"Ireland (IRMA)[48] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[49] 78
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[50] 99

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United StatesContemporary hit radioColumbia[52]
United KingdomCD[53]
Australia[54]

Megadeth version

These Boots
Type:song
Artist:Megadeth
Album:Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
Released:June 12, 1985
Recorded:December 1984 – January 1985
Genre:
Label:Combat
Producer:
  • Megadeth
  • Karat Faye

American thrash metal band Megadeth covered the song on their 1985 debut album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, which is track four on the original release and eight on the 2002 re-release. Their version (entitled "These Boots") featured altered lyrics, and was produced more as a parody than a true cover.

When the album started selling well, the writer of the song, Lee Hazlewood, began demanding that the song be omitted, due to its being a "perversion of the original". In the liner notes of the album's 2002 reissue, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine was strongly critical of Hazlewood, noting that he had received royalties for almost ten years before he objected to the altered version.[55] The song was included as a bonus track on that version, with many lyrics censored (mostly Mustaine's variations, but some other lines were also censored for comedic effect). In 2011, an uncensored live version recorded in 1987 was released as part of the 25th anniversary edition of the album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?. In 2018, the song was released with the original Lee Hazlewood lyrics on the remixed and remastered version of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good![58]

In 1987, Megadeth re-recorded the song as part of the soundtrack for Penelope Spheeris' film Dudes, changing the title to "These Boots Are Made for Walkin. This version of the song was the last song the band recorded with Gar Samuelson and Chris Poland,[59] as the two would be kicked out later in the year for their drug habits.[60] (Poland would later record with the band in 1990 and 2003–2004).

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the liner notes of Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!.[61]

Megadeth

Production

2002 remix and remaster

The Final Kill 2018 remix and remaster

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cogan . Jim . Clark . William . Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios . 2003 . Chronicle Books . San Francisco, California, USA . 0-8118-3394-1 . 218.
  2. Web site: Pitchfork Staff . The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s . . August 18, 2006 . “Boots” is maybe the finest bitchy kiss-off in pop history.. October 12, 2022.
  3. Book: Scapelliti, Christopher . Gary . Graff . Daniel . Durchholz . 1998 . MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide . Nancy Sinatra . . Detroit . 1021.
  4. Book: Stanley, Bob . Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Beyond the Blue Horizon: Country and Western. https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7. 13 September 2013. Faber & Faber. 978-0-571-28198-5. 398.
  5. Book: Rice, Jo . 1982 . The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits . 1st . Guinness Superlatives Ltd . Enfield, Middlesex . 98 . 0-85112-250-7.
  6. Music: Top 100 Songs – Billboard Hot 100 Chart . Billboard.
  7. Web site: 'They tell me them boots ain't built for walking. They ain't exactly house slippers' - 4 for Texas quote. November 2022 . clip.cafe.
  8. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2006. October 10, 2007. Record Research. 9780898201727 . Google Books.
  9. Web site: Lee Hazlewood. independent. August 11, 2007 .
  10. Web site: Billboard . December 25, 1965.
  11. News: Billboard. March 8, 2021. December 25, 1965. 16. Spotlight Singles.
  12. CashBox Record Reviews . December 25, 1965 . 104 . January 12, 2022 . Cash Box.
  13. https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#t
  14. Web site: Martino . Alison . January 19, 2016 . Nancy Sinatra Talks "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" on the Eve of Its Golden Anniversary The hit song that inspired a generation of women to start walkin' turns 50 tomorrow . July 5, 2016 . Los Angeles Magazine.
  15. Book: Everett . Walter . Walter Everett (musicologist) . The Foundations of Rock: From "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" . 2009 . Oxford University Press, USA . 978-0-19-531023-8 . 32 . en.
  16. https://nancysinatra.com/blog/2011/01/nancys-color-sonics-films-pioneering-the-music-video-art-form/ "Nancy’s Color-Sonics Films: Pioneering the Music Video Art Form", NancySinatra.com, January 7, 2011
  17. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Full Metal Jacket - Hooker Scene . YouTube. September 3, 2008 .
  18. Web site: The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s . pitchforkmedia.com . March 13, 2011.
  19. Web site: Nancy SINATRA, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. The GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO., an Ohio corporation, Young & Rubicam, Inc., a New York corporation, Defendants-Appellees. - Altlaw. www.altlaw.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20091027142139/http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/882392 . October 27, 2009.
  20. Web site: Ocean's Eight. June 8, 2018. IMDb.
  21. Soundtrack to the Waco siege . Jacobsmeyer . Brian . . April 9, 1993.
  22. Web site: Horowitz . Steven J. . March 28, 2024 . Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': A Deep Dive Into the Featured Artists and Samples — From Shaboozey to 'These Boots Were Made for Walkin" and More. March 28, 2024 . Variety. en-US.
  23. Web site: Phonograph Recording Contract Blank: American Federation of Musicians . Wreckingcrewfilm.com . April 6, 2014.
  24. Boots . Boots_(album) . Hunter . Lea . . 2021 . 10 . booklet . Boots Enterprises, Inc..
  25. Web site: Carol Kaye: my 10 greatest recordings of all time . Bosso . Joe . October 26, 2011 . musicradar.com . Future plc . January 26, 2023 . "That’s Chuck Berghofer on double bass along with me – I’m playing electric bass.".
  26. Book: Billboard. 2002-10-05. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 0006-2510. 30. 2016-10-20.
  27. Hits of the World. Billboard. Google Books. 50. October 22, 1966. June 3, 2021.
  28. Hits of the World. Billboard. Google Books. 36. May 14, 1966. June 3, 2021.
  29. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Nancy Sinatra. 235. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. July 5, 2022. fi.
  30. Web site: TOP – 4 juin 1966. top-france.fr.
  31. Hits of the World. Billboard. Google Books. 46. June 4, 1966. June 3, 2021.
  32. Web site: SA Charts 1965 – March 1989. September 1, 2018.
  33. Hits of the World. Billboard. Google Books. 38. May 28, 1966. June 3, 2021.
  34. Web site: Top 20 Hit Singles of 1965. September 2, 2018.
  35. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1966/Top 100 Songs of 1966 | Music Outfitters. www.musicoutfitters.com.
  36. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 25. November 14, 1992.
  37. Web site: [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=jessica simpson|chart=all}} Jessica Simpson: Singles Chart History ]. billboard.com . August 7, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130509182052/http://www.billboard.com/artist/304557/jessica+simpson/chart . May 9, 2013.
  38. Web site: Billboard. July 23, 2005.
  39. Web site: UK 2005 TOP 200 w/ sales!! . ATRL . March 13, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111003190102/http://atrl.net/forums/showthread.php?t=31737 . October 3, 2011.
  40. Web site: Wilton . Bexx . October 3, 2018 . The truth about Jessica Simpson's personal struggles and rocky career . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181005173640/https://kiwireport.com/the-up-and-down-transformation-of-jessica-simpson/ . October 5, 2018 . October 6, 2020 . Kiwi Report.
  41. Slezak . Michael . July 7, 2008 . What's the worst song cover of all time? . Entertainment Weekly.
  42. European Singles Sales . . September 17, 2005. 61. June 18, 2020 . Eurochart.
  43. Web site: IFPI Greece Top 50 Singles . https://web.archive.org/web/20051127030146/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart03.htm . November 27, 2005 . September 30, 2005 . November 16, 2012.
  44. Web site: will smith-Switch – editia curenta . September 30, 2005 . March 13, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050930092918/http://www.rt100.ro/editia_curenta-will%20smith-Switch.html . September 30, 2005.
  45. Pop 100 . . 117 . 30 . 46 . July 23, 2005.
  46. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005. ARIA. October 14, 2021.
  47. Web site: Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2005. GfK Entertainment. de. February 27, 2012.
  48. Web site: Best of Singles 2005. IRMA. January 22, 2010.
  49. Web site: End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2005. Official Charts Company. May 23, 2021.
  50. Web site: Billboard.BIZ. Billboard.BIZ. March 13, 2011.
  51. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2006. ARIA. October 14, 2021.
  52. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1611. 21. June 17, 2005. May 23, 2021.
  53. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 29. August 27, 2005.
  54. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 5th September 2005. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20050819140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20050820-0000/issue810.pdf. dead. August 19, 2005. ARIA. 29. September 5, 2005. May 23, 2021.
  55. Web site: MEGADETH's 'Killing Is My Business' Digipack LP Miniature CD Available. June 5, 2009. December 27, 2023. Blabbermouth.
  56. Web site: Dream Theater Drummer Mike Portnoy — Your iPod Is Showing. March 1, 2010. November 13, 2021. Noisecreep. Wiederhorn. Jon.
  57. Web site: Five Thrash Covers We Wish Never Happened. June 13, 2019. November 13, 2021. Decibel. Pratt. Greg.
  58. Web site: MEGADETH: KILLING IS MY BUSINESS…AND BUSINESS IS GOOD – THE FINAL KILL REVIEW. Green and Black Music . 20 October 2023 . 11 January 2019.
  59. Web site: Former MEGADETH Members DAVID ELLEFSON And CHRIS POLAND Reunite to Honor the Legacy of Drummer GAR SAMUELSON. Sonic Perspective . March 29, 2023 . January 28, 2022.
  60. Web site: Melek Nur Pervan - . EX-MEGADETH GUITARIST IMPLIES DAVE MUSTAINE IS AN OPPRESSIVE LEADER. Metalhead Zone . October 4, 2023 . September 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211016215346/https://metalheadzone.com/ex-megadeth-guitarist-implies-dave-mustaine-is-an-oppressive-leader/. October 16, 2021.
  61. Book: 2002 . Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! liner notes (2002 reissue) . . 2, 7–8.
  62. Web site: Megadeth THESE BOOTS . Megadeth.com . August 31, 2022.