These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
Single by Nancy Sinatra
from the album Boots
B-side "The City Never Sleeps at Night"
Released February 22, 1966
Format 7" single
Recorded November 19, 1965
Western Recorders
Hollywood, California, United States
Genre Pop rock, rock n' roll
Length 2:42
Label Reprise
Writer(s) Lee Hazlewood[1]
Producer(s) Lee Hazlewood[2]
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Nancy Sinatra singles chronology
"So Long, Babe"
(1965)		 "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
(1966)		 "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?"
(1966)

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by Nancy Sinatra. It was released on February 22, 1966, and hit No. 1 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Subsequently, many cover versions of the song have been released in a range of styles: metal, pop, rock, punk rock, country, dance, and industrial. Loretta Lynn, Jessica Simpson, Kon Kan, Geri Halliwell, The Residents, Megadeth, Cold Snap, Jewel, Operation Ivy, Parquet Courts, and KMFDM also released covers of the song. Leningrad Cowboys titled their version "These Boots", and released a video of the song, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.

Nancy Sinatra version

Recording

Nancy Sinatra was encouraged by Lee Hazlewood to sing the song as if she were "a sixteen-year-old girl who fucks truck drivers."[3][4][5] Sinatra's recording of the song was made with the help of Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew.[6] This session included Hal Blaine on drums, Al Casey, Tommy Tedesco, and Billy Strange on guitars, Ollie Mitchell, Roy Caton and Lew McCreary on horns, Carol Kaye on electric bass, and Chuck Berghofer on double bass, providing the notable bass line.

According to Carol Kaye, "Arranger Billy Strange believed in using the two basses together. Producer Lee Hazlewood asked Chuck to put a sliding run on the front of the tune. Chuck complied by playing notes about three tones apart (4-6 frets apart), but Lee stopped the take. 'No Chuck, make your sliding notes closer together', and that is what you hear."

According to Al Casey, "Well, Lee and I had been friends forever, and he said, 'I've got this song I'm working on, and I want the guitar to play this.' And he showed me, because there's a little bit more than banging on an 'E-chord', which is what most people do. There's more to it than that. He said, 'I want you to do this on the song,' and he sang the song and played the rhythm guitar lick, and I went 'Oh, that's cute!', little suspecting it was gonna be huge."

Nancy Sinatra would later record one of Don Lanier's songs on her 1969 album Nancy. Nick Bonney was the guitarist for the Nelson Riddle Orchestra.

Personnel

Other personnel, as seen in the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) contracts for the session include:[7]

Release

The second single taken from her debut album Boots, and follow-up to the minor hit "So Long, Babe," the song became an instant success. In late February 1966, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a move it replicated in similar charts across the world.

When the single was first released, some thought it had to do with the subway strike in New York.

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 by Color-Sonics, and played on Scopitone video jukeboxes.[6] In 1986, for the song's twentieth 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![6]

The videos featured Sinatra wearing an iconic pair of boots.[6]

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".[8]

The song was used in a number of ways related to the Vietnam War:

Goodyear Tire and Rubber 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.[9]

In the 1997 film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the Fembots were introduced to the strains of the opening and closing notes of the song.

The song is played over the opening credits of the 1999 film Crazy in Alabama.

The song is mentioned by title in The Stone Roses' 1989 song "Fools Gold" ("These boots were made for walking/The Marquis de Sade don't wear no boots like these").

Episode 1 of the 2004 BBC miniseries Blackpool featured the Sinatra recording, accompanied on screen by the singing and dancing of the characters, as part of the story.

The song was covered by Barry Adamson with vocals by Anita Lane for the 1991 film Delusion.

The song is featured in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode #9.24 "All In", air date May 14, 2009.

The song also is featured in Are You There, Chelsea? episode 11 ("Boots", March 21, 2012).

The song is also featured in the Family Guy episode, "Quagmire's Dad".

The song was parodied in Pizza Hut ads starring Jessica Simpson and Miss Piggy ("These bites are made for poppin', and that's just what they'll do; once of these days these bites are gonna pop right into you.")

The song's lyrics were varied in the computer game Spy Fox 2: "Some Assembly Required", in a scene where villain Napoleon LeRoach has ordered spit-roasted boot bernaise (an entree in the shape of the boot). ("This boot was made for eating." "And that's just what I'll do!" "Pretty soon that boot is going to be inside of you.")

The song is featured on the video game series Just Dance 2016.

Charts

Chart (1966) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 1
Ireland (IRMA) 1
Italian Singles Chart 3
New Zealand (RIANZ) 1
UK Singles Chart[2] (OCC) 1
US Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard) 1

Geri Halliwell version

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
Promotional single by Geri Halliwell from the album Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Released February 1, 2000 (2000-02-01)[10]
Format Promo CD
Genre Pop
Length 3:03
Label EMI, Maverick
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie track listing

"I'm Telling You This"
(8)		 "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
(9)		 "Chuckie Chan"
(10)

British singer-songwriter Geri Halliwell recorded her own version of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for the soundtrack to the film Rugrats in Paris: The Movie. The song was released on February 1, 2000 to promote previously the film.[10] It was also included as a B-Side in her single Bag It Up, ranking number one in the UK charts.

Live performances

Halliwell performed the song in Casa Milà in July 2000, and again in Oman in November 2001.

Track listing

  1. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" – 3:03
  2. "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" – 2:19

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United Kingdom[10] February 1, 2000 Promotional single — digital download EMI, Maverick

Jessica Simpson version

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
Single by Jessica Simpson
from the album The Dukes of Hazzard Original Soundtrack
Released May 26, 2005 (US)
August 29, 2005 (UK)
Format Digital download, digital maxi single
Genre Country pop, dance-pop
Length 4:10 (radio edit)
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Lee Hazlewood; Jessica Simpson (additional; uncredited)
Producer(s) Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Certification Gold (RIAA
Platinum ARIA)
Jessica Simpson singles chronology
"Angels"
(2004)		 "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
(2005)		 "A Public Affair"
(2006)
Music video
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" at VEVO.com

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). Simpson's cover was co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and was released as the soundtrack's first single in 2005. It became Simpson's fifth top-twenty single in the United States, and its music video drew some controversy because of its sexual imagery.[11][12]

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.

In an interview with GAC Nights, Jessica stated that her record label did not want to promote the song because of its country feel, even though the song is more pop than country. She said that she told the label "It's a great song and Willie Nelson's on it with me" and she said the label told her pop radio wouldn't understand that importance.

CD single

  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)

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's 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 11 December 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.[13]

Music video

The video, directed by Brett Ratner, has caused some controversy because of its sexual imagery. Mostly having to do with Jessica shaking her rear to numerous men and rubbing her rear against a man's crotch. The scene was well-publicized, with Simpson admitting to the public and the media that she went on the South Beach Diet to achieve her well-toned look in the video. Because of its sexual imagery, the music video is banned in all Middle Eastern and North African nations except Algeria, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey. In Malaysia, it was eventually edited with some of the scenes removed.

It was parodied as "The Dukes Are Not Worth Watching" by MADtv, with Nicole Parker portraying Simpson.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2005) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 12
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[16] 14
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[17] 10
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[18] 29
European Hot 100 Singles[19] 7
Germany (Media Control AG) 17
Greece (IFPI)[20] 18
Ireland (IRMA)[21] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 27
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 10
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[25] 81
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[26] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 16
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[28] 4
Ukraine (FDR Charts)[29] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 14
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 34
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[32] 35
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[33] 12

Year end charts

Country Position
Australia (ARIA) (2005)[34] 16
Australia (ARIA) (2006)[35] 85
German Singles Chart[36] 131
Ireland (IRMA)[37] 19
UK Singles Chart[38] 78
US Hot Digital Songs[39] 60
US Pop 100[40] 99

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[41] Platinum 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] Gold 5,000*
United States (RIAA)[43] Gold (Columbia)
Gold (Epic)		 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Versions

  1. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Soundtrack version) – 4:10
  2. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Original version) – 3:35
  3. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Radio edit) – 4:10
  4. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Instrumental) – 3:35
  5. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Scott Storch Mix) – 4:43
  6. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (E-Smoove Vocal Mix) – 6:59
  7. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Bimbo Jones Vocal Club Mix) – 6:00
  8. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) – 3:14
  9. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Bimbo Jones Dub) – 6:03
  10. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Ed n' Richie Club Mix) – 5:16
  11. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Gomi & Escape's Club Mix) – 9:05
  12. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Gomi & Escape Mix) – 9:03
  13. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Gomi & Escape's Dub) – 6:13

Other versions

Megadeth version

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 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". Megadeth guitarist and frontman Dave Mustaine made the point that Hazlewood had been paid royalties for years before he made the complaint, although Mustaine eventually omitted the song anyway from newer pressings of the album. When the album was remixed in 2002, a censored version of the song was included as a bonus track. 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?.

Dika Newlin version

In the 1995 documentary film Dika: Murder City, the 74-year-old Dika Newlin, dressed in leather and backed by the band Apocowlypso, performed a punk rock version of the song in a concert sequence.[44]

Nicki Gillis Version

Nicki Gillis covered the song on her 2011 album Woman of Substance. The song has featured in Nicki's live shows across the globe since she was 19 years old. Current performances retain the faithfulness of Nancy's original vocals but with a contemporary heavier rock sound played by Nicki's band. The version on her Woman of Substance album is a touch softer and more like the original Nancy Sinatra version from 1966.

Selected list of other recorded versions

References

  1. 1 2 Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 44 - Revolt of the Fat Angel: Some samples of the Los Angeles sound. [Part 4]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu.
  2. 1 2 3 Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 98. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  3. ↑ Cartwright, Garth (2007-08-10). "Obituary: Lee Hazlewood | Music". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  4. ↑ "Lee Hazlewood". London: Telegraph. 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  5. ↑ Guerilla, Urban. "Lee Hazlewood Dead at 78 | Music News | Etc". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Alison Martino (19 January 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". Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Phonograph Recording Contract Blank : American Federation of Musicians" (PDF). Wreckingcrewfilm.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  8. ↑ "pitchforkmedia.com". pitchforkmedia.com. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  9. ↑ Archived October 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Geri Halliwell - These Boots Are Made For Walking / Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps". Discogs. 5 June 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2007.
  11. ↑ "Jessica Simpson: Singles Chart History". billboard.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  12. ↑ "USATODAY.com - Jessica Simpson kicks off People's Choice Awards". www.usatoday.com. January 5, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  13. ↑ "UK 2005 TOP 200 w/ sales!!". ATRL. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  14. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  15. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (in French). Ultratip.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
  18. ↑ "Jessica Simpson - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' Canada Top 40". Top 40 Charts. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  19. ↑ "European Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  20. ↑ "IFPI Greece Top 50 Singles". Web.archive.org. 2005-09-30. Archived from the original on 2005-11-27. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  21. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 35, 2005". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  22. ↑ "Dutch Top 40 week 37 van 2005". top40.nl. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  24. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  25. ↑ "will smith-Switch - editia curenta". Web.archive.org. 2005-09-30. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  26. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2005-05-01". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Jessica Simpson – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  28. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2005-09-10" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  29. ↑ "ФДР - Радіо - Розсилки". Fdr.com.ua. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  30. ↑ "Jessica Simpson – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Jessica Simpson. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  31. ↑ "Jessica Simpson – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Jessica Simpson. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
  32. ↑ "Jessica Simpson – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Jessica Simpson.
  33. ↑ "Jessica Simpson – Charts". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
  34. ↑ Australian Recording Industry Association (2005). "ARIA Annual Chart". Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  35. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2006". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  36. ↑ GermanCharts (2005). "German Singles 2005". Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  37. ↑ IRMA (2005). "IRMA Best 2005". Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  38. ↑ UK Singles 2005 (2005). "UK Singles 2005" (PDF). Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  39. ↑ "Billboard.BIZ". Billboard.BIZ. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  40. ↑ "Billboard.BIZ". Billboard.BIZ. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  41. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  42. ↑ "New Zealand Singles 2005; The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  43. ↑ "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - April 06, 2014". RIAA. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  44. ↑ Hall, Phil (January 4, 2001). "Dika: Murder City". Film Threat. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  45. ↑ Four Jacks and a Jill, Jimmy Come Lately Retrieved May 13, 2015
  46. ↑ "Discogs for Zeena/Radio Werewolf-Boots/Witchcraft". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  47. 1 2 "Zeena/Radio Werewolf Boots Single: Cover by fetish photographer Helmut Wolech". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  48. 1 2 "YouTube of the Zeena/Radio Werewolf version". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  49. ↑ "Claire Johnston - Africa Blue (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  50. ↑ "Italian Charts - Planet Funk - These Boots Are Made for Walking (song)". Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  51. ↑ "Italian single certifications" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select Online in the field Sezione. The certification will load automatically
  52. ↑ "Discogs for Radio Werewolf/The Vinyl Solution". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
Nancy Sinatra version
Preceded by
"Lightnin' Strikes" by Lou Christie		 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
February 26, 1966
(one week) 		Succeeded by
"Ballad of the Green Berets" by SSgt Barry Sadler
Preceded by
"Michelle" by The Overlanders		 UK Singles Chart number-one single
February 17, 1966 – March 16, 1966(four weeks) 		Succeeded by
"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" by The Walker Brothers
Preceded by
"Michelle" by David and Jonathan		 Canada RPM number-one single
March 7, 1966 (one week) 		Succeeded by
"At the Scene" by The Dave Clark Five
Preceded by
"A Must to Avoid" by Herman's Hermits		 New Zealand Singles Chart number-one single
April 8, 1966, – April 21, 1966 (two weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Michelle" by The Beatles
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