𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗔 - 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣' 1965

"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, and reached No. 1 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart.

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.

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'."

Nancy Sinatra's version of the song was released as a single in December 1965, 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." 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."

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. Sinatra's recording of the song was made with the help of Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. This session included Chuck Berghofer on double bass, providing the notable bass line with its quarter-tone descent. 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".


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. The film was directed by choreographer Robert Sidney and was produced by Official Films at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. 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! These other videos featured Sinatra wearing an iconic pair of red leather boots.

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.

The song was featured in the 1997 film "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery"

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".

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.

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

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.