These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (Jessica Simpson song)

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"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
Single by Jessica Simpson
from the album The Dukes of Hazzard Original Soundtrack
Released	2005
Format	Digital download, digital maxi single
Genre	Pop
Length	3:58
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Lee Hazlewood; Jessica Simpson (uncredited)
Producer(s)	Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Certification	Gold (RIAA Platinum ARIA)
Chart positions
#2 (Australia) #4 (UK) #14 (U.S.)
Jessica Simpson singles chronology
"What Christmas Means to Me" (2004)	"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (2005)	"A Public Affair" (2006)

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is a song recorded by Jessica Simpson for the soundtrack to the film The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). It was written by Lee Hazlewood and originally recorded by Nancy Sinatra, whose version was first released in 1966 (see These Boots Are Made for Walkin'). Simpson's cover was co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and it was released as the soundtrack's first single in 2005 (see 2005 in music). It became Simpson's fifth top-twenty single in the United States and its music video drew some controversy because of its sexual imagery.

Contents 1 Recording and release 2 Music video 3 Charts 4 Alternate versions and remixes

[edit] 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 version explore 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 is not 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. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is the production duo's first song to contain elements of country music.

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" peaked at fourteen on the U.S. 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. It reached the top twenty on Billboard's Pop 100 chart, and was Simpson's first single to appear on the chart. It became her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number two and remained in the top forty for twenty-four weeks, and the UK where it peaked at number four. It reached the top ten in New Zealand and the top twenty in Austria and Switzerland.

[edit] Music video

The video, directed by Brett Ratner, has caused some controversy because of its sexual imagery. 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, India, Venezuela, and all Middle Eastern and North African nations except Israel and Turkey. In Malaysia, it was occassionally edited with some of the scenes removed.

The video begins with Simpson (as Daisy Duke) climbing out of the General Lee (the famous car owned by the Duke family) into a bar. Simpson, a waitress at the bar, flirts with customers as she grinds and dances on the bar stand. After one customer slaps her buttocks with his hand, Simpson punches him and the man's fall causes a fight to break out between the bar patrons. Unfazed, Simpson sings the song with the assistance of Willie Nelson on guitar and backup vocals, and several female dancers join her during the song's "Can I get a handclap..." spoken/rapped breakdown. After recovering from their injuries, the men join Simpson and the dancers in a square dance. This scene is intercut with shots of a figure entering a barn, and at the video's end it is revealed the figure is Simpson wearing nothing but a pink bikini. She washes the General Lee, spending much of her time grinding in a sexually suggestive manner against the car. The music video also features Jessica Simpson belly dancing.

[edit] Charts

Chart	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	14
U.S. Billboard Pop 100	12
U.S. Hot Digital Songs	1
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	36
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	35
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	2
UK Singles Chart	4
New Zealand Singles Chart	10
Austria Singles Chart	12
Swiss Singles Chart (Switzerland)	16
German Singles Chart	17

[edit] Alternate versions and remixes

1. Album version / original version — 3:58. This version appeared on the soundtrack and was used for the music video.
2. Single version / Original radio edit — 3:35. This is the version included on the single with re-recorded vocals and contains more pop influences than the album version.
3. Radio edit — 3:28. This is the short version of the single version, and was released to radio stations only.
4. Scott Storch remix
5. E-Smoove vocal mix
6. Bimbo Jones remix vocal
7. Bimbo Jones radio edit
8. Bimbo Jones dub
9. Ed n' Richie club mix
10. Gomi & Escape's club mix
11. Gomi & Escape's dub mix
12. Joe Bermudez club mix (unreleased)