Die Stiefel sind zum Wandern

Vom grossartigen Song «These Boots Are Made For Walkin’», den Nancy Sinatra unsterblich machte, gibt es unzählige Versionen in unzähligen Sprachen. Her einige aus den 1960er Jahren.

Yvonne Přenosilová – Boty proti lásce
Tschechisch im Doppelpack, zwei herrliche Videos des Songs.

Eileen – Die Stiefel sind zum Wandern
Deutsch mit charmantem Akzent.

Eileen – Questi stivali sono fatti per camminare
Neben der deutschen und italienischen Version sang Eileen übrigens auch noch eine französische.

Dalida – Stivaletti Rossi (1967)
Hier sind die Stiefel rot und die Rotzigkeit des Originals fehlt.

Annet Hesterman – Draag Schoenen Om Te Lopen
Holländisch, aber ansonsten ziemlich nah am Original.

Dominique Michel – Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher

Görenhafte Version mit Einsatz von Geigen.

Muguette – Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher

Die wütende Lässigkeit des Originals erreicht auch diese französische Version nicht.

Gloria Benavides – Estas Botas Son Para Caminar
Bei dieser Version konnten sich die Musiker nicht auf den Groove einigen.

Los IN – These Boots Are Made for Walkin'(1966)
Version im Stil der Beatles, gespielt von einer argentinischen Gruppe, gesungen auf englisch.

Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made for Walkin’
Unschlagbar, das Original von Nancy Sinatra. Produziert von Lee Hazlewood, arrangiert von Billy Strange, der die Idee zum Bass-Intro hatte (das Chuck Berghofer spielte).

Working With Nancy Sinatra, Lee Hazlewood and Elvis Presley: Part II Of Billy Strange Video-Documentary

Nancy Sinatra in the studio with Billy Strange.

Part 2 of my mini-video-documentary is now online: Billy Strange – Hit Maker.

‘Call Me A Singer’: Happy Birthday Janis Joplin

Today it’s the birthday of rock and blues singer Janis Joplin (1943 – 1970). She was the first big female rock star. In the sixties she mesmerized the rock audiences with a voice that was raw and tender at the same time. Unfortunately, her drug abuse killed her way too early.

But let’s not mourn. Let’s watch this incredible performance of hers in Germany from 1969 instead. Pay attention to when Janis invites the audience on stage – she really tries hard to make the Germans dance. But to no avail.

Then I suggest you watch the Dick Cavett Interview. Janis complains about the stiff European audience: “Nobody rocks over there, (…) they don’t get down”. You can catch a glimpse of the real Janis, not the “rock star”. She doesn’t want to be called a star:  “Call me a singer” she tells Cavett. In this interview she’s sensitive, humorous, intelligent and a little bit shy.

Before we finish, I’d like to supply you with a little bit of trivia: Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Interestingly this is the same place, where Lee Hazlewood (1929 – 2007) spent some of his teenage years. Hazlewood was a singer, songwriter and producer. He wrote and produced the Nancy Sinatra classic “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and recorded some duets with Nancy Sinatra, too.

Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: The Forgotten CD

Nancy Sinatra, Billy Strange, Lee Hazlewood

In 2004 Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood (1929–2007) released the great CD “Nancy & Lee 3”. Only problem was, nobody noticed it. It seems, that everything was done not to promote it. It was only released in Australia, there was no international distribution. The cover art work is amateurish, but the music is excellent. At Amazon you have to pay at least $47 to get a copy (a while ago it even cost $99). Not bad for a four year old CD.

“Nancy & Lee 3” was recorded in Nashville. It was co-produced and arranged by Billy Strange. He has worked a lot together with Sinatra and Hazlewood in the sixties and seventies. His arrangements made songs like “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”, “Some Velvet Morning” and “Summer Wine” unforgettable. And you can hear Billy Strange’s guitar on Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).

Of the thirteen songs on “Nancy & Lee 3”, twelve are Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood duets, one song is a Nancy Sinatra solo. Most of the songs are carefully chosen old and new covers, only a few songs are written by Lee Hazlewood.

“Goin’ Down Rockin’” is a Tony Joe White song, “Texas Blue Moon” was written by Texan singer/songwriter Shelley King, “Don’t Let Go” is a Rhythm and Blues classics by Jesse Stone (who also wrote “Shake Rattle and Roll” and “Flip Flop and Fly” for Big Joe Turner). And there’s a nice version of “Save The Last Dance For Me”.

Neatly interwoven into these covers are songs that Lee wrote, like “Strangers, Lovers, Friends”, “Loving You Loving Me”, and “Gypsies And Indians”. The tongue-in-cheek “Is Makin’ A Little Love Out Of The Question” – a song written by Lee Hazlewood and his old friend Tommy Parsons – shows very well the Sinatra-Hazlewood magic, you can feel how they enjoy singing with each other. Another highlight is “She Won’t”, co-written by Duane Eddy. He plays his famous “twanging” guitar on it. Duane Eddy and Lee Hazlewood have known each other since 1954. Lee produced Duane, wrote for him and helped him launch his career.

Together with the albums “Nancy & Lee” (1968) and “Nancy & Lee – Again” (1971) “Nancy & Lee 3” forms a trilogy of timeless music by two great singers. Their music is a wonderful hybrid of Pop, Country, Folk, Novelty, Rhythm And Blues, and Rock. It’s hard to categorize – it’s unique.

Related link

• Guitarist Billy Strange Talks About Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Bang Bang’

Chuck Berghofer And His Most Famous Bass Slide

Nancy Sinatra’s «These Boots Are Made For Walkin’» starts with the most famous bass sliding sound that has ever been recorded in pop music.

The song was arranged by Billy Strange and produced by Lee Hazlewood, who also wrote it. The simple, catchy, and ingenious slide was played on string bass by Chuck Berghofer (sometimes you find his name written «Berghoffer»). There’s also an electric bass on «Boots», played by Carol Kaye, that starts after the opening.

Chuck Berghofer (born 1937) is one of the many jazz musicians who helped with their skill to make pop and rock records sound good. In the jazz world Chuck Berghofer played with pianist Pete Jolly and drummer Shelly Manne among others. In the sixties he started playing on countless pop and rock records that were produced in Los Angeles. He kept playing jazz besides his studio work and is still active.

Here is a small sample of artists he played with during his many-sided and at least forty years long recording career as a string and electric bassist: Ella Fitzgerald, Howard Roberts, Merle Haggard, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, Barry Manilow, Jody Miller, Elvis, Frank Zappa, Diane Krall, Michael Bublé, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Dean Martin and many others.

See also: Poem For A Bass Player and Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: The Forgotten CD