Nancy Sinatra’s Explanation of ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin” Proves Why Beyoncé Sampled It

Beyoncé is never too shy to pay homage to the past and she set the internet ablaze when she recently sampled Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” When Sinatra explained the song, Queen B’s decision to sample it made so much sense. In a way, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” paved the way for some of Beyoncé’s best songs.

Nancy Sinatra said ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin” is perfect for certain women

During a 2004 interview with Hot Press, Sinatra discussed the impact music had one her life. “The music is the thread all the way through,” she said. “Classical piano for 12 years and teaching 40 girls in school how to sing in four-part harmony were two of my early passions. I lost my way for a little while but after my first so-called marriage (to teen idol Tommy Sands) ended I was able to focus on singing and that’s when I had a certain amount of success.”

The song that brought her that success was the classic “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” “I thought of it as a perfect song for a woman being in the position of having a guy cheat on her, you know,” she said. “It grabbed your ear instantly. It still does. When you hear that bassline on the radio, you know exactly what the song is. Lee (Hazelwood) actually wrote it for himself. He didn’t write it for a woman.”

Why ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ is like a Beyoncé song

In a way, Queen B and Sinatra are part of the same musical lineage. They both promote sex-positivity and feminism through their songs and live performances. “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” and Sinatra’s other song “How Does That Grab You, Darlin’?” could be seen as predecessors to many Beyoncé hits where Beyoncé calls out men for misbehaving. “Irreplaceable,” “If I Were a Boy,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” “Best Thing I Never Had,” and the concept album Lemonade all revolve around this topic.

While fans can take “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” at face value as a cheeky breakup song, it can also double as a feminist anthem for any woman who has ever felt hurt by a man. In the past 25 years, no one has done more to make feminism a part of popular music than Beyoncé. Her sampling of Sinatra is like a passing of the torch.

How Nancy Sinatra became a provocateur

The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits reports “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” topped the Billboard Hot 100. That’s not an insult. Sinatra’s signature song has had more of an impact than most songs that were No. 1 for weeks on end.

Sinatra went on to have a career full of provocative moments. For example, she released a song about LSD called “Sugar Town” when the drug was hugely controversial. Sinatra also promoted second-wave feminism with called “How Does That Grab You, Darlin’?” She also sang the theme song for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. While 007 movies don’t turn heads today, they were once a daring force within the sexual revolution. 

Sinatra had a trailblazing career and Beyoncé is making sure her legacy is still being felt today.