Fashion and Life 10 Boot Songs

Wearing your dancing shoes? Love a great pair of boots? Whether they fall into the category of Relationship, Memorial and Tribute, Fashion, Paradoxical or overlap, here are Ten Boot Songs, Favorite Songs about Footwear that you may remember fondly or may want to learn.

First lines are given. When you listen to the older songs, think about how language has changed over time. Platform boots are very hot, but boots have always been favorites. 



1) Boots of Spanish Leather
by Bob Dylan 1964
Oh I'm sailin' away my own true love

2) These Boots are made for Walking
by Lee Hazlewood
made famous by Nancy Sinatra in 1966
Jessica Simpson also had a version of These boots were made for walkin'
You keep saying you've got something for me

Did you have a pair of Go go boots? Some with 5 inch heels?



3) Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots
by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 1955
The Cheers
He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots...

4) Big Boots (aka Big Boots Lullaby)
by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards
From the album & film GI Blues, Elvis Presley 1960
They call your daddy Big Boots...


5) Ballad of Boot Hill
by Carl Perkins
On the 1965 album Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West
Out in Arizona just south of Tucson Where tumbleweeds tumble in search of a home...

About the 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Three gunmen were killed by Doc Holliday.

6) Boots of Guadalupe
by Nancy Josephson 2010
The Angel Band from the album, Bless My Sole

We saw The Angel Band open for David Bromberg a while back. That was a very good show.

I was strolling down the Zocalo in Sante Fe, New Mexico....


Old Gringo Women's Winged Heart Grace Boots Check out these Women's western boots. Great reviews, such a wide selection of styles and colors.

Ladies Corral Boots
What to the designs symbolize to you? Fine craftsmanship. Many styles and colors.


7) Baddest Boots
by Toby Keith 2003 : Shock n Yall
I saw her turn her head In a drop-dead gaze...

Fun Toby Keith lyrics in this song praising a spectacular pair of crocodile boots. The lyrics talk about a pair of western cowboy boots that were the "baddest on the Boulevard."

Men's Hornback Crocodile Boots : Mauri Shoes Black (seen on the top of this page)

Men's Lucchese Boots will also show that you know how to dress to impress...

8) Kinky Boots
by Herbert Kretzmer and David Lee 1964
Recorded by Patrick Macnee & Honor Blackman from the tv series, The Avengers
Everybody's going for those kinky boots, kinky boots...

Honor Blackman played Dr. Cathy Gale. She's been described as "a self-assured, quick-witted anthropologist who was skilled in judo and had a passion for wearing leather clothes."

Kinky Boots limited copies are still available

Running from 1961 to 1969. Patrick Macnee was Steed on The Avengers. He had a series of beautiful and clever assistants.


A Broadway show called Kinky Boots, written by Cyndi Lauper is opening on Broadway spring 2013. Andy Kelso and Annaleigh Ashford are in the cast.

On December 8, 2012  at the Beacon Theatre in New York Adam Lambert, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O’Donnell, Sarah McLachlan, Roberta Flack, Rita Coolidge are among the performers joining Ms. Lauper in the show, Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays. It benefits homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths.

“When I first learned that up to 40 percent of all homeless youth in this country identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender I was shocked and saddened.” Lauper hopes to raise awareness and funds to help the situation with this concert.


Pleaser Women's Seductive Thigh High Boots are available in patent leather, too with a 5" stiletto heel. Rave reviews from customers for this lace-up thigh high boot.


9) Fairies Wear Boots
by Geezer Butler / Ozzy Osbourne 1970 Black Sabbath
Goin' home, late last night suddenly I got a fright....

Mischief Christmas Ornament
Add text (in a light color) and/or photo to the back

Fairies Wearing Boots: Shirts, Stamps, iPad Sleeves & More Customize

 
10)  Barefoot Boy with Boots On
by Asa Martin 1979
John McCutcheon
What an ominous first line!
Oh, the night was dark and cloud...

Is your favorite boot song listed here? Do you have any others? Don't let anyone walk all over you! Add some more.

Are you ready boots? Start walkin'!



Lauper concert info and quote thanks to Broadway Buzz

Elton John Pinball Wizard Tall Boots

Elton John's Tall Boots as The Pinball Wizard in Tommy, the Rock Opera

 

Image used by permission
The Shoe Collection,
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery

Tommy, the Rock Opera by The Who originated in 1969. The musical, Tommy came out as a movie in 1975 with Roger Daltrey in the lead role.

Tommy was Elton John’s first major feature film role. He's remembered as The Pinball Wizard and is credited as the Local Lad. The Pinball Wizard was a hit song in its own right.

Reports are that Rod Stewart turned down the part.

What do you know about the boots Elton John wore in that role?

Their Size & Construction:
As the Pinball Wizard, he wore giant Doc Martens inspired boots, standing 54”, 4 foot 6.5 inches high. They were modeled after 'cherry red' Dr. Martens.

They were made of molded fiberglass by an English company, the Northamptonshire chemical firm Scott Bader.

The boots themselves were put together by the props department of Columbia Pictures. 

Elton’s costume included a pair of his trademark glasses. The memorable piece was the giant boots. They had platform supports above metal calipers. Leather straps attached to his legs allowing him to move as if he were on stilts.

The Story:
Tommy is deaf, mute and blind. He becomes fantastic at pinball, good enough to take on Elton John, the current Pinball Wizard, a.k.a. the local lad.

Because Tommy is so good and he has no distractions, he beats the local lad to become the new Bally table champ! The local lad finally wobbles and falls from his amazing tall boots into the crowd. The audience boos. Tommy is the new Pinball Wizard.

Doc Martensand combat boots have been Punk and other subculture fashion symbols in Britain and the US for several decades. How much, if at all, this played a part in the choice of this costume for the Pinball Wizard is hard to say.

Where are the boots now?
After filming, Elton, an avid collector, asked if he could keep the large boots that he wore for the part.

In 1988, the boots, hundreds of pairs of spectacles and other items of Elton's personal memorabilia were auctioned at Sotheby's. Boot and shoe-maker Stephen Griggs bought the boots for $20,200.

Can we go see them?
The boots are currently on permanent display at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in The Shoe Collection, as seen at the top of this post. Links to the museum are here, too.

As of the writing of this post, Elton John is appearing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. You can see him at The Million Dollar Piano. Chances are very good that you'll get to enjoy his singing The Pinball Wizard in person! I don't think he does it standing in boots that are four feet off the ground these days, though.

Do you remember seeing the movie? Have you been to a Sing-Along showing or had one in your home thanks to owning the DVD set?!

For any ladies who feel like strutting their stuff, a really tall boot for us is the The Ophelia Boot in Black, Lace Up Platform from Sole Boutique. It doesn't always have to be Doc Martens. And the guys don't have to have all the fun.

If you happen to visit the LL Bean Outlet store in Freeport, Maine, you'll see a much larger than life Bean Boot at the entrance. The Bean Boots were first introduced back in 1912. Couldn't find a height of this boot but it may be around 20' tall! 


Elton John (right) Photo, Poster, Framed or not
Buy this poster



Thank you to The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery for permission to use their image of Elton John's Boots

If you visit their web site, you'll find so much information, including The History of Shoes

Check out their Museum Events such as the upcoming Shoe Heaven : Shoes, Pampering & Entertainment

Second image of the Pinball Wizard is from the Tommy video box, available Amazon

Several sources have been consulted and information is as accurate as possible but we're not experts.

American Destiny: 1940s Posters by Photoblog
Create a poster online at zazzle.com

Related Pages:

Celebrity Glasses Trends: Popular Elton John Glasses

Piano Dance: Fun with James Cagney, Tom Hanks, Liberace

Platform Shoes

Killer Shoes to Wing Shoes - Gadgets - TV Shoes

I'd die for a pair of those shoes! Kill for them? They're cruel shoes and sharp shoes. Shoes that help you take flight. One pair may be the original mobile phone.

How would you take famous killer shoes, gadget shoes and mythological shoes and turn them into something you can use or wear today?? It's a fashion challenge. Some of them may be called Steampunk shoes now. How many would go with the looks you're putting together?

1) Dagger Shoes

From Russia with Love,1963. In the second on the James Bond movie list, Sean Connery plays Agent 007.

It's the 50th Anniversary of the James Bond Films. In September, Christie's Auction House had a 50 Years of James Bond auction marking the 50th anniversary of the first screening of Dr. No.

While in a hotel in Venice, he's confronted with agent Rosa Klebb from SPECTRE, disguised as a maid. She is after him with both a gun and her poisoned shoe knife.

The shoes that kill are said to make another appearance in the 2002 Die Another Day, a scene in Q’s lab.

Sean Connery played James Bond a total of seven times and he was the first to play the character on the big screen in 1962.

The Bond books and films were known for their clever use of gadgets. A deadly knife secretly implanted in the sole of a boot fits right in with other types of weapons used in the arsenals of Bond and his adversaries.

James Bond Trading Cards (The Dagger Shoes) 1965 (above)

Highlights of the Christie's sale were a 2008 Aston Martin, driven by Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace which sold for $386,000. Swim trunks Craig wore as Bond in Casino Royale earned $71,120. The charity auction totaled $1,214,448.


In 2015 the Dagger Shoe made a reappearance in the film Kingsman: The Secret Service with Colin Firth

The idea of dangerous footwear, Cruel Shoes is an enticing one to many people. The woman who wears these shoes doesn't take anything from anyone.  

Also available is the famous Jeffrey Campbell Swinton Spike Shoe in Black and Silver (left)

The Lita Shoe, known for its 2" platform and 5.5" heel comes in so many colors and styles. You can now get it with a silver or gold spiked metal toe cap similar to the one you see on The Battle Shoe here.

Is this what Steve Martin meant when he talked about Cruel Shoes?


Gun-heeled shoes may have rhinestones, Detached Ankle Strap Black Faux Leather/Gold or more. These have earned the name of killer shoes! These are part of the Pleaser Bond Girl line and will be especially impressive if you're walking a runway.

The flat shoe is in and don't let them tell you a flat can't be deadly. Do you have what it takes to wear the Jeffrey Campbell Women's Beast Flat?  

Find your favorite in a Selection of Designer Shoes with Spikes & Studs

2) Hidden Knives, Secret Compartments: The Wild, Wild West, The Dark Knight

The show is sometimes called the James Bond Western, its hero was named James West.  It ran 1965-1969 first in black and white, then in color and starred Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. At least three episodes of the show featured killer shoes.

West uses his shoe knife, among other gadgets, in The Night of the Glowing Corpse and The Night of the Vicious Valentine. In The Night of Montezuma's Hordes, there is an explosive pellet in West's shoe heel.

Even in the 1999 Wild Wild West movie, James West has a switchblade shoe.

At one point in the movie, The Dark Knight the Joker (Heath Ledger) uses a small blade that pops out from the tip of his shoe to attack Batman. Earlier Batman retrieves a sonar-device from the heel of his boot. The secret shoe compartment can be very useful.

Maybe surprisingly, these Women's Platform Sandals boast a secret compartment! They get high ratings from customers.

 3) Maxwell Smart : The Get Smart Shoe Phone 

 

A James Bond-like television series and a 1960s classic was Get Smart! Don Adams played Maxwell Smart, Agent 86.

One of his most famous gadgets was his shoe phone, an early mobile phone.

If it rang, he would have to stop and take off his shoe to answer the phone.

I believe that his girlfriend, Agent 99, had a ladies version of a shoe phone. His boss, the Chief had a shoe phone or a series of them.

At least once he was seen talking on a golf shoe that had been converted into a shoe phone. Did these people ever get dirty using their shoe phones? I guess they'd gone through Shoe Phone Training. There are some features on our so called smart phones that we still can't figure out!

Don Adams Maxwell Smart Get Smart Photo (above)

In 2008, Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway came out with a Get Smart feature film.

The gadget phone was so associated with the character and the show overall that one limited edition Get Smart DVD Set came in special packaging shaped like a shoe phone!

Funny Shoelaces iPhone 4 Case
See custom designs on iPhone 5 cases at Zazzle

4) TV Shoes

The Twilight Zone had episodes which featured shoes.

In a memorable episode titled, What You Need, originally airing in December 1959, a peddler is able to provide people exactly what they need before they need it.

Eventually his talent catches the attention of Renard, a street thug. Without giving any specific spoilers, the peddler gives Renard a pair of slippery shoes.

In Dead Man's Shoes, airing January 1962, a homeless man finds a dead man slumped in an alley, the victim of a mob hit.

When the homeless man takes and wears the dead man's shoes, he virtually becomes the man who wore those shoes.

He takes on his personality, lives his life and is recognized as being that man. His fate then will rest on his actions.

There are also films and albums titled Dead Mans Shoes.

The Stacy Adams Men's Dayton Wing-Tip Oxford are leather and have 4 1/2 star customer ratings. Classics.

5) Winged Shoes

The Roman God Mercury and the Greek God Hermes were known as the Messenger Gods. They're shown wearing shoes with wings. Ovid wrote that Mercury carried Morpheus' dreams from the valley of Somnus to sleeping humans. Both are said to escort newly-deceased souls into the afterlife.

Jeremy Scott wings are the latest in wing shoes and boots. Some Jeremy Scott clothing also sports wings.

Jeremy Scott Wings 2.0 (Unisex) by Adidas give the metallic silver sheen and the designer's wings all in one.

Some Jeremy Scott clothes have wings, such as the Adidas Men's Gold Wings Jacket. This one is leather with fringe accents.

For a more budget-friendly option to add style and fun to your kids' shoes, try adding Shwings!

Pee Wee's Big Adventure brings Platform Shoes and Tequila

 

6) Other Killer Shoes

Invisible Paris tells a tale of another type of killer shoes. Early in the twentieth century, if a gentleman in Paris needed his shoes repaired, his cobbler might have used a substance called aniline in the repair. Unfortunately, aniline is also referred to as a 'poison dangereux.'

The fumes from the chemical was making wearers of some of these repaired shoes violently ill. Luckily, when a man was brought to the hospital, the doctor immediately recognized the signs of aniline poisoning. The guilty party was his shoes!

Aniline is recognized as a toxic substance by the CDC in Atlanta.


Jeffrey Campbell's carnivorous looking Jeffrey Campbell Audrey Two, Dark Red is also available in spiked black patent silver & green suede versions. Different sizes in stock while they last.

If sold out, Jeffrey Campbell's Audrey high heel wedges may be available in another color or style.

Reminiscent of the film, Little Shop of Horrors, do you dare to wear these platform shoes?! The shoes look like they have teeth!


Platform Shoes: Disco 1970s

Theme decoration ideas from Christmas window displays

Fashion and Life 10 Boot Songs

Sources Quoted and Consulted:
Invisible Paris
Art Daily online art newspaper for information about the Christie's James Bond auction

Cruel Shoes vintage 1982 Steve Martin book. This was Martin's first published book. He is now an accomplished author and playwright. Cruel Shoes was first published in limited edition in 1977. It is the title of one of the short pieces included in that collection.

Favorite Magic Shoes - Remembering Fairy Tale Shoes

Five Books and Fairy Tales Featuring Iconic Shoes or Boots

We first heard the stories from our parents. Later, we probably read them to children ourselves. The movies are classics. All of these stories have survived and flourished through multiple adaptations.

Question: Were the shoes, boots or slippers featured in the original stories the same ones we saw on screen?

The fanciful shoes are often thought of when women are looking for wedding high heels.Can you imagine modern versions of these shoes? Where would you wear them?

Here are five stories that prominently feature shoes or boots. Can you think of any more?

1) L. Frank Baum published his novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in May of 1900.

In the original novel, Dorothy Gale's shoes, believed to have magic properties, were silver.

Glinda, the Good Witch, helps Dorothy to get back home using the silver shoes.

"The Silver Shoes," said the Good Witch, "have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go."

In The Wiz, the shoes are silver high heels.  Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West also features silver shoes.

But the shoes people most associate with the story, those associated with the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, are the red Ruby Slippers.

Legend has it that studio executives decided that the sparkling red shoes would do better in Technicolor, better than silver shoes.

The Ruby Slippers made an appearance at the 2013 Oscars. During the pre- Academy Awards red carpet telecast, special correspondent Kristin Chenoweth  asked several celebrities to guess what piece of Hollywood lore was inside a covered mystery box.

Clues were given such as, It's made of over 2000 Components, It's a piece of Hollywood History. It has Magical Powers. People on social media were encouraged to Tweet their ideas.

Anne Hathaway, the evening's winner for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Les Miserables, guessed correctly and Dorothy's ruby slippers were revealed!

A popular choice for ladies who want to dress as a modern day Dorothy is the women's Ruby Mary Jane. (example above right) Colorful rhinestone shoes are desirable for wedding shoes. Maybe choose some red shoes?
 
The Lita Shoe is one of his classic styles available in different colors, textures and fabrics. It's a popular shoe by designer Jeffrey Campbell. The shoe is also available in several other styles, colors and textures. The Lita Shoe is sometimes available in Red Glitter!

Be sure to check out their classic all-black with the hidden platform. Talk about magic shoes -- have you seen their Wooden unicorn heel?!

Here's a quote about Dorothy's ruby slippers...
"A second stylistic approach was to dye a commercially manufactured basic silk pump red. This was covered with a red silk fabric that was sewn with rows of approximately 2,300 crimson-colored sequins.

"After the sequins had been stitched to the silk covering, the covering was then sewn onto the shoe. When filmed under the brutally intense lights required by the Technicolor camera, the crimson sequins that encrusted the slippers appeared a glistening ruby red on screen." --Blocker Bowers, Ruby Slippers article excerpt

Are you going to see Oz The Great and Powerful, created to be the prequel to the legendary Wizard of Oz? I hear that Dorothy's shoes. be they silver or ruby red, won't be in the prequel. That isn't to say, of course, that amazing shoes won't play a role on and offscreen. Designer Nicholas Kirkwood created an Oz inspired shoe collection which debuted at London Fashion Week 2013. Stylish shoes are named for characters, male as well as female characters. 

 
For upcoming parties, events and costumes, ladies and men won't be at a loss for magical shoes to wear in the spirit of Oz.


 

 

 

 

 

2) French author, Charles Perrault wrote a familiar version of Cinderella in 1697. 

This version included not only the pumpkin and fairy-godmother but it introduced the glass slippers.

Other versions of Cinderella contained references to sewn silk shoes and pure gold shoes. The famous 1950 Disney Cinderella is said to be modeled after the Perrault Cinderella.

A 1914 Mary Pickford silent film version also had glass slippers. Owen Moore was Prince Charming.

The Clear PVC Shoes with 2” Lucite heels have a glitter heart embellishment on the top (left). They have 4 1/2 star customer ratings and are just one of the popular shoes made to see-thru material to emulate a glass slippers that are available.

Some, like the Brook Clear Platform Shoes are a more modern version. They're a clear platform sandal with peep toe, ankle strap with side buckle, 6" stiletto heels on a 2" platform.

The Cinderella Original 1950 Disney Movie Poster, above, features Prince Charming as he kneels in front of Cinderella and holds the glass slipper.
 




The German Grimm Brothers have a 19th century version of the story as well. This does not include the glass slippers. It includes, I believe, the golden shoes.

Christian Louboutin has even designed a pair of Cinderella Glass Slippers.They have Louboutin's trademark red soles. Delicate crystal-adorned lace with two sparkling butterflies. One of the butterflies sits atop of the crystal covered heel, gently brushing the ankle.

3) Hans Christian Andersen The Red Shoes

As with all of these tales, there have been many adaptations of Andersen's story of The Red Shoes.

The Red Shoes is a familiar illustrated children's book.

A 1948 film starring Moira Shearer and Anton Walbrook, also contained a ballet of the same name.

A girl desires a pair of red shoes she sees in a shop window. She puts them on and begins to dance. The magic red ballet shoes are actually controlled by an evil shoemaker.

Though she wants to return to her mother, she cannot stop dancing. The red shoes keep her dancing. In the end, she falls into a netherworld.

The Gillian Shoe in Red Leather : Betsey Johnson Shoes

An episode of Supernatural, Out With The Old, includes a pair of cursed ballerina slippers. (Season 7)

In 2011, the Austin-based aerial arts collective Sky Candy adapted the story for a cirque noir aerial ballet.





I like these House of Harlow Shoes,The Stormy Shoe in Navy Velvet. (below) They seem very faerie tale with the snake going up the heel. A velvet pump with 5" thin metal heel featuring a snake wrap design. 1.25" platform sole. The god Hermes had a caduceus staff around which were two snakes. Hermes and the Roman god Mercury had wings on their shoes.

Fun to try these open-toe snake theme shoes
Love the rear zipper for both ease of getting them on and off plus the pop of the added hardware. Two colors.

4) Puss in Boots : French author Charles Perrault wrote Le Chat Botté

A miller dies and all he leaves his son is a cat. Apparently this cat is well dressed in a pair of boots (and from what we've seen, he also sports a swell cavalier hat). Puss in Boots is usually seen in swashbuckler pirate boots.

The cat is said to use trickery and deceit to acquire things for his master, including a castle stolen from an ogre and finally the hand of the king's daughter. The ogre is interesting as Puss in Boots will reappear later in the Shrek movies.

In the film, Puss in Boots with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, the adorable but tricky Puss in Boots must clear his name from charges making him a wanted fugitive. The film is a prequel to Shrek movies.

Boots are always in style and finding that boot that's right for you and your lifestyle can be a challenge but a fun proposition.

The Jeffrey Campbell Human Aliens Go Go Boot in Black Washed Leather

5) An Old Woman who lived in a shoe: Mother Goose

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread;
And whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.

There's more than one house (or building of some kind) around the world that's shaped like a shoe or boot.

The Haines Shoe House is in Pennsylvania. They offer a tour, ice cream and other goodies as well as a gift shop.  You can make a birdhouse shaped like a shoe!




6) Extra! The Barkleys of Broadway: Fred Astaire's Shoes with Wings on Them.

 Dancing with a group of animated shoes.

A 1949 musical with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire and Rogers teamed up again after ten years apart.

To see Astaire dancing with a group of magic shoes was quite the special effects feat for 1949!

This film introduced some songs we know well, such as Steppin' Out With My Baby and They Can't Take That Away From Me.

I just put my feet in the air t-shirt by Danceforums
Create custom t shirts at zazzle.com

Roger Vivier
Roger Vivier: A tribute to the Master Designer "The volume spans the brand’s creations from the Thirties onward, including Vivier’s invention of the stiletto heel for Dior in 1955 and the buckle pump made famous by Catherine Deneuve in Luis Buñuel’s 1967 movie Belle de Jour, to current creative director Bruno Frisoni’s revival of the house." - excerpted passage from Womens' Wear Daily.
Gift Wrap is available

Related Pages:  

Footzyrolls, Spare Soles, Foldable Flats: Gifts for Wedding,Travel, Holidays [being updated, relocated, live link to be announced]

Prince Charming Costume: Ken Doll Costumes [being updated, relocated, live link to be announced]

Platform Shoes : Disco Shoe History
 
Piano Dance: Fun with James Cagney, Tom Hanks, Liberace

Sources Quoted & Consulted
"The Ruby Slippers: Inventing an American Icon". Dwight Blocker Bowers, The Lemelson Center.

Description of Christian Louboutin Cinderella shoes, some information from The Telegraph UK newspaper


An Original 1948 Program from The Red Shoes is available.(above)