On February 26, 2016 “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” celebrated its 50th anniversary. The song, sung by Nancy Sinatra and written by Lee Hazelwood, is so ingrained in the minds of people everywhere, that there’s literally over 200 different versions of the song. 200 versions! That’s nuts.

“Boots” has been covered by the likes of Loretta Lynn, Jessica Simpson, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, The Residents, Megadeth, Jewel, Anita Lane and Barry Adamson and KMFDM.

The Tumblr “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” has kindly and methodically collected all these cover versions, and many more to boot (sorry couldn’t help myself). I’ve posted a few of them, below. But check out the site for even more. You got a whole lotta “Boots” to listen to! Start walkin’!

 
More “Boots” after the jump…
 

 
A fresh-looking, immaculately dressed 21-year-old Nick Cave covers the Nancy Sinatra classic along with Mick Harvey, Phil Calvert and Tracy Pew as The Boys Next Door, the original name of The Birthday Party, in 1978 (Rowland S. Howard would join them soon afterwards).

I’m a massive Nick Cave fan, but I’ve never seen this clip before. It’s pretty amazing to witness how fully formed his rockstar persona was then, even at this tender age.

Love the mascara. Adam Lambert eat your heart out…

Video directed by Chris Löfvé:

 
“Tony Rome” was Frank Sinatra’s hard-boiled detective alter-ego in two films, 1967’s Tony Rome and its 1968 sequel, The Lady in Cement. Bucking the trend of Bond and the sub-Bonds like Our Man Flint (with James Coburn) and the “Matt Helm” series starring his Rat Pack buddy, Dean Martin, the “Tony Rome” movies were much more noirish in their approach, although, natch, this being Ol’ Blue Eyes, there were silly, sexist and “in joke” elements aplenty in the films.

Sinatra was directed in both films by Gordon Douglas (who directed him in Robin and the 7 Hoods) and surrounded by A-list cast members Raquel Welch, Bonanza’s Dan Blocker, Jill St. John, Gena Rowlands and sexy Sue Lyon (who played the title role in Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita).

I have always particularly liked the jaunty theme song to Tony Rome, written and produced by Lee Hazelwood and sung by Nancy Sinatra, you can hear it here.

Hugo Montenegro provided the groovy soundtrack to Lady in Cement, here’s the trailer: