These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ With Česká spořitelna

“These Boots Are Made for Walkin,'” with its iconic descending bass line and shuffle-rock beat, easily captures the free-spirited sound of the 60s. But did you know it was inspired by a similar line spoken by Nancy Sinatra’s father Frank in the 1963 Western 4 For Texas? The song was written by Sinatra’s regular collaborator Lee Hazlewood, who would also write “Summer Wine” as well as the iconic father-daughter duo hit “Something Stupid'” in 1967.

Hazlewood originally wanted to record the song himself, claiming that “it’s not really a girl’s song.” But thankfully Sinatra convinced him otherwise, turning it into the biggest hit of her career, reaching No.1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles chart.

The song has had a long afterlife, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1965, as well as being selected as the 114th best song of the 60s by Pitchfork. In a strange moment in US history, FBI negotiators used it during the 1993 Waco standoff in an attempt to torment religious extremists to come out and surrender to the authorities. Most recently, none other than Beyoncé sampled the song on “Ya Ya,” fresh off her latest album Cowboy Carter. It has also been covered by artists as diverse as Megadeath, Billy Ray Cyrus and Jessica Simpson.

We licensed the song for a new version for the Czech savings bank Česká spořitelna. This spot, handled by VML Prague and Oak Prague, directed by Marek Partyš and produced by Bistro films, turns it into an inspirational message for a young girl riding a horse in competition! We were available to clear and license the copyright for a fresh re-recording. Please feel free to check out the 40-second spot below.

Agency: VML Prague, OAK Prague | Production Company: Bistro Films | Director: Marek Partyš | Music Research and Licensing: Tracks and Fields | Brand: Česká spořitelna