Her career peaked in the late 1960s with a string of pop music hits. Her best-known hit, These Boots Are Made for Walkin' - which popularized and made her synonymous with Go-Go boots - was written by Lee Hazlewood. These Boots... has been covered by many artists such as Geri Halliwell, Megadeth, Jessica Simpson, Lil' Kim, Little Birdy, Billy Ray Cyrus, Crispin Hellion Glover and KMFDM.
Nancy also co-starred in a number of films, including Roger Corman's The Wild Angels with Peter Fonda and Bruce Dern, and Speedway with Elvis Presley, made guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, and starred in a number of television specials, most notable among them the 1967 Emmy Award-winning special "Movin' with Nancy", in which she appeared with her father and his Rat Pack pals Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.. In the 1970s, she slowed down her musical activity and ceased acting in order to concentrate on being a wife and mother. She returned to the studio in 1981 to record a country album with Mel Tillis called, Mel & Nancy.
At the age of 54, she posed for Playboy in their May 1995 issue, released a new CD, One More Time, and made guest appearances on TV shows to promote the new material.
Most Recently, the song Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (originally recorded by Cher) was used on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's hit Kill Bill.
On July 28, 2006, for the film Another Gay Movie (2006), she released the song "Another Gay Sunshine Day" from the Another Gay Movie Soundtrack.
Lightning
Nancy Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you keep hanging round
If Lightning ever catches you
He's got to put you down
About six feet!
Stay away from Lightning's girl
And this part of town
Or he'll put you down yeah
Better stop your grooving round
Another roosters hen
If Lightning ever catches you
He's got to do you in
In about two minutes!
Stay away from Lightning's girl
And this part of town
Stay away from Lightning's girl
Or he'll put you down
Here comes Lightning down the street
While you just stand there talking
If I were you I'd start to move
And tell my story walking
About a hundred miles an hour!
Stay away from Lightning's girl
And this part of town
Stay away from Lightning's girl
Or he'll put you down
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
The Nancy Sinatra song "Lightning" tells the story of a girl who belongs to a dangerous man named Lightning. The singer warns a potential suitor to stay away from her, as Lightning would not hesitate to harm anyone who gets in the way of his relationship. The lyrics are straightforward and threatening, cautioning the listener that if they don't leave the singer's girl alone, Lightning would "put you down" in just a matter of minutes. The image of Lightning as a violent and powerful force looms over the song, with the singer urging everyone to stay away from his land and his girl.
The song "Lightning" is a classic example of Nancy Sinatra's unique style in the 1960s. Her vocals are powerful and dramatic, giving the song an urgent and gritty edge. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the song is its association with the "spaghetti western" genre. Director Sergio Leone used the song in his film "Duck, You Sucker!" in 1971, cementing its legacy as a symbol of the genre. The song's instrumentation and arrangement are typical of 1960s rock and roll, with loud and prominent electric guitars and a driving drumbeat that sets the pace for the song's high-energy performance.
Line by Line Meaning
I've told you that I'm Lightning's girl
I've warned you that I'm the girlfriend of a dangerous man named Lightning
But you keep hanging round
But you continue to stick around and pursue me anyway
If Lightning ever catches you
If Lightning ever finds out that you're after me
He's got to put you down
He will have to take action against you, likely violent
About six feet!
He will put you six feet under, meaning he will kill you
Stay away from Lightning's girl
Stay away from me, as I am associated with a dangerous man
And this part of town
This area is where Lightning holds power and influence, so stay away from here if you value your life
Or he'll put you down yeah
If you don't stay away from me, he will do something violent to you
Better stop your grooving round
You need to stop trying to win me over by showing off or dancing
Another roosters hen
You are just one of many men who are trying to win me over, like a rooster with multiple hens
If Lightning ever catches you
If Lightning discovers that you are trying to pursue me
He's got to do you in
He will have to take action against you, potentially violent
In about two minutes!
He will act quickly and decisively against you
Here comes Lightning down the street
Here comes the dangerous man I've been warning you about
While you just stand there talking
While you're still here trying to win me over, oblivious to the danger
If I were you I'd start to move
If I were in your position, I would leave this area and stay away from me
And tell my story walking
And leave quickly, without looking back
About a hundred miles an hour!
You need to leave as quickly as possible, like you're running away at a hundred miles per hour
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
Once again, stay away from me, as I am associated with a dangerous man
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
I cannot stress this enough, do not pursue me
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
It's not worth risking your life to be with me
Stay away from Lightning's g-i-are-l
It's time for you to leave and not come back
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE HAZLEWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind