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.
Son of a Preacher Man
Nancy Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When they'd gather 'round and started talkin'
Is when Billy would take me walkin'
A' through the backyard we'd go walkin'
And then he'd look into my eyes
And lord knows to my surprise
The only one who could ever reach me
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, yes he was
Oh, yes he was
Being good isn't always easy
No matter how hard I'd try
When he started sweet-talkin' to me
He'd come and tell me everything is all right
He'd kiss and tell me everything is all right
And can we get away again tonight?
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, yes he was
Oh, yes he was
How well I remember
The look that was in his eyes
Stealin' kisses from me on the sly
Takin' time to make time
Tellin' me that he's all mine
Learnin' from each other's knowing
Lookin' to see how much we been growin'
And the only boy who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, yes he was
Oh
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
"Nancy Sinatra's Son of a Preacher Man" is a song about a young girl falling in love with the son of a preacher. The song is rife with nostalgia, and we get to see the girl's journey, as she reflects on the innocence of her youth and the way Billy-Ray, the subject of her infatuation, made her feel the emotions she knows only he could give. The girl remembers how they would sneak off to be alone, with Billy taking her to the backyard to talk or dote on her with sweet words that made her feel special.
While Billy was not a preacher himself, she still held him in high regard because of his association with the church. The song lyrics reveal that his father was a visiting preacher, which further justifies the singer's feelings of deep respect for Billy. Being good was not always easy for her, but Billy made everything feel alright as he would kiss and tell her that everything was okay. They would take their time to make time for each other, and she reflects on the way they learned from each other, growing together. The song is a testament to the intensity of young love and how the memory of that love can linger long after it has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy-Ray was a preacher's son
The singer of the song, Billy-Ray, is the son of a preacher.
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
Whenever Billy-Ray's father, the preacher, would visit, Billy-Ray would come along.
When they'd gather 'round and started talkin'
During these visits, when people would gather together and start talking,
Is when Billy would take me walkin'
Billy would take the artist of the song for a walk.
A' through the backyard we'd go walkin'
They would walk through the backyard.
And then he'd look into my eyes
Billy would then gaze into the singer's eyes.
And lord knows to my surprise
The singer was surprised by Billy's actions.
The only one who could ever reach me
Billy was the only one who could really connect with the artist.
Was the son of a preacher man
Despite being the son of a preacher, Billy was able to connect with the artist in a way that no one else could.
The only boy who could ever teach me
Not only did Billy connect with the artist, but he was also able to teach her things.
Yes he was, yes he was
The singer is confirming that Billy was indeed the only one who could reach and teach her.
Being good isn't always easy
The artist reflects on the fact that being good is not always easy.
No matter how hard I'd try
Even when she tried her best to be good.
When he started sweet-talkin' to me
When Billy started to say sweet things to the singer.
He'd come and tell me everything is all right
He would come and reassure her that everything was okay.
He'd kiss and tell me everything is all right
Sometimes, he would even show his affection towards her through kisses and still reassure her that everything was alright.
And can we get away again tonight?
He asks if they can go away again tonight.
The only one who could ever reach me
Again, the singer states that only Billy is able to truly reach her.
Was the son of a preacher man
Reiterating that even though Billy is the son of a preacher, he is special to her.
The only boy who could ever teach me
Once again, emphasizing that Billy was the only person who was able to teach her things.
Yes he was, yes he was
The artist is certain of Billy's unique qualities.
How well I remember
Reflecting on these memories brings the artist some nostalgia.
The look that was in his eyes
The singer remembers the way Billy looked at her fondly.
Stealin' kisses from me on the sly
Billy would steal kisses from the artist in private.
Takin' time to make time
Despite their secrecy, Billy was willing to take the time for their relationship.
Tellin' me that he's all mine
Billy would reassure the singer that she was the only one, 'all mine.'
Learnin' from each other's knowing
They would learn from each other's experiences and gain knowledge together.
Lookin' to see how much we been growin'
They would also look back and see how much they have grown in their relationship.
And the only boy who could ever reach me
The artist reiterates once again that Billy was truly the only person who could reach her emotionally.
Was the son of a preacher man
Despite his background, Billy was very special to the singer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind