Boots-All Time Hits--Was Nancy Sinatra a Britney Spears Prototype?

I was rummaging through some boxes in my closet today (doing some early spring cleaning, actually) and I uncovered a cassette tape of Boots--Nancy Sinatra's All-Time Hits. Before any of you get the wrong idea, I don't recall buying it, and have no earthly idea how it got there, but there it was, stacked up with other old tapes like Dion and The Belmonts, Bobby Day, The Chordettes, and the Flamingos. I can vaguely recall buying a sackful of cassettes for fifty cents apiece at a yard sale many years ago, so it must have been in that lot, but I repeat, I really don't remember buying it.

I was curious, so I opened the case and spread the insert. There was no valuable track information there, only four rather provocative photographs of Nancy Sinatra, including one especially intriguing bikini shot. The cover shot ain't bad either--it depicts a sexy looking Nancy Sinatra with a veritable mane of wild blonde hair and a "come and get it, big boy" look on her face.

I listened to the album and the memories started coming back. I can remember her one big hit, These Boots Were Made For Walkin', and a few more songs that received a little exposure, but I was more than a little struck by the parallels between Nancy Sinatra and a certain Miss Britney Spears than I was by any of the music in this collection.

Nancy Sinatra was a packaged product--she had minimal talent, but her father was Frank Sinatra-- Ol' Blue Eyes, The Chairman of the Board, Rat Pack leader--you know who I'm talking about. It's pretty clear from the photos in the insert that the record company was marketing sex appeal, pure and simple. When I consider all I know about Britney Spears, I can see where Nancy Sinatra may have been a prototype for her, along with other borderline-talent, scantily-clad teen divas. After all, it's pretty clear that Britney has little, if any real vocal talent (she can dance a little, I guess) and her strength is showing off her well-endowed chest (thanks to the powers that be for silicone or saline bags) while being dressed in clothing not much bigger than a postage stamp. The only thing I don't know was how Britney got in the business--someone had to be pulling the strings for her, because I don't believe she had a famous father.

Enough about the Nancy Sinatra--Britney Spears prototype idea--I was just rambling anyway.

The Music

Boots is a fourteen track collection of what were allegedly Nancy Sinatra's greatest hits--I say "allegedly" because These Boots Were Made For Walkin' was the only song she ever had that moved toward the top of the charts. How Does That Grab You, Darlin' and So Long Babe received some airplay, and all three songs established Nancy Sinatra's persona (pre-planned by the record company, of course), of being a tough chick that a man didn't screw over. The Last Of The Secret Agents and You Only Live Twice were suggestive songs that fit in well with the spy movies of that era, featuring characters like James Bond, Matt Helm, and Flint, and loads of sexy females. Shame on you, record company, for using sex to market an album!

The highlight of this collection is clearly Somethin' Stupid, a duet sung with her father--she wisely lets her father carry the load on this one, and the interplay between father and daughter singing together is warm and engaging. Good Time Girl and Tony Rome are respectable efforts, but the remaining songs on the album simply fall flat.

A solo performer has to have a special voice to carry an album, and Nancy Sinatra didn't have that type of versatility or strength. I suppose her brief run in the music business was fun for her and profitable for the record company, but her lack of talent is painfully exposed, famous father and sex appeal aside.

Steer clear of this one.