Nancy Sinatra – “Keep Walkin’: Singles, Demos and Rarities 1965–1978”

Nancy Sinatra was hardly likely to fail as a pop star in her own right with an encouraging and well-known father behind her. It was in Italy in early 1962 that she got her first hit with “Like I Do”, but she had to wait until 1965 before shooting to number one on both sides of the Atlantic with her best known recording, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’“.

Nancy achieved top ten hits with “How Does That Grab You Darlin’?” and “Sugar Town” in 1966, while early the following year saw her hook up with Dad on another transatlantic chart topper, “Somethin’ Stupid“. 1967 would bring more success when she recorded the title song for the James Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice‘, which remains one of best loved of the series. Nancy would duet with Country singer Lee Hazelwood and dad’s mate Dean Martin for her next singles while she also covered Cher’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” the same year as Cher took the song to No.2 in America and No.3 in the UK.

Ironically, it was Nancy’s version that would become more famous than the original and it was used by director Quentin Tarantino in his 2003 film ‘Kill Bill Volume 1′. Two years later it was Nancy’s version of the song that was remixed by British producers Audio Bullys for their top three hit “Shot You Down”. No stranger to films, Nancy saw her boots keep a’walkin’ in 1997 when her signature tune found its way into the first Austin Powers film, ‘International Man Of Mystery’.

It’s been ten years since Nancy released her last studio album, “Shifting Gears”, in 2013. Her latest offering, “Keep Walkin’: Singles, Demos and Rarities 1965–1978”, is a sequal to 2021’s “Start Walkin’ 1965–1976”, and embraces many of the singles not featured on that album along with some demos, B sides and rare recordings that have not been available for many decades. The album includes “The City Never Sleeps At Night”, which was the B side to “Boots”. Her 1966 single “In Our Time” (US No.46) is given the spotlight, the track was a rebellious anthem for 60’s youth, which references drug culture and women’s liberation.

Nancy’s recording of “I Just Can’t Help Believing” in 1978 is also included. The song was originally released by B.J. Thomas in 1970 and later that same year by Elvis. Her version of Neil Diamond’s “Glory Road” from 1971 is a standout, despite the fact the song failed to chart. The album has been preceded by two previously unreleased recordings, “Something Pretty” and “Do I Hear A Waltz?”. “Keep Walkin’: Singles, Demos and Rarities 1965–1978” runs to 25 tracks in total that includes her version of “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the title song of the 1967 film ‘Tony Rome’ that starred Dad! Nancy keeps with the spy/secret agent genre with “The Last Of The Secret Agents”, the title song of a lesser known 1966 film that starred Marty Allen and Nancy herself!

The album concludes with her 1973 single “Sugar Me” and 1976’s “Kinky Love”, before delivering one more B side, “Dolly And Hawkeye”, also from 1976. Still very active in music circles, Nancy, now 83, delivers another definitive collection of songs she has recorded, some of which had been lost, some forgotten and some which never made it to the record shops. And why stop at one album when two is even better? For as the saying goes, you only live twice, and twice is the only way to live!