Have you ever misplaced a shoe or boot?
Maybe not, but it seems that's what's happened to some folks judging from these photos of lost footwear, all taken over the past few months. Several were found in Nashua, NH, most in other locations while out and about.
The story goes that Hazlewood had planned to record the song claiming it was not a girl's song. Ms. Sinatra reported told him that it was perfect for a little girl (namely her) to sing. Her recording was done with the help of LA session musicians, the Wrecking Crew including Chuck Berghofer on double bass. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company used portions of the song for its 1960s ad campaign promoting "wide boots" tires. Nancy Sinatra unsuccessfully sued Goodyear, claiming that it had violated her publicity rights. In 2020, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
I re-watched the Boots songs music video which (thankfully) will not be included in this post. Trust me if you've seen it, you will thank me for this exclusion.
Instead, here's the final very exuberant scene from an all time favorite of mine (maybe you as well), the 1984 film, Footloose, which featured many dancing shoes. This film was a box office success and the year's seventh highest-grossing ($80 million). The title song by Kenny Loggins was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song losing out to I Just Called To Say I Love You from the romantic comedy The Woman In Red.
In a comment, David G. said he didn't understand why shoes were often tossed over power lines and neither do I. Checking online, one of the most common urban legends is that it marks gang territory or a location where drugs are sold/bought. But, there's no proof that this is true. Other explanations range from memorializing someone who has died to celebrating a job, promotion or graduation. Certainly, someone, somewhere has tossed shoes over power lines for perhaps one of these reasons, but no one is sure about any one specific reason.
Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone
We''ll be on a historic cemetery tour with the Nashua Historical Society
29 comments:
Good morning, This was such a fun and interesting post. There must have been a reason for all those shoes laying around.
I remember that song by Sinatra-she also lost a lot of followers for what she said and where during the Viet Nam war I never cared for her.
I loved Footloose and I saw somewhere that he went back to that high school for I think it was the 40th anniversary for that movie.
Happy weekend
Kathy
this was funny to see how all these shoes were impaired
the fight over song sounds bad ,artists must have big heart :)
i never saw Keven Bacon dancing wow
glad you shared this video dear Dorothy!
all the best for summer planning :) yes lots of fun it must be for people living in cold parts of land
hope you and Patrick enjoy everything to fullest my friend
we just have received first warning for extreme heat in coming days
hugs and best wishes
I have never lost or left a shoe or shoes anywhere. this is amazing. even at the beach I always came home with my shoes.
this is ODD, night before last, while browsing Netflix, I landed on Footloose and since Bob and I had never seen it and remembered the song of course, we watched it. and enjoyed it and there were a lot of dancing shoes in it.
There is a tree not far from where we live where people seem to take great delight in tossing shoes into its branches, mainly running shoes, but there are other styles too. Why they do this, I have no idea. Most are pairs with the laces tied together so that they dangle from the branches if judiciously aimed. The phrase “Get a life” has been grossly overworked, but in this case it might well apply. Trees are in enough jeopardy from humans and their chainsaws, their knives to carve initials and so on, without chucking shoes into their branches.
My goodness! Look at all those abandoned shoes!
A few years ago, I had researched what throwing shoes over power lines means. These shoe photos are mysterious for sure. And a couple look in such good condition and almost new!! The floating sandal is like a boat, so maybe some are meant as an artistic expression? I remember Nancy Sinatra's version of the song very well!!
I always thought the hanging shoes tied together was to commemorate a death. Never heard of any other explanation. Interesting.
Footloose--goodness. I forgot how well Kevin Bacon can dance! He's as good as Travolta! LOL! ;)
Did you see where Kevin Bacon went back to the high school where the movie was filmed? He looked really good!
Ironically, I lost my summer tennis shoes (they are navy Skechers if you should come upon them). I have searched my house and car and cannot find them. It's been driving me nuts. My husband thinks I donated them when I was getting rid of my mom's shoes, but I don't see how that could have happened.
I LOVED the Nancy Sinatra song when I was a little kid!
I haven’t seen any abandoned shoes around in a long time. It is definitely not sandal weather here yet. So cold again today!
This is interesting. I have never seen, that I can remember, abandoned shoes! I loved that song and would strut around singing it.
I remember being in NH many years ago, when my stepdaughter saw a pair of red tennis shoes, discarded. There was no one around. The shoes obviously were left behind. The shoes fit her. She took the shoes home.
BTW I shared your previous blog post about summer vs winter fuel with Bob. We were talking about the changeover yesterday.
I never noticed shoes over power lines! Interesting.
I hate wearing shoes so I often have to look for them. The worst time I had with shoes was when I was close to having my daughter. We moved back to Detroit from Tennessee. We were halfway there before I realized I had no shoes!
Your townies must get their kicks from kicking off their shoes. The only think that I really know about Nancy is that she sang that song.
I have pairs of shoes lined up in our entrance hall, mostly suitable for wet weather at the moment, but my favourite pair are soft Sketchers. I cannot imagine losing a shoe. Your photos of odd shoes that you've come across are a funny/strange sight. I remember the song "Those Boots Are Made For Walking". Enjoy your weekend!
I well remember Nancy Sinatra's song (Those Boots are made for walking), and I liked it a lot.
I sometimes see abandoned items, but hardly ever shoes. Your post was a revelation for me.
I remember that boots song very well...never wore those kind of boots though.
I have seen a lot of shoes over the lines when we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.. Inner City gangs used to use it as a signal..
Many times I have seen toddler shoes laying on the ground. I think its something that gets lost as the baby learns to pull off their socks and shoes.
Great post with lots of interesting subjects.
Sue
Not sure why people would discard shoes.
I've seen shoes and sneakers tossed over telephone lines, especially when I was going to school. Back then I thought it was bullies harassing other kids, but I have not proof of that.
And I remember Nancy Sinatra's song and thank you so much for not included the Boots music video. (Interesting tidbit and the title coming from Old Blue Eyes).
Thank you! Once was enough. Yeah, I was listening then. But now you have me wondering about the tossed shoe thing and I have no way to find out. Think of me at 3:00 ack emma tossing and turning about why shoes are tossed. Cruel, very cruel.
There were two reasons for a single shoe in my household. Either the dog had done it (and the other shoe was a chewed rag) or my equally annoying child had dangled it out the window of the car by a lace and lost it. The single floating sandal might also have been the work of someone equally having fun.
Lost footwear is weird to see out and about.
It always makes me wonder why.
What a fun post, Dorothy!
Those photos of misplaced footwear are quite a sight.
It's curious how they end up in such random places.
Happy Monday!
Hi Beatrice, Stray shoes lying along the roadways have always been a mystery to us. Back in the days when we were young, there was a tendency for kids to hang their wet 'sneakers' out the family car window to dry out. But those days are long gone and still we see stray shoes...lonely and abandoned in parking lots and highways. As for "Footloose" the song, it is one of my favorites. But I've never seen the movie... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
When I was in the army, 'short timers' (people who are about to get out of the military) threw their boots up over electric lines. I never did. I couldn't understand wasting a pair of good boots.
This is an amazing posting. How well you have captured the lost shoes.
The shoes made me smile. A fun and interesting post!
Wonderful post! I often see a single shoe now and then along the highway when we travel and I wonder if some bored child is tossing them out of the window? Love the story of Frank and Nancy Sinatra.
A great historical post and I liked the interesting images.
I do remember the song "Those Boots Are Made For Walking", in fact I'm singing it now :)
All the best Jan
I found one lone boot while cleaning out my closet a few weeks back and now I wonder whatever happened to its mate. Hmmm.
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