Songinfo
'Black Boots' is a song written by Matt O'Ree and Jon Leidersdorff and released on Matt O'Ree Band's 2016 album Brotherhood. Bruce Springsteen contributed co-lead vocals and guitar solo to the album's leading single Black Boots. With Toby Scott at the engineering controls, he recorded his parts around late 2013 at Stone Hill Studio, his home studio in Colts Neck, NJ. Matt O'Ree wasn't present at the same recording session. The complete lineup on the track includes Matt O'Ree on guitar and vocals, Bruce Springsteen on guitar and vocals, Scott Bennert on bass guitar, John Hummel on drums, Matt Wade on B3 organ, and Eryn Shewell on vocals. Work on the album started as early as 2009. It was released on 23 Nov 2016.
Other cover versions
Bruce on the artist
In a December 2013 interview on Sirius XM's E Street Radio channel,
Springsteen said: "I started my career as a heavy-metal guitarist... I
had a prog rock band, basically. We were a heavy blues, prog rock group,
Steel Mill... Steve and I both were pretty familiar with that kind of
guitar [playing]. We literally made a living at it for quite a while,
and I actually do miss it... I just sang on [a yet-to-be-released
recording with] Matt O'Ree. He's a local blues player on the Shore. It's
riff music, riff rock. It was fun. It's kinda dirty, sexy music... fun
to play. I miss that."
In a press release, O'Ree spoke about how
it all came together: "I taught [Springsteen's] son guitar for many
years. I grew very close to him, he was like my little brother, he
really became an amazing friend. One day he asked if I had anything new
of mine he could listen to. At the time I was working on 'Black Boots'
with Jon [Bon Jovi], one of the first finished versions. After playing
it for him, he played it for his dad, without me even knowing. The next
week at the lesson, I saw Bruce and he commented that he liked what I
was up to. That was a defining moment for me, and with every ounce of
courage I had, I asked Bruce if he would be interested in playing on it.
With a pause he thought for a second, and then said, 'Sure. Let me see
what I can add to it.' All I remember were overwhelming feelings of joy
running through me. One incredible moment in an otherwise average day
for a kid from Holmdel."
Lyrics
I'm not a superstitious man, no
But these shoes they got a curse on them, yo
Sometimes I think they're just chasing me
Don't believe in conspiracies
But it seems like they got it out for us
Coincidence is a little too much to believe
Black boots, cold gin
Feel the trouble 'bout to begin
Bad soul coming up
Dark times and I can stop these black boots
These black boots
A day job's not a-who I am, no
So far from rock and roll plans, yo
This dirty fun makes it feel alright
Watch Dr. Jeckyll run away and hide
Everyone says it's killing me
I hear ya but it's not that easy
Black boots, cold gin
Feel the trouble now I'm 'bout to begin
Bad soul coming up
Dark times and I just can stop these black boots
Trying to remember what happened last night, yeah
I can barely see from these bleeding eyes
See the bad news looking through the door
These boots are laced and her dress on the floor
Black boots, cold gin
Feel the trouble, trouble 'bout begin
Bad soul coming up
Dark times and I can stop these
Black boots, cold gin
Feel the trouble I'm 'bout begin
Bad soul coming up
Dark times
And I can't stop these black boots
Oh no no
No no no no no
Can't stop these
I can't stop these
These black boots
Black boots
Oh no no
Can't stop these
These black boots
Stop these black boots