Forrest Gump once said that you can tell a lot about a person based on their shoes. In this list, these songs give us all a glimpse of how various artists perceive the importance of shoes.
Elvis Presley – Blue Suede Shoes
Let’s start off this list with what might just be one of the most popular songs about shoes. In Blue Suede Shoes, Elvis sings as a man who treasures his shoes. You can knock him down, slander his name, step in his face, burn down his house, drink his liquor, and even steal his car. But what you must never, ever do is step on his blue suede shoes.
Rockin’ kicks lyrics: Do anything that you want to do, but uh-uh
Honey, lay off of my shoes
Don’t you step on my Blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Kenny Loggins – Footloose
Have you ever wanted to just let loose after being frustrated out of your mind? If you have, then this song is for you. Footloose is a song about man who’s bored of his job in a religious rural Oklahoma town that banned rock and roll music and dancing. This is a song that goes out to all the people out there who just need an outlet in the form of dancing.
Rockin’ kicks lyrics: Now I gotta cut loose, footloose
Kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose
Paolo Nutini – New Shoes
Nothing perks up your mood like wearing an awesome new pair of shoes. In New Shoes, Paolo Nutini sings about feeling down in the dumps one morning. He feels like something’s not right in his life, that is, until he puts on his new shoes. It hardly matters if you’re short on money, but as long as you can go for a stroll in your new shoes, everything’s gonna be alright.
Rockin’ kicks lyrics: Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey I put some new shoes on
And everybody’s smiling, it’s so inviting
Oh short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I’m running late and I don’t need an excuse
Cause I’m wearing my brand new shoes
Arctic Monkeys – Dancing Shoes
In the same vein as Paolo Nutini’s New Shoes is this song by the Arctic Monkeys. Dancing Shoes is about a guy who puts on his dancing shoes to give him some luck while he’s at the club. He’s there to meet ladies, but he’s having a tough time making the first move. But sadly, his dancing shoes don’t do him much good as he has no luck with the ladies.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: Get on your dancing shoes
There’s one thing on your mind
Hoping they’re looking for you
Sure you’ll be rummaging through
And the shit, shock, horror
You’ve seen your future bride
Oh, but it’s oh so absurd
For you to say the first word
So you’re waiting and waiting
Amy Winehouse – F*ck Me Pumps
F*ck Me Pumps is Amy Winehouse’s critique on all the ladies that hang out at the club to pick up men. These women are always there looking the same and trying get cozy with guys at the club, hoping to one day marry some rich guy they’ll meet there. It’s these themes in her music that set Amy Winehouse apart from the bubblegum pop stars of her time – she’s got an edge that makes her unique.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: When you walk in the bar
And you dressed like a star
Rockin’ your F me pumps
And the men notice you
With your Gucci bag crew
Can’t tell who he’s lookin’ to
‘Cause you all look the same
Everyone knows your name
And that’s you whole claim to fame 
Dido – Sand in My Shoes
Ever have that holiday fling that you wish could have lasted longer? In Sand in My Shoes, Dido reminisces about one she once had. The fling is over and she’s back to the drudgery of her home, but she still has a holiday hangover that she can’t shake. The memory of her fling is like sand in her shoes – no matter how she tries to shake it off, she can’t forget it.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: I’ve still got sand in my shoes
And I can’t shake the thought of you
I should get on, forget you
But why would I want to?
I know we said goodbye
Anything else would have been confused
But I want to see you again
Kirsty MacColl – In These Shoes
In this funky ska song, Kristy recalls all the guys who propositioned her to go on all sorts of adventures – from making love on a mountaintop to horseback riding to walking up and down a guy’s spine. And her response to these guys? “In these shoes?”
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: I once met a man with a sense of adventure
He was dressed to thrill, wherever he went
He said: Let’s make love on a mountain top
Under the stars on a big hard rock
I said: In these shoes?
I don’t think so
I said: Honey, let’s do it here
NewSong – The Christmas Shoes
Let’s take a somber moment to check out this sad yet inspiring Christmas song from NewSong. The song tells the story of a poor little buy buying shoes for his sick mother on Christmas eve. He’s doing this so that she will look good if she “meets Jesus tonight.” The song is sung from the perspective of a guy in line behind the young boy, and his touching tale reminds him of the spirit of Christmas.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight
Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks
This upbeat song is actually about one of the most tragic events that could happen – a school shooting. The song is about an outcast kid looking for revenge on all the “cool kids” are wearing. So he plots to shoot them all in school. It’s been mentioned that the shoes in the song are the Reebok Pump basketball shoes – shoes that are known to be popular among privileged poseurs.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Were Made for Walkin’
Lastly, we have the ultimate song about shoes. These Boots Were Made for Walking is a breakup song that’s centered around a scorned woman. She threatens her ex with revenge by saying that one day these boots are going to be walking all over him.
Rockin’ shoes lyrics: These boots are made for walkin’
And that’s just what they’ll do
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you
Which of these songs describe the way you feel about your kicks? Share your thoughts with us below!
