DIRTY BOOTS
   
Originally Released on:

GOO

also appears on:

  • Kool Thing single (alt version)
  • Disappearer single (demo)
  • Dirty Boots single (edit/live '90)
  • Personality Crisis flexi (demo)
  • Goo Demos (2 demos)
  • Goo video (music video)
  • 1991: The Year Punk Broke (live '91)
  • The Sonic Compile (music video)
  • Goo deluxe reissue 2CD/4LP
  • Corporate Ghost DVD
  • 11/03/90 "LIVE IN IRVINE 1990"
  • 08/25/91 "LIVE IN BREMEN 1991"
  • 12/14/92 "LIVE AT BRIXTON ACADEMY 1992"
  • 03/05/93 "LIVE AT THE WARFIELD 1993"

  • MCA CD Compilation #5
  • Rockumentaries
  • LES INROCKUPTIBLES - 20 ANS - 100 CHANSONS 1986-2006

Line-up:
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass/bvox?
Lee - guitar
Steve - drums/percussion
Don Fleming - backing vocal

Lyrics   status: confirmed

get in the van

Here we go to another candle I know
All the girls there playin' on a jelly roll

Time to take a ride
Time to take it in a midnight eye
And if you wanna go
Get on below
Pinkin' out the day
Dreamin' out the crazy way
Finger on the love
It's all above

Everywhere it's six-sex-six by luck
A satellite wish will make it just enough
You be makin' out with a witch in a coffee truck

Time to rock the road
And tell the story of the jelly rollin'
Dirty boots are on
Hi-de-ho
Pinkin' out the black
Dreamin' in a crack
Satan got her tongue
Now it's undone

I got some dirty boots
Yeh dirty boots
I got some dirty boots, baby
Dirty boots
Ha!

below is the additional speech from the "rock and roll heaven" version. i didn't catch it all and i can't identify every voice (one of the mystery voices sounds a lot like steve, though). thurston's main spiel down the middle is in bold.:

Thurston: Yeah... bring that shit down
?: Bring it way down!
T: it's time...
?: get in the van
T: watch out for that skateboarder!
T: ...to get to another town
?: what kind of skateboard is that?
T: and who's that punk chick?
T: I say...
T: hey goo! hey goo!
?: that is goo
T: ...fuck soundcheck...
?: yeah man, fuck the soundcheck!
?: hey, we're still for em!
T: yeah what street is madison square garden on? we're looking for madison square garden..
?: fuck the promoter too
T: ...and fuck the promoter...too.
T: jim cher(?), he can kiss my ass!
?: we're outta here!
T: we're out of here!
T: It's time...
T: firebomb them, fuckin' palladium!
T: ...to play... for free.
T: the ritz
?: yeah!
?: yeah! yeah!
T: You....
?: as long as we get paid
T: uh oh
T: ...and me.
T: you know that bouncer at the ritz? i killed him, man, i killed him!
?: he was an asshole
T: aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh
T: let's go drive my skateboard up his butthole!
?: it's too hot in here..
T: yo, pass me that doobie!
?: yeah man, just open the window in this van, it's too hot in here
T: you got the lighter?
Kim: there's a pig
?: oh man, fuck the pigs, man. fuck the promoter, fuck the pigs. we're free now, we're outta this town.
T: I know...
?: we're outta here
T: hey we'll turn you on!
T: ...there's a Rock and Roll...
T: we've come, we've come here to turn you on...
?: fuck that shit
?: yeah, fuck that
T: ...Heaven.
T: switch

Track length: 5:28

First Known Performance: 03/08/90
Last Known Performance:  03/08/93

NOTES:

  • Kool Thing single features "Rock and Roll Heaven" version, which is the album version featuring a bunch of Sonic chatter overdubbed into the outro jam.
  • Disappearer single features the long demo version.
  • Dirty Boots single features the edit of the studio version, as well as a live version recorded in Irvine, California on November 3rd, 1990.
  • Personality Crisis flexi features the short demo version.
  • The Goo Demos features both the short/long demos.
  • Music video directed by Directed by Tamra Davis. It features the album version minus the faded in overtones. Keanu Reeves was allegedly wanted by the band to play the male role in this video. Does anybody know where this was filmed?
  • Written by Thurston on vacation in California in summer '89.
  • This was the first song played at SY's legendary Bridge Benefit performance in November '91. The Bridge Benefit is Neil & Pegi Young's generally all-acoustic day-long benefit to raise funds and awareness for the Bridge foundation (SY also appeared on "The Bridge", a Neil Young tribute, performing "Computer Age"). This was Sonic Youth's first and last acoustic set, and was a disaster (though an interesting one, at least). SY had opened for Neil & Crazy Horse on their early '91 tour and made some discouraging remarks about the conduct of some members of Neil's touring crew. Later SY (jokingly?) claimed that their set at the Bridge Benefit was saboutaged by a disgruntled party of Neil's sound crew. Other songs performed were "Mote" "Cinderella's Big Score" & "Personality Crisis", which deteriorated and SY left the stage. Honestly, a tape of this show is an amusing listen.

ALTERNATE VERSIONS:

  • Demo (2 versions)

  • On "Kool Thing" CD - ALT. END - 5:28

    "Rock n Roll Heaven" version, identical to Goo version except it has a bunch of additional dialog overdubbed during the instrumental outro.

  • On "Dirty Boots" EP - EDIT - 4:54

    Basically the intro fade-in is spliced out.

  • On "Dirty Boots" EP - LIVE - 6:26

    Recorded live on 11/3/90 in Irvine, California @ Irvine Meadows.

  • On "The Year Punk Broke" - LIVE - 4:38

    Recorded live between 8/20/91 & 9/1/91.