Back in 2021, The Nancy Sinatra Archival Series launched at Light in the Attic with the collection Start Walkin' 1965-1976. That release brought together many of the singer's finest and most famous recordings. Now, following expanded editions of Boots, Nancy and Lee, and Nancy and Lee Again, LITA is delivering a companion volume focusing on Nancy's B-sides and hidden gems. Keep Walkin': Singles, Demos, and Rarities (1965-1978) arrives on October 20 in a plethora of formats including CD, various 2LP editions, digitally, and 4-track and 8-track cassettes. The collection features three previously unreleased outtakes, all newly mixed in 2022, as well as one track making its debut in a physical format.
As always, the collaboration between Nancy and maverick producer-singer-songwriter Lee Hazlewood looms large. The first dozen tracks on Keep Walkin' are all Hazlewood compositions and/or productions recorded for Reprise Records including "The City Never Sleeps at Night" (original B-side of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"), "The Last of the Secret Agents" (B-side of "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?"), the long-shelved outtake "Rockin' Rock and Roll" (which makes its physical debut on this package, having previously been issued on a digital-only compilation), and the previously unreleased "Something Pretty." The 1967 cover of the Wynn Stewart hit comes from Nancy's self-described "disco fiasco" album, but it's in more of a groovy-mod vein. Another never-before-heard cut on Keep Walkin' comes from that same unrealized project: a cover of Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim's title song to Do I Hear a Waltz?, their 1965 Broadway musical adaptation with Arthur Laurents of his play The Time of the Cuckoo.
Keep Walkin' then samples Nancy's collaborative efforts with Lulu and Herman's Hermits producer Mickie Most on the 1969 single "The Highway Song" b/w "Are You Growing Tired of My Love;" a 1971 single with stellar Nick DeCaro arrangements of The Move's psychedelic "Flowers in the Rain" b/w Neil Diamond's dramatic "Glory Road;" and the 1973 RCA Victor 45 "Sugar Me" b/w "Ain't No Sunshine." In the press release, Nancy shares her pride in the recording of Diamond's moving anthem: "After I worked on my voice and improved as a performer and as a singer, I embraced Neil Diamond. Anything I did by Neil Diamond, to me, is my best work." She's similarly fond of the RCA single which reunited her with Jimmy Bowen as producer and (on the B-side) Billy Strange as arranger. "I love Jimmy," she reflects. "The records we did early on...had a depth to them that I appreciated. He heard me and saw me in a different light; he saw me as a much more serious performer, which I appreciated."
The set goes on to present a couple of tracks from Nancy's brief tenure at Larry Uttal's Private Stock label: 1976's "Kinky Love" and "Dolly and Hawkeye." The latter was the B-side of Nancy and Lee's reunion single "Indian Summer." The Sinatra/Hazlewood team is also represented with the third previously unreleased cut here, a 1978 duet reinvention of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's tender "I Just Can't Help Believin'," best known in renditions by both B.J. Thomas and Elvis Presley.
Both the CD and LP editions feature extensive booklets: 40 pages for the CD and 24 for the vinyl LPs. These include a new interview between Nancy and reissue producer Hunter Lea as well as an interview with Wrecking Crew keyboardist Don Randi. John Baldwin has remastered the audio for all formats. Look for Still Walkin' in a variety of formats on October 20. You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below. Visit Nancy's Bootique for merchandise bundles, test pressings, and more.
Nancy Sinatra, Keep Walkin': Singles, Demos, and Rarities (1965-1978) (Light in the Attic, 2023)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Standard Black 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Zodiac Blue 2LP: Nancy's Bootique
Highway Song Yellow 2LP: Nancy's Bootique
"Sugar Me" Pink Splatter 2LP: Spotify
Abridged 4-Track Tape: Nancy's Bootique
Abridged 8-Track Tape: Nancy's Bootique
- The City Never Sleeps at Night (Reprise 0432-B, 1965)
- The Last of the Secret Agents? (Reprise 0461-B, 1966)
- Baby Cried All Night Long (from How Does That Grab You?, Reprise LP RS 6207, 1966)
- Shades (from Nancy in London, Reprise LP RS 6221, 1966)
- In Our Time (Reprise 0514-A, 1966)
- Love Eyes (Reprise 0559-A, 1967)
- Rockin' Rock and Roll (rec. 1967, first issued on digital-only compilation Kids Stuff, 2008) (**)
- This Town (Reprise 0636-B, 1967)
- Tony Rome (Reprise 0636-A, 1967)
- 100 Years (Reprise 0670-A, 1968)
- See the Little Children (Reprise 0670-B, 1968)
- Something Pretty (*)
- Do I Hear a Waltz? (*)
- Drummer Man (Reprise 0851-A, 1969)
- Zodiac Blues (rec. 1969, first issued on You Go-Go Girl, Varese Vintage 302 066 059 2, 1999) (**)
- The Highway Song (Reprise (U.K.) RS 20869-A, 1969)
- Are You Growing Tired of My Love (Reprise (U.K.) RS 20869-B, 1969)
- Flowers in the Rain (Reprise (U.K.) K 14138-A, 1971)
- Glory Road (Reprise 1034-A, 1971)
- Ain't No Sunshine (RCA Victor APBO-0029-B, 1973)
- Easy Evil (rec. 1972, first issued on Sheet Music, DCC DZS-160, 1998) (**)
- Sugar Me (RCA Victor APBO-0029-A, 1973)
- Kinky Love (Private Stock PSR 45,075-A, 1976)
- Dolly and Hawkeye (Private Stock PSR 45,108-B, 1976)
- I Just Can't Help Believing (*)
(*) previously unreleased
(**) new to vinyl
John Gutierrez says
Do you know if the version of "Flowers in the Rain" is the original single version? It was on CD compilations a couple of times in a very different mix with the sound effects removed. I don't think the original single mix has ever been re-released.
John Gutierrez says
It's not the original single version. The original mono 45 can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0PTjfw1tGY It has thunder and rain sound effects at the beginning and end and has a single-tracked vocal. The stereo version on this release (and other Nancy releases over the years) omits the sound effects and uses a double-tracked vocal.
Harry N Cohen says
The cd version is not yet available on Amazon. I will be getting this one!
Robin Ore says
Joe, if you have any pull with the powers that bee, could you please get them to do a repress of Start Walkin'? Both the larger CD book version, and the regular version. They've both long sold out, or are going for outrageous prices. How could they have produced so few of them? I actually had an order on the CD book, placed and accepted, then they notified me a week later it was sold out. Ugh !! Cheers chips n crisps !!
Joe Marchese says
Hi Robin, The START WALKIN' Deluxe CD Book came back into stock at Nancy's Bootique on August 25. I'm not certain how many copies are left, as I don't believe it's been repressed, but it is still available as of this writing. Hope this helps! Visit here to order: https://bootique.nancysinatra.com/collections/cd/products/start-walkin-deluxe-cd-book
Rokin Robin of Locksley says
Thanks so much Joe !! I probably checked every CD store on the planet including Nancy's Bootique, month after month, but didn't check NB recently. They must have had some returned stock. Yoo bee a lifesaver, ha !! Cheers chips n crisps !!
Zubb says
Did I miss the memo that these releases are limited editions? Both the Nancy & Lee and Nancy & Lee Again CDs are also out of stock at LITA and in Nancy's Bootique. Was there only a limited run and that's it or will there be more pressed?
Rokin Robin of Locksley says
To follow up, I ordered a copy on Saturday, order confirmed and paid for, and I see today on Tuesday it's sold out again. Deja vu all over again, ha. I do hope there was a copy in stock when my order was placed and accepted, fingers crossed !!
mick62 says
Any new Nancy releases are a big treat and this looks quite special!
Paul English says
Is the CD version in large-size packaging like Start Walkin' ?
Galley says
Based on the product image on her website, it will be a standard-sized Digipak.
Zubb says
It was so smart of Frank to tell Nancy to own her masters when she started out. We might never have seen a lot of these recordings. I am looking forward to this set.
Tom says
I wonder why the Dean Martin penned duet "Things" is always missing. I only have it on a German reprise Dean Martin Most Beautiful Songs 2 LP compilation and I own all of those Music Now! Twofer CDs from back in the 90s. Weird.
Zubb says
Actually Bobby Darin wrote Things. I have also often wondered why her duet with Dean Martin has been left off of compilations. The only two CDs I have it on is the Sundazed reissue of Movin' With Nancy and a 1990 import Greatest Hits CD from Europe on the Paradiso label. Surprising knowing how close she was to Dean.