Miranda Lambert and Ella Langley’s “Snakeskin Boots” collaboration will open Lambert’s forthcoming album Crisco, with the song telling the story of a mysterious woman who is constantly on the run.
The track, released on Friday October 2, was written with Langley in mind and pairs the two country singers on a cinematic, retro-inspired tale of escape.
What Miranda Lambert’s “Snakeskin Boots” is about
Lambert has described the song as a larger-than-life story about a woman who knows exactly how to get away. In the lyrics, the character has left Los Angeles behind and appears impossible to catch or tie down.
Explaining the inspiration, Lambert said: “To me, this song is kind of Thelma and Louise if they didn’t drive off the cliff.” She also described its central idea as two women “getting away with something”.
The track draws on the swagger of late-1960s cinematic Westerns and the attitude of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang”. Lambert and co-producer Jesse Frasure shaped the sound around those influences, creating a song intended to sit somewhere between a Quentin Tarantino film and the dance floor at Studio 54.
That mixture reflects the wider concept of Crisco, a 12-track album exploring the shared history of country and disco music.
Why Ella Langley features on the song
Langley was not added to “Snakeskin Boots” after it had been written. Lambert said the song was created with her collaborator in mind because of their shared musical outlook and interest in retro influences.
“We wrote ‘Snakeskin Boots’ with Ella in mind. She and I are kindred spirits, and when we were working on her album, I realized how many retro influences we share,” Lambert said.
The pair’s creative partnership has developed through several projects. Lambert co-produced Langley’s Dandelion project and appeared with her on “Butterfly Season”, while also co-writing and co-producing Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”.
“She’s the perfect partner for that,” Lambert said of Langley’s role on the track.
Lambert, Natalie Hemby, Brendan McLoughlin and Jesse Frasure wrote “Snakeskin Boots”. McLoughlin, who co-wrote the song, has been married to Lambert since 2019, while Lambert and Frasure co-produced it.
The song is scheduled to receive its world premiere on country radio on October 2 and serves as the opening track on Crisco.
