"Boots of Spanish Leather" is a ballad written and performed by Bob Dylan, recorded in New York City on August 7, 1963, and released in 1964 on his album The Times They Are a-Changin'.
[2] However, comparisons are more often made between this song and the traditional ballad "Scarborough Fair" (from which Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" is also drawn), both regarding melody and lyrics, as it also consists of alternating male and female narrators.
In an article accompanying the list, critic Cameron Wade notes that in "just four-and-a-half minutes, Dylan creates two richly layered and dynamic characters, each reckoning with the messy emotions of young love coming to an end" and calls it "Dylan at his most open and vulnerable—a rare sight for the notoriously introverted and private songwriter, but it proves he’s master of his craft, writing a heartbreaking ballad that measures up to the best of them".
Warren noted "Moral of the story: Whether your 'boots' are literally material gifts or alternative forms of currency, i.e. rock-solid emotional support, make sure all your relationships are reciprocal and mutually honoring".
[10] A live version performed in Atlanta, Georgia on August 3, 1996 was included as a b-side to Dylan's European "Not Dark Yet" singles in February 1998.
[11] Another live version, performed in Glasgow, Scotland on January 21, 1998, was included on the Japanese EP Not Dark Yet: Dylan Alive Vol.