"Boots" is a Christmas song by Las Vegas rock band The Killers, which was released as a digital download on November 30, 2010,[2] despite the band being on hiatus.[3] All proceeds from the song go to AIDS charities as part of the (PRODUCT)RED campaign, headed by Bono and Bobby Shriver.

"Boots"
Single by The Killers
ReleasedNovember 30, 2010
Recorded2010
GenreIndie rock[1]
Length5:28 (single version)
4.43 (radio edit)
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)The Killers
Producer(s)Stuart Price, Joe Chiccarelli, The Killers
The Killers singles chronology
"¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!"
(2009)
"Boots"
(2010)
"The Cowboys' Christmas Ball"
(2011)

The song continues The Killers' tradition of releasing a Christmas song every year, and is the fifth consecutive annual Christmas song since 2006, the others being "A Great Big Sled", "Don't Shoot Me Santa", "Joseph, Better You Than Me" and "¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!". Lead singer Brandon Flowers is quoted as saying, "Our Christmas single with (RED) is one of our traditions as a band. We didn't want to let it fall by the wayside just because we're on hiatus; this cause is too important".[4]

All proceeds from the Christmas singles benefit the Product Red campaign.

This is the first Killers release to not feature their trademark neon light styled logo on the cover. Instead, the cover seems to be drawing inspiration from the DVD releases covers of the 1941 film Citizen Kane[5] and other 1940s-era black-and-white film title card logos.

The snowglobe with boots in it is also a reference to Citizen Kane, as the opening scene shows the main character, Charles Foster Kane, dying while looking into a snowglobe.[6]

The song features dialogue from the Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life.

Music video

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The music video, directed by Jared Hess and T. C. Christensen,[7] premiered exclusively on the Starbucks website on December 1, 2010 (World AIDS Day) with Starbucks paying $0.05 for every view towards the cause.[8] The video begins with a clip of George Bailey praying from It's a Wonderful Life and features Brad Prowly aka "Super Bad Brad", a famous New York City street performer.

Response

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Commercial

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The song debuted at number three on the Billboard Holiday chart.[9]

Charts

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Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart
53
Billboard Hot 100
79

Track listing

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  • CD single
  1. "Boots" - 5:27

References

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  1. ^ "Killers Single-Latest". Clash. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Killers | News Story". Thekillersmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-17. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  3. ^ "The Killers to release 2010 Christmas single despite hiatus | News". Nme.Com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  4. ^ Nadine Cheung (2010-11-30). "The Killers, 'Boots' - New Song". AOL Radio Blog. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  5. ^ "This is the cover of a DVD release of Citizen Kane".
  6. ^ "this image is a still shot from the opening scene of Citizen Kane". Archived from the original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  7. ^ "Boots - The Killers". Vevo. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  8. ^ "Share a Red Cup of your favorite Holiday Coffee at Starbucks". Starbucks. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  9. ^ (December 18, 2010), "HOLIDAY". Billboard. 122 (50):167