A Love Song That Actually Means It
By Aaron Wulff
“Head Over Boots.”
You know, like head over heels, but country.
You can convert a lot of songs to a country version this way:
“You Can Leave Your (Ten Gallon) Hat On.”
“Baby You Can Drive My Horse.”
“Blue Suede Boots.”
And the ever popular 80s theme, “Bootloose.”
Sorry. I digress.
The song is from California Sunrise, the album that made Pardi the guy keeping traditional country alive while everyone else was doing snap tracks and rapping about trucks. “Head Over Boots” is a straight-up love song, no irony, no wink. He wants to sweep her off her feet, spin her around on some old dance floor, and grow old with her.
The song’s got a gentle lope to it, fiddle and steel guitar doing what they’re supposed to do. It sounds like a dance hall in Texas at golden hour. If your wedding has any country in it at all, this one’s been waiting for you.
Now the part that matters.
“Head Over Boots” runs at 108 BPM in 4/4 time, which gives you options. That’s Rumba tempo all day, right in the sweet spot. But it’ll also work as a slow Country Two-Step, which is good news, because it’s a country song and your guests might want to two-step to it whether you planned for it or not.
Two ways to dance it, both legitimate. The Rumba gives you that smooth, romantic glide. The slow Two-Step gives you that traveling, dance-hall feel. Pick your fighter.
Either way, the tempo’s comfortable, the beat’s clear, the phrasing is straightforward.
Surprise alert: The song has a break just after two minutes you’ll need to deal with. It might be a little early for a cut, or perfect, depending on how much repertoire you have. But don’t go the full three minutes and twenty-two seconds.
Get the free Wedding Dance Cheat Sheet
Keep Reading
