Those Shoes

From an interview with Don Henley and Glenn Frey:

THOSE SHOES DON: One of my favorites. At that time, all the girls were wearing Charles Jourdan shows -- the ones with the little ankle straps. They'd become very popular and we were big fans [laughs]. And so, we said, "Well, it's not enough just to write about that; we have to turn it into a metaphor for women standing on their own two feet, so to speak, and taking responsibility for their own lives, their own losses." That was our intent. The lyric "Once you've started wearing those shoes" meant "Once you've started being your own woman and taking responsibility for your own life; once you've decided not to be just decoration -- an appendage to some guy -- then this is all the crap you're going to have to put up with in conjunction with that." Anyone who decided to become the master of his or her own destiny always has to put up with a lot of crap. On the surface the song was about the singles scene: the beautiful, young women seemingly unaware of the sharks waiting in the shallows... sharks that sometimes included us. It was also a great, great beat. It gave Felder a chance to strap on the talkbox, a device which Joe Walsh pioneered on "Rocky Mountain Way" -- and the two of them soloed together...

GLENN: As far as I know, it's the only double-talkbox solo in existence. That's Felder and Walsh on talkbox at the end singing "Butt out...butt out...."

Source: http://www.glennfreyonline.com/eagles/verybest/linernotes.htm

So ProfessorKnowItAll was right about the "Butt out" on the talkbox.

I agree wholeheartedly with PeglegPete's earlier comment that this is their most underrated song. I also think it's one of their very best.

Yeah it does. Thats the first reason y i started listening to this song. Overall it is a good song

I wish the Eagles wrote more songs like this one. I assume Joe Walsh had alot to do with this one, as there's a ton of voice-box stuff on here. If Eric B. and Rakim sampled it, you know it's funky.

This is their most underrated song.

I've always thought the lyrics were a bit off--the "jerkoffs" feels forced and "tablets of love/kid glove"is an awkward rhyme.

Beyond that, it seems to be about a young starlet who's the talk of Hollywood searching for love in the town of facades, with "those shoes" probably being some sort of designer shoes, as well as a symbol for her fame. She's young and naive ("you're so smooth and the world's so rough"), and life isn't like what it was before fame ("oh no, you can't do that/once you started wearing those shoes"). She's trying to find love ("You just want someone to talk to"), but plenty of guys are willing to take advantage of her loneliness and naivete ("they just want to get their hands on you"; I assume "tablets of love" are drugs to get her to loosen up).

To me, it always sounded like the talkbox was saying "Butt out, butt out."

In think the shoes referred to in this song are most certianly the iconic platform stilletos that exotic dancers wear. Take the last verse for example.

"They wanna get your hands on you. You get whatever you choose. Oh no, you can't do that once you started wearin those shoes."

Obviously as a stripper men want to put their hands on her and she can't say no because of her occupation. And the "tablets of love" are likely date rape drugs, which men often try to give to dancers. She "wants her independence but doesn't know where to start." She may feel that she cannot do well in the world outside of the club. And, in her spare time, she goes to singles bars but no one takes her seriously because "oh no, you can't do that, once you started wearin those shoes."

The "tall drinks and the drama" describe the atmosphere of a gentlemens' club very accurately. They also ask what she's going to do "in those shoes." Sounds to me like a very specific type of shoe.

I like how he says

"You just want someone to talk to They just wanna get their hands on you You get whatever you choose Oh, no, you can't do that, Once you started wearin' those shoes"

There's so many girls that dress up on the sleazy side and then can't figure out why men won't take them seriously. And I agree with nittanylion0, this would be a fantastic song to see someone strip to x)

One of the best Eagles songs. Listened to it in 1980 and loved the beat and Henley's voice track. Knew it would be a hit although it did not get the play I had imagined. The lyrics are right on point should it be referring to a naive woman or a stripper that had to beat back the horn dogs every day. Eagles had excellent writing minds when being dryly sarcastic with the meaning to their songs. REALLY love the sound of this tune and have the last 37 years. If you have not heard it do yourself a favor and listen to it.

this is one dirty song. it's just got a nasty feel to it. and i mean that in a good way. i wouldn't be surprised to walk into any strip club in America and find some young thing dancing to this...

I love this song seems quite dirty to me, just like I should take a shower. I know it would probably never happen but I would love to hear Nine Inch Nails cover this song.