Everybody wants to perform with Nancy. At least it seems that way among TV talk show hosts, who are inspired by Nancy and cannot resist the opportunity to collaborate with her. The talk show appearances also illustrate Nancy’s talent as a consummate live entertainer, as she engages the studio audiences in her performances by encouraging them to sing with her. The following two-part retrospective features some of these memorable collaborations with talk show hosts and audiences.
During the entrance for her April 12, 1995 visit to Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Nancy and Conan’s raucous terpsichorean duet set the the stage for the freewheeling interview which would follow.
The two-segment interview (lasting nearly 15 minutes) covered a wide range of subjects, from her Playboy pictorial to her friendship with Elvis Presley. It is obvious that Nancy and Conan, as well as the studio audience, enjoyed the interview.
As they discussed the longevity of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’,” Nancy’s combat boots evoked a growl from Conan …reminiscent of the intro to Nancy’s recording of “Crocodile Tears.”
The topic of Nancy’s May 1995 issue of Playboy led to a humorous exchange regarding Pilates.
One week prior to her guest spot on Conan’s show, Nancy began a media blitz in support of her then-soon-to-be-released CD, One More Time (Cougar CGRCD-4701-2), with appearances on Entertainment Tonight and Jay Leno’s Tonight Show.
Nancy’s segment on the Wednesday, April 5, 1995 broadcast of ET featured a profile, brief footage of her recording session for “Crocodile Tears,” and an interview. In the interview, which appears to have been shot at Entourage Studios in North Hollywood, Nancy expressed her excitement over the release of her first album of new recordings since 1981′s Mel & Nancy.
Friday, April 7, 1995: Nancy was a guest on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, as she performed “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and the title track from the One More Time CD.
As part of the performance of “Boots,” Nancy asked the audience to sing along with her:
Nancy was accompanied by her longtime keyboardist, the great Don Randi (pictured below).
The “HA!,” one of the many memorable moments from the song, would also be a focal point of Nancy’s performance with Donny & Marie (featured later in this post).
“You keep playin’ where you shouldn’t be playin’
And you keep thinkin’ that you´ll never get burned, HA!”
For the song’s finale, Nancy and Jay danced their way to his desk.
“Are you ready boots?
Start walkin’!”
Following “Boots,” Nancy was moved by the huge ovation.
Nancy introduced her daughters, Amanda (left) and AJ (right), who were in the studio audience.
Nancy previously covered the song “One More Time” for her 1972 LP, Woman (RCA LSP-4774). The Michael Fennelly-penned song had been released by his group Crabby Appleton on their second LP, 1971′s Rotten To The Core (Elektra EKS-74106). The liner notes for the 2002 CD reissue of their album refer to the song as “a country-tonk hoe-down with slide guitar.” [source] Click on the play button to hear a clip of Crabby Appleton’s version of “One More Time.” The song had also been recorded by Jo Anna Neel for her charted 1972 single, One More Time / The Sparrow And Me (Decca 32950).
Nancy’s 1995 studio version of “One More Time,” produced by Ray Ruff, has a harder edge than her earlier, more-countrified take on the song. For his comments in the One More Time CD booklet, Nancy’s arranger/guitarist Jerry Cole describes Nancy’s 1995 recordings as “the cutting edge of ‘contemporary country.’”
A great song brilliantly interpreted by Nancy in two eras:
“You’re like the magnet man, I’m made of tin
I keep tryin to pull away and you’re pullin’ me in again, yes you are
Can’t stand the hell, I’m goin’ out of my mind
I keep comin’ back to love you just one more time.”
Nancy closed the show with a searing rendition of “One More Time.”
To promote her How Does It Feel? CD (DCC Compact Classics DZS-171), Nancy was a guest on Donny & Marie’s daytime talk show (broadcast: April 9, 1999). As with the appearance on Jay’s show, Nancy performed two songs: “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.”
This time, “Boots” was done as a parody with Donny & Marie, as Nancy included bits of Marie’s “Paper Roses” and Donny’s “Puppy Love.”
They were accompanied by Donny & Marie’s “house band,” led by Jerry Williams. Nancy’s band, once again featuring Don Randi, would play for her live version of “Like A Rolling Stone” (included later in this post).
Donny and Marie presented a clip from Nancy and Donny’s duet of “Teach Me How To Dance,” from Nancy’s 1971 television special, Movin’ With Nancy, On Stage. The special was derived from Nancy’s Las Vegas nightclub act, in which she had appeared with the Osmonds, featuring a young Donny Osmond. After watching the clip, Donny recalled his crush on Nancy.
The studio version of Nancy’s reimagining of “Like A Rolling Stone” was produced by Bones Howe, with an arrangement by Mike Melvoin. In the How Does It Feel? CD booklet, Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Wild offers this perspective:
“This is a rousing collection that gathers some of Sinatra’s best and rockier work including [...] a fabulously funky, horny take on Bob Dylan’s ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ which Nancy makes her own despite the fact that she was never a complete unknown.”
Prior to her live performance of “Like A Rolling Stone” (pictured below), Nancy explained to Donny the derivation of the CD’s title: How Does It Feel?
During her rendition of “Like A Rolling Stone,” Nancy encouraged the audience’s participation.
Singin’ and Dancin’ with Nancy: Talk Show “Duets,” Part Two covers Nancy’s guest spots with Jon Stewart, Howie Mandel, and Tony Danza.
