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3 Reasons Why Blake Shelton's "Wishin Boot" SNL Song Is Iconic
Did we mention you can stream the song on Spotify?!
As anyone who watched The Voice during Blake Shelton's 23-season tenure as a Coach can attest, the musician is well known for his sense of humor. And while he's a massively-successful country artist, he doesn't take himself—or his musical genre—too seriously, either. Exhibit A: The "Wishin' Boot" musical sketch from his January 24, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live.
When Shelton pulled double duty as Host and musical guest (he performed "Boys 'Round Here" from 2013's Based on a True Story, and "Neon Light" from his 2014 album Bringing Back the Sunshine), his down-home roots inspired several moments in the episode, from the Hee Haw tribute in his monologue to the Bachelor parody "Farm Hunk." Yet "Wishin' Boot" is a hall-of-famer when it comes to SNL genre song parodies, up there with Nate Bargatze and James Austin Johnson's "Lake Beach" from Season 49.
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Let's revisit why the "Wishin' Boot" sketch is pure gold.
Watch Blake Shelton's "Wishin' Boot" video from his SNL episode
"Wishin' Boot" finds Shelton behind a ginger mustache, joined by Season 40 cast member Kate McKinnon serving as a sort of Reba McEntire stand-in, and Aidy Bryant in a long red wig that channels Wynonna Judd's signature look.
"Sometimes, the storm clouds seem dark," McKinnon's character says in a spoken intro. "It feels like there's no hope."
"But trust us—there's somethin' out there, watchin' over you," Bryant's character nods.
"All you gotta do is believe," Shelton's country singer chimes in, looking into the camera.
Trading verses, the three spin the tale of the magical Wishin' Boot, "the little black boot that makes your dreams come truuue." When you're in need, that boot can deliver a food bounty for your hungry kids, foil a robbery, and...visit you in jail?
It was Kate McKinnon's favorite moment from the season
"Wishin' Boot" was written by then-SNL writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, who went on to make the HBO Max comedy The Other Two starring SNL alum Molly Shannon. In a video shared by SNL at the end of Season 40, McKinnon shared that her favorite Season 40 moment was "sitting and recording the track for 'Wishin' Boot'."
"We had Blake Shelton singing his part in the most earnest way, and it sounded so gorgeous," McKinnon recounted. "And he was singing the dumbest song ever written."
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"We just really were cracking up," McKinnon added.
"Wishin' Boot" showcases Shelton's comic timing
Despite his lack of experience with scripted comedy, Shelton brought full commitment to his performance. Which is exactly what makes it so funny, selling the premise: He looks genuinely shocked, and then joyful, when his character's dog transforms into that Wishin' Boot.
It's a genuinely catchy song
If you ignore the hilariously absurd lyrics, it's a solid listen, and Shelton sounds fantastic.
Don't believe us? Stream it on Spotify and hear for yourself.
