You think of the line dance. You think of the denim. You almost certainly think of Brooks & Dunn. But if you’re a die-hard country music historian or a crate-digger, you know that boot scootin boogie by george strait is actually where the story starts, even if it feels like a glitch in the Matrix to most casual listeners.
It’s weird.
Usually, when George Strait touches a song, it becomes the definitive version. He’s the King of Country. He has sixty number-one hits. Yet, his 1990 recording of this dancehall anthem is often treated like a footnote, a "what if" buried on an album that was already packed with hits.
The Birth of a Barroom Classic
Ronnie Dunn wrote the song before he ever teamed up with Kix Brooks. At the time, he was a solo artist trying to find his footing, and he penned this tribute to the Texas honky-tonks he knew inside and out. It wasn't some polished Nashville product. It was sweaty. It was loud. It was about the relief of hitting the dance floor after a brutal shift at the "workin' man's pace."
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George Strait was the first major artist to get his hands on it. He recorded it for his 1990 album Livin' It Up.
If you go back and listen to that specific 1990 track, it’s unmistakably Strait. It’s clean. The fiddle is sharp. His phrasing is effortless, gliding over the lyrics about "the Cadillac black-top." But there’s a catch. For reasons that still baffle some fans, his label (MCA) never released it as a single.
They sat on it.
They released "Love Without End, Amen" and "I've Come to Expect It from You" instead. Both went to number one. Hard to argue with the results, honestly. But it left the door wide open for a new duo called Brooks & Dunn to kick it down a year later.
Why Brooks & Dunn Stole the Thunder
Brooks & Dunn didn’t just cover the song; they weaponized it. While the George Strait version felt like a standard album track—a great one, but a track nonetheless—Brooks & Dunn turned it into a cultural movement.
The difference was the beat.
The 1991 version was remixed specifically for the burgeoning line dance scene. It had that driving, insistent kick drum that told you exactly what to do with your feet. Strait’s version was for the couples two-stepping around the perimeter. The Brooks & Dunn version was for the people in the middle of the floor, synchronized and loud.
It’s one of those rare moments in music history where the "original" star power was actually eclipsed by the energy of a newcomer.
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Does the Strait Version Actually Hold Up?
Honestly? Yes.
If you strip away the 90s line-dance nostalgia, the boot scootin boogie by george strait recording is arguably more "country." It relies on a traditional swing that feels at home in a dusty San Antonio hall. Ronnie Dunn’s writing is so strong that it fits Strait’s "Pure Country" persona like a well-worn pair of Wranglers.
There’s a subtle irony here. Strait is the guy who basically saved traditional country music in the 1980s. Yet, on this specific track, he was perhaps too traditional. He didn't lean into the "pop-country" crossover potential that Arista Nashville exploited so well with Brooks & Dunn.
Listen to the fiddle solo in the Strait version. It’s intricate. It’s western swing. Compare that to the rock-infused guitar riffs in the 1991 radio edit. It’s the difference between a glass of neat bourbon and a neon-colored margarita. Both have their place, but one is clearly designed to start a party.
The Misconception of the "Cover"
Most people assume George Strait covered Brooks & Dunn.
Nope.
It’s the other way around in terms of release dates, even though Ronnie Dunn wrote it. This is a common phenomenon in Nashville. Songs circulate as demos, and multiple artists might "cut" them. Sometimes the versions are released years apart. In this case, Strait got there first. He saw the quality. He just didn't see the "dance craze" coming.
By the time 1992 rolled around and the song was the biggest thing on the planet, Strait was already moving on to the Pure Country era and "I Cross My Heart." He didn't need the dance floor hit. He was busy becoming a movie star.
Finding the Track Today
If you want to hear it, don’t look for it on a "Greatest Hits" compilation. You won't find it there. You have to go back to the Livin' It Up album.
It’s a fascinating time capsule. It represents a moment when country music was shifting from the "Neotraditionalist" movement of the 80s into the high-octane, arena-filling spectacle of the 90s. Strait’s version is the bridge.
Why You Should Care About the George Strait Version
- The Phrasing: Strait has a way of laying back on the beat that Ronnie Dunn (as great as he is) doesn't quite do.
- The Production: Jimmy Bowen produced this era of Strait's music, and the sonic clarity is incredible for 1990.
- The History: It’s a "sliding doors" moment. If Strait had released this as a single, would Brooks & Dunn have become the superstars they are today? Maybe. But they wouldn't have had this song to launch them.
What to Do Next
If you’re a fan of the genre, do yourself a favor and do a back-to-back listening test. Put on the boot scootin boogie by george strait version first. Pay attention to the swing and the traditional instrumentation. Then, immediately flip to the Brooks & Dunn version.
You’ll hear the exact moment country music changed.
To dig deeper into this era of Strait's career, check out the Livin' It Up liner notes or the songwriting credits for Ronnie Dunn’s early work. It’s a masterclass in how a single song can have two completely different lives depending on who is behind the microphone and what the audience is looking for on a Friday night.
Don't just take the radio's word for it. The King's version is waiting in the archives. Go find it.
Next Steps for the Country Music Enthusiast
- Compare the BPM: Use a simple metronome app to see the tempo difference between the two versions; the Brooks & Dunn version is slightly faster, which changed how people danced to it.
- Check the Credits: Look for other songs Ronnie Dunn wrote for other artists before he joined Kix Brooks; you'll find a few gems that explain his rise to fame.
- Explore Livin' It Up: Listen to the rest of that George Strait album—it’s widely considered one of his most consistent "cowboy" records of the early 90s.