The White Stripes

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danmpem

Puritan Board Junior
While The White Stripes' music is sold in the Rock section of music stores, I truly believe there is so much more to their music than just what we would call "rock". Their past three albums have won "Best Alternative Album" at the Grammy's; yet, I believe they are only alternative because there is no better genre label to throw on them (in reality, that's why any alternative rock band is called that). In each album, there are very disctinct sounds that can be directly traced to their influences, from Paul Simon & The Beatles to Led Zeppelin & Robert Johnson. In my opinion, they are first and foremost an alternative blues band.

I have been contemplating on how to introduce one of my very favorite bands to the PB; and, yes, I think I have figured it out. The White Stripes, made of musician/singer/songwriter Jack White and his ex-wife, Meg, on percussion, have an incredibly diverse repertoire of music to offer. On this thread I have categorized various songs in an effort to turn any first-time listeners into life-long fans. The categories are arranged in order of the songs' overall intensity and severity of tone & volume (out of consideration for those who are not partial to harder forms of rock). The first contains very mellow songs, typically played with only a piano, accoustic guitar, and light drums. The second is a little more up beat & nice, but nothing too crazy at all. The third contains songs that some people may consider to be "hard rock". The fourth category is made up of songs that don't belong in any of the other sections; these are more...er...experimental.

I made sure that the lyrics to the songs I posted were PB-appropriate. While there really isn't anything that most people would find offensive or inappropriate, there is occasionally mild language. In those cases, I only listed the song's title, but did not give a link to it.

Soft/Mellow/Accoustic:

In the Cold, Cold Night [video=youtube;rWuDq6AjVj4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWuDq6AjVj4[/video]
I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart [video=youtube;nXLeOz9y1QU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXLeOz9y1QU&feature=related[/video]
We're Going to Be Friends [video=youtube;IZGHTkmhxgQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZGHTkmhxgQ&feature=related[/video]
Little Ghost [video=youtube;nM9SuQylcdc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9SuQylcdc[/video]
It's True That We Love One Another [video=youtube;BEDr7Gtd_hE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEDr7Gtd_hE&feature=related[/video]
You've Got Her in Your Pocket [video=youtube;sz90QvjL0Fo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz90QvjL0Fo&feature=related[/video]
Forever For Her (is Over For Me) [video=youtube;Iz8ZRCDpIYg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz8ZRCDpIYg[/video]
I'm Lonely (But I Aint That Lonely Yet) [video=youtube;zJNHRFekgMo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNHRFekgMo[/video]
Effect and Cause [video=youtube;DBrKJ1TXAKE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBrKJ1TXAKE[/video]



Section 2

I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman [video=youtube;0Iwe_JfUYxI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Iwe_JfUYxI&feature=related[/video]
My Doorbell [video=youtube;gKvVO7UXxFo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKvVO7UXxFo[/video]
The Hardest Button to Button [video=youtube;gLESpHrtvxs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLESpHrtvxs&feature=related[/video]
The Air Near My Fingers [video=youtube;XXBKnK5l24Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBKnK5l24Y[/video]
Take Take Take [video=youtube;93OP6jDv3Rg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93OP6jDv3Rg&feature=related[/video]
The Denial Twist (Not Posted)




Harder Stuff

Seven Nation Army [video=youtube;6j7huh5Egew]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j7huh5Egew[/video]
There's No Home For You Here [video=youtube;BdA7W2xvyOE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdA7W2xvyOE&feature=related[/video]
Expecting [video=youtube;KtYzkfDM8gQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtYzkfDM8gQ&feature=related[/video]
Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground [video=youtube;zh7UFi2b9xU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh7UFi2b9xU&feature=related[/video]
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself [video=youtube;2iVRqCLGRtY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iVRqCLGRtY[/video]
Blue Orchid [video=youtube;FgTtXDHb--E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgTtXDHb--E&feature=related[/video]
You Don't Know What Love Is [video=youtube;n_t3d9H46Os]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_t3d9H46Os&feature=related[/video]
A Martyr For My Love For You [video=youtube;Ts94_VO81-0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts94_VO81-0&feature=related[/video]
I'm Slowly Turning Into You [video=youtube;JA9U2ZNIUDA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA9U2ZNIUDA[/video]
Red Rain [video=youtube;yBw3-D0-Ejc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBw3-D0-Ejc[/video]
Fell In Love With a Girl (Not posted)



Section 4 (Experimental?)

Aluminum [video=youtube;qzCLSKwo7dA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzCLSKwo7dA&feature=related[/video]
I Think I Smell a Rat [video=youtube;V596x9cwLYM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V596x9cwLYM[/video]
Conquest [video=youtube;77EMzwScHy0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77EMzwScHy0&feature=related[/video]
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn [video=youtube;EWWKF5QvQtE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWWKF5QvQtE[/video]
 
Yes, great band....you've probably heard White's side project, the Raconteurs...great stuff.

Also, there is a great interview with White in PASTE magazine (Paste Magazine :: Issue #34 (single copy))

PASTE is worth the subscription...get a CD sampler in every issue...interestingly, the mag was started, in part, by students out of Covenant College which is a PCA college. The content is engaging and focuses on the art rather than politics as Spin and Rollingstone have done.

thanks for the videos.
 
I have recently begun listening to them, and have found that I like quite a bit of their music. For some reason my mind connects their style with the British Punk band that I listened to during my high-school days, The Clash. I realize that they have almost nothing in common, but for some reason the connection sticks.

I haven't been happy with some of their ideology and lifestyle, one instance in particular that gets under my skin being the whiny and question-begging statement regarding the current immigration tension found in the following piece , but as far as good edgy Rock goes I could work out to this piece all day long:

(A note to those with a sensitive conscience/aesthetic: a few of the lyrics are a bit raw, but there is no profanity involved. Also, the video is a bit odd)

[video=youtube;ipdX7eD57K0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipdX7eD57K0[/video]

Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button To Button, posted above, have also become workout favorites. I really like Meg White's clear and straightforward drumming style and the way that she syncs it so well with his guitar.
 
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