By recording, pressing and releasing the live version of "Lazaretto" in less than four hours, Jack White broke the previous Guinness World Record set by Swiss polka trio Vollgas Kompanie, who issued their album Live on August 16, 2008, a day after they recorded it. There is a hidden message alongside matrix numbers in the runout areas on both sides of the "Lazaretto" "world's fastest record" vinyl: side A "Guinness", side B "Can Kiss My..."
The studio version of the song was released on April 21 on YouTube, and on April 22 the single was available for purchase digitally and as an instant download with all iTunes Lazaretto album pre-orders.
Lazaretto
Jack White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every single bone in my brain is electric
But I dig ditches like the best of 'em
Yo trabajo duro
Como en madera y yeso
Como en madera y yeso
And even God herself has fewer plans than me
She grabs a stick and then she pokes it at me
When I say nothing, I say everything
Yeah when I say nothing
I say everything
They put me down in a lazaretto
Born rotten, bored rotten
Making models of people I used to know
Out of coffee and cotton
And all of my illegitimate kids have begotten
Thrown down to the wolves, made feral for nothing
Quarantined on the Isle Of Man
And I'm trying to escape any way that I can, oh
Any way that I can, oh
Damn, I have no time left
Time is lost
No time at all, throw it in a garbage can
And I shake God's hand
I jump up and let her know when I can
This is how I'm gonna do it
They wanna blow down the prison
They're lighting fires with the cash of the masses
And like the dough I don't fall down
I'm so Detroit I make it rise from the ashes
The opening verse of the song describes the singer's sense of energy and vitality. There's a sense of kinetic energy and movement as the singer describes how their veins are connected and every bone in their brain is electric. Despite this, the singer is someone who digs ditches, a physically demanding job that requires grit and determination. They're clearly very hardworking and don't shy away from a challenge. The chorus then describes the singer's sense of control over their own destiny, asserting that they have more plans than even God herself. However, the singer also acknowledges that God doesn't necessarily help them with their "scams" for free, and the relationship between the singer and God seems to be somewhat contentious.
The second verse takes a darker turn, with the singer describing how they've been put down in a lazaretto, which is essentially a quarantine area for people with contagious diseases. The singer describes themselves as "born rotten" and "bored rotten," suggesting that they've been dealt an unfair hand in life. They're making models of people they used to know out of coffee and cotton, which feels like a way of trying to reconnect with their past while also highlighting the poverty and deprivation they're experiencing. The line about the singer's illegitimate children being thrown down to the wolves also suggests a sense of abandonment and hopelessness. The singer is clearly trying to escape their circumstances, but they're quarantined on the Isle of Man and can't seem to find a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
My veins are blue and connected
My blood flows through my veins, showing my vitality
And every single bone in my brain is electric
Every part of my body is buzzing with energy and enthusiasm
But I dig ditches like the best of 'em
I work hard, even at the most grueling tasks
Yo trabajo duro
I work hard (in Spanish)
Como en madera y eso
Like in woodshop and such (in Spanish)
And even God herself has fewer plans than me
I am ambitious and have more plans than even a divine being
But she never helps me out with my scams for free, though
Although I ask for help from a higher power, I know I must execute my plans on my own
She grabs a stick and then she pokes it at me
Sometimes it feels like God is testing me, putting obstacles in my way
When I say nothing, I say everything
My silence speaks volumes and reveals more than my words could
They put me down in a lazaretto
I feel trapped and isolated, like I'm in quarantine
Born rotten, bored rotten
My life feels hopeless and unfulfilling
Making models of people I used to know
I try to create something meaningful from my past experiences, even if it's just a likeness
Out of coffee and cotton
I use the resources that are available to me to create
And all of my illegitimate kids have begotten
I have made mistakes in the past that still haunt me, manifesting in my offspring
Thrown down to the wolves, made feral for nothing
My struggles and mistakes have made me vulnerable to those who seek to harm me, and I feel like I am alone and unprotected
Quarantined on the Isle Of Man
I feel like an outcast, sent to a secluded and unfamiliar place
And I'm trying to escape any way that I can, oh
I am constantly searching for a way out of my situation, even if it means taking risks
Any way that I can, oh
In any way possible (repetition of previous line)
I have no time left
I feel like time is running out for me
Time is lost
Time has slipped away from me
No time at all, throw it in a garbage can
Time is worthless to me at this point
And I shake God's hand
I reach out for help and guidance from a higher power
I jump up and let her know when I can
I show my enthusiasm and readiness to take action
This is how I'm gonna do it
I have a plan and I am ready to put it into action
They wanna blow down the prison
Others around me are also trying to escape their own restrictive situations
They're lighting fires with the cash of the masses
Some people are using their influence and money to create chaos and instability
And like the dough I don't fall down
I am resilient and will not let the struggles of life defeat me
I'm so Detroit I make it rise from the ashes
I am determined and resourceful, like my hometown of Detroit, and will rebuild and rise above my low points
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jack White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cipher Serpicø
This Song goes from sounding like Rap in the Verses (0:22)
To, Alternative in the Chorus (0:54)
To, Jimmy Page from the Future during the Solo (1:37)
To, Rage Against The Machine
-With Brian Eno in the Background (2:18)
Then, with Harmonies on Top (2:25)
Then, an Air song on ‘Moon Safari’ (2:53)
Then, Americana/Country (2:58)
Then, a Terry Riley Composition (3:25)
Shawn Coventry
This has got to be one of the most underrated songs of all time. I never, ever, get tired of hearing it.
Chip Graham
I'm in the car right now... and just played it like 6x's in a row.
Samuel J D
It’s one of his most listened to / viewed songs. Is that what underrated means?
Kody Kindhart
Listen to skull session Oliver Nelson
Chip Graham
@Kody Kindhart I'll say I could vibe to it but it's like an A+ track to a late 70s early 80s porno. Sorry but it's just not fire
Lumi
@Samuel J D 25 million views is underrated
1COMIXMAN
Many don't realize the pure musical genius of this man, but his fans do
annony most
He is a rennesaince man...probably knows how to spell renessaince too...
LabRat
YES
David
annony most unlike you... it’s renaissance by the way