The band has released three albums, 2006's "Broken Boy Soldiers", 2008's Consolers of the Lonely and 2019's Help Us Stranger.
Dean Fertita from The Waxwings did live keyboards for the band in 2006; he also played in Brendan Benson's band and is now touring with Queens Of The Stone Age, and is a member of White and Lawrence's band The Dead Weather.
The band had to change their name in Australia, since there already was a band named The Raconteurs there. The band is referred to as The Saboteurs in Australia.
The Switch and the Spur
The Raconteurs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the heat of the desert sun,
On the blistering trail
An appaloosa and,
A wanted man sprung from jail
Slow in motion and shadow-less
Every living thing, with a fatal sting
Bark and rattle this curse
The rider hallucinates
The snapping hooves on the sand
Spits a venom dream, recalls a stranger scream
And a broken hand
The saddle spotted with sweat and blood
The poison pumps through his veins
There's no stopping this, and now he's powerless
Still holding the reigns
Any pour souls who trespass against us
Whether it be beast or man
Will suffer the bite or be stung dead on sight
By those who inhabit this land
For there's is the power and this is the kingdom
As sure as the sun does burn
So enter this path, but heed these four words
You shall never return
Any pour souls who trespass against us
Whether it be beast or man
Will suffer the bite or be stung dead on sight
By those who inhabit this land
For there's is the power and this is the kingdom
As sure as the sun does burn
So enter this path, but heed these four words
You shall never return
The opening two lines of The Raconteurs’ song The Switch and the Spur set the mood for a gritty tale that is about to unfold. This track takes the listener into the desert, where a man on horseback is on the run. His horse can be characterized by its breed, Appaloosa, and he is wanted. Jack White, the lead vocalist of The Raconteurs, creates a dark and eerie atmosphere through his vocals, aided by the chilling background score.
As the song progresses, the rider starts hallucinating, hearing phantom sounds and experiencing flashbacks. There is a feeling of dread and a sense of danger in the lyrics, as the rider’s fate is sealed, and he knows it. He is bitten by a venomous creature, and the poison slowly takes over his body, rendering him powerless while he still holds the reins.
The song's lyrics depict how the land's inhabitants protect their habitat and warn strangers to never return. The phrase "You shall never return" echoes ominously in the listener's mind even when the track has ended, signaling that this is not a place for those who do not understand its workings.
Line by Line Meaning
In the heat of the desert sun,
Amidst the hot sun in the desert,
On the blistering trail
On the scorching pathway
An appaloosa and,
With an appaloosa horse,
A wanted man sprung from jail
A fugitive who escaped from prison
Slow in motion and shadow-less
Moving slowly and without a shadow
The switch and the spurs
The whip and the spurs worn by the rider
Every living thing, with a fatal sting
Everything in this place could cause deadly harm
Bark and rattle this curse
The sound of barking and rattling is a sign of danger
The rider hallucinates
The rider experiences a hallucination
The snapping hooves on the sand
The sound of the horse's hooves hitting the ground
Spits a venom dream, recalls a stranger scream
The rider has a nightmare and remembers a screaming stranger
And a broken hand
The rider once suffered a broken hand
The saddle spotted with sweat and blood
The saddle is stained with sweat and blood
The poison pumps through his veins
The venom is spreading through the rider's body
There's no stopping this, and now he's powerless
The rider can't stop the venom and is helpless
Still holding the reigns
The rider is still holding onto the reins
Any pour souls who trespass against us
Anyone who enters without permission
Whether it be beast or man
Regardless of whether they are an animal or a human
Will suffer the bite or be stung dead on sight
They will be attacked and killed
By those who inhabit this land
The residents in this place will do the attacking
For there's is the power and this is the kingdom
The power belongs to the inhabitants and this is their territory
As sure as the sun does burn
This is an absolute truth
So enter this path, but heed these four words
You can go down this path, but remember these four words
You shall never return
You will never make it back alive
Any pour souls who trespass against us
Anyone who enters without permission
Whether it be beast or man
Regardless of whether they are an animal or a human
Will suffer the bite or be stung dead on sight
They will be attacked and killed
By those who inhabit this land
The residents in this place will do the attacking
For there's is the power and this is the kingdom
The power belongs to the inhabitants and this is their territory
As sure as the sun does burn
This is an absolute truth
So enter this path, but heed these four words
You can go down this path, but remember these four words
You shall never return
You will never make it back alive
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN BENSON, JACK WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind