The Raconteurs is an alternative rock band, formed in Detroit, Michigan, Un… Read Full Bio ↴The Raconteurs is an alternative rock band, formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 2005. The band consists of Jack White (vocals, guitar), Brendan Benson (vocals, guitar), Jack Lawrence (bass) and Patrick Keeler (drums). The band considers themselves to be a "new band made up of old friends" and the members are also members of other rock groups: White was a member of The White Stripes (and, along with Lawrence, is also a member of The Dead Weather), Benson is a solo singer/songwriter and Lawrence and Keeler are members of The Greenhornes.

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.

Thoughts and Prayers
The Raconteurs Lyrics

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How can the grim reaper creep
If he really doesn't have the time?
And how long would you sleep
If the sun decided not to shine?

There's a man who lives up the block
He doesn't even own a clock
Sometimes he stays awake for days

He's doing it his own way

I used to give my friends a call
Now there's no one left at all
I think my father used to say
There's got to be a different way
To make myself feel OK
Or maybe that's just how he used to pray

And who cares how people live
If living's all they got?
And who knows how money grows?
Drop a nickel in the pot

I wrote a letter down to you
Like I'm Sullivan Ballou
It's a recipe for blue
Like it's 1862

Maybe I'm just a cast away
Or a poor boy led astray
There's no one left here to betray
The only child of the earth
Nobody left here to give birth
It's hard to tell what that's worth

I used to look up at the sky
Up at the beautiful blue sky
But now the earth has turned to gray
There's got to be a better way

To talk to God and hear her say
There are reasons why it is this way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Thoughts and Prayers" contemplate life’s harsh realities through a dreary and nonchalant lens directed towards events that dominate headlines such as natural disasters, mass shootings, suicide bombings and other tragedies that leave many feeling helpless. The singer questions the usefulness of traditional coping mechanisms and societal norms such as prayer or the value of money. He wonders how much control people actually have over their own lives and their ability to affect change. The melancholic chorus “There’s got to be a better way to talk to God and hear her say there are reasons why it is this way” seems to be a soulful yearning for answers, validation, and solace. It is delivered with a cynical edge that belies the futility of such searches.

Line by Line Meaning

How can the grim reaper creep If he really doesn't have the time?
If death is inevitable, why does it sometimes feel like it's rushing towards us and other times like it drags on?

And how long would you sleep If the sun decided not to shine?
If the world were plunged into darkness, how long would it take for us to lose hope and give up?

There's a man who lives up the block He doesn't even own a clock Sometimes he stays awake for days He's doing it his own way
There are people who reject society's norms and choose to live in a way that feels meaningful to them, even if it's unconventional or difficult to understand.

I used to give my friends a call Now there's no one left at all I think my father used to say There's got to be a different way To make myself feel OK Or maybe that's just how he used to pray
Loneliness can make one question not only the value of social connections, but also the effectiveness of one's own coping mechanisms or spiritual beliefs.

And who cares how people live If living's all they got? And who knows how money grows? Drop a nickel in the pot
Life is an inherently unequal and unpredictable enterprise, and there are limited ways to intervene or change the outcomes for oneself or others.

I wrote a letter down to you Like I'm Sullivan Ballou It's a recipe for blue Like it's 1862
Writing letters used to be a common and meaningful way to communicate, but nostalgia for those days does not negate the sadness that inspired the writing in the first place.

Maybe I'm just a cast away Or a poor boy led astray There's no one left here to betray The only child of the earth Nobody left here to give birth It's hard to tell what that's worth
Feeling disconnected from others can bring about feelings of both isolation and relief, as well as prompting speculation about one's place and purpose in the world.

I used to look up at the sky Up at the beautiful blue sky But now the earth has turned to gray There's got to be a better way To talk to God and hear her say There are reasons why it is this way
Losing a sense of wonder and beauty in life can feel like a betrayal of hope, but it also leads one to seek greater meaning and understanding of the world.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brendan Benson, John Anthony White

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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