After releasing several singles and three albums within the Detroit independent music underground, The White Stripes rose to prominence in 2002, as part of the garage rock revival scene. Their successful albums White Blood Cells and Elephant drew them attention from a large variety of media outlets in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The White Stripes used a low-fidelity, do-it-yourself approach to writing and recording. Their music features a melding of punk and blues influences and a raw simplicity of composition, arrangement, and performance. The duo is also noted for their fashion and design aesthetic which features a simple color scheme of red, white, and black.
The White Stripes' discography consists of six studio albums, two extended plays (EP), one video album, 26 singles and fourteen music videos. The band has sold approximately 12 million albums worldwide, 2 million in the US alone, and their latest three albums have each won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
On February 2, 2011, the band announced on their website that they had disbanded.
Official band website: www.whitestripes.com
Candy Cane Children
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Candy cane girl, don't you know your name, girl?
Yeah, 12 people are gonna ask you just the same, girl.
What a world, Christmas once a year, girl.
That's 364 tears, girl.
So when Christmas finally comes, and nobody's got a gun,
And you think it might be fun to hang around, think again, girl.
Why don't you open me up, huh?
Candy cane boy, don't you know your name, boy?
Nine people gonna tell you just the same, boy.
You're lonesome in the middle of a million,
And nobody knows how to talk to children.
Oh, when Christmas finally comes, and nobody's got a gun,
And you think it might be fun to get a new toy, think again, boy.
Oh, when Christmas finally comes, and no one's got a gun,
And you think it might be fun to make a stand, think again, man.
The lyrics to The White Stripes's song Candy Cane Children are a commentary on the disconnect between the joyous exterior of Christmas and the harsh realities of the world. The song is addressed to two different children, a candy cane girl and a candy cane boy, who are both struggling to find their place in the world. The candy cane girl is told that despite the excitement of Christmas, the rest of the year is filled with sadness and tears. When Christmas finally arrives and nobody has a gun, she might think it's a good time to enjoy herself, but the lyrics caution her to think again.
Similarly, the candy cane boy is told that he is lonesome in the midst of a million people, and nobody knows how to talk to children. Despite the allure of new toys at Christmas, the lyrics warn him to be careful about what he wishes for. The repetition of the phrase "think again" emphasizes the idea that the world can be a dangerous and uncertain place, even during the holiday season.
Overall, the lyrics to Candy Cane Children suggest that the joy of Christmas can be fleeting, and that children need to be cautious and aware of the realities of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you open me up?
Why don't you try to understand me better?
Candy cane girl, don't you know your name, girl?
You look lost and unsure of your identity, girl.
Yeah, 12 people are gonna ask you just the same, girl.
You'll be questioned and judged repeatedly by many people, girl.
What a world, Christmas once a year, girl.
The world we live in only celebrates Christmas once a year, girl.
That's 364 tears, girl.
The other 364 days of the year are filled with sadness, girl.
So when Christmas finally comes, and nobody's got a gun,
When Christmas arrives without any violent weapons or threats,
And you think it might be fun to hang around, think again, girl.
Don't expect things to be completely happy and carefree, girl.
Why don't you open me up, huh?
Why don't you try to understand me better, huh?
Candy cane boy, don't you know your name, boy?
You also seem lost and unsure of your identity, boy.
Nine people gonna tell you just the same, boy.
You'll also be questioned and judged repeatedly by many people, boy.
You're lonesome in the middle of a million,
You feel isolated and alone despite being surrounded by many people.
And nobody knows how to talk to children.
No one seems to understand or connect with children like you, boy.
Oh, when Christmas finally comes, and nobody's got a gun,
Once again, when Christmas arrives without any violent weapons or threats,
And you think it might be fun to get a new toy, think again, boy.
Don't expect material possessions to fill the void in your life, boy.
Oh, when Christmas finally comes, and no one's got a gun,
Again, when Christmas arrives without any violent weapons or threats,
And you think it might be fun to make a stand, think again, man.
Don't believe that standing up for yourself and your beliefs will be easy, man.
Contributed by Julia P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robyn
The meaning of this song is basically saying the older you get, the less fun Christmas becomes usually do to adulthood. The lines "don't you know your name?...", probably refers to the adults telling kids to grow up as if they're saying "Do you know how old you are? You're getting too old for this stuff." Probably why he put the lines "nobody knows how to talk to children". Also, he puts the lines "think again" after a thought of one of the kids thinking of wishing to participate in Christmas activities. As if they're thinking "Yeah I probably AM too old for this.." "364 more tears girl" the sadness of getting older. Not participating feels like a missed opportunity and causes even more sadness..