I
The White Stripes Lyrics


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Oh, I think I smell a rat
Oh, I think I smell a rat

All you little kids seem to think you know just where it's at
Oh, I think I smell a rat
Walking down the street carrying a baseball bat
Oh, I think I smell a rat
Oh, I think I smell a rat
Oh, I think I smell a rat

All you little kids seem to think you know just where it's at
Oh, I think I smell a rat
Using your mother and father for a welcome mat




Oh, I think I smell a rat
Yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The White Stripes's song I Think I Smell a Rat are quite straightforward and simple, but they carry a powerful message. The song is essentially a warning to young people to beware of those around them who might be trying to manipulate them. The line "All you little kids seem to think you know just where it's at" is particularly telling, as it suggests that these young people may be overconfident and not fully aware of the dangers that surround them.


The mention of a "baseball bat" in the second verse also adds a menacing tone to the song, implying that violence may be a part of the threat that these young people are facing. This is reinforced by the line "Using your mother and father for a welcome mat", which suggests that those around them have very little respect for anything or anyone.


Overall, the lyrics of I Think I Smell a Rat suggest that young people need to be careful and cautious when navigating the world around them. They could be targeted by those who wish to manipulate them or lead them down a dangerous path, and they must be aware of their surroundings and the people in them.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh I think I smell a rat
There is deceit and dishonesty in the air, and I have a hunch about who or what may be causing it.


Oh I think I smell a rat
This feeling of suspicion and intuition is strong and persistent, and I am still convinced that something is not right.


All you little kids
This is directed at a group of people who may be younger and less experienced in navigating the world around them.


Seem to think you know
Despite their lack of experience, these people believe they have a firm grasp on how things work and where to go from here.


Just where it's at
This refers to the current state of affairs, the expected outcome, or the right course of action that these people feel they are familiar with.


Walking down the street
This describes a person in motion, likely out and about, perhaps searching for or confronting someone.


Carrying a baseball bat
This person is armed and potentially dangerous, carrying a weapon that suggests they are prepared to use force if necessary.


All you little kids
This is a repeated rebuke, emphasizing that the subject’s youth and naïvety puts them at a disadvantage.


Using your mother and father
This describes a situation where one person takes advantage of another’s trust and kindness, even though they are family.


For a welcome mat
This use of the phrase 'welcome mat' suggests that the parents are somewhat complicit or ignorant, allowing themselves to be used in this way.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jack White

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@lelvova8148

Lyrics:
I'm gonna fight 'em off
A seven nation army couldn't hold me back
They're gonna rip it off
Taking their time right behind my back
And I'm talking to myself at night
Because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette

And the message coming from my eyes
Says "Leave it alone"

Don't want to hear about it
Every single one's got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the Hounds of Hell
And if I catch it coming back my way
I'm gonna serve it to you
And that ain't what you want to hear
But that's what I'll do

And the feeling coming from my bones
Says "Find a home"

I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera forevermore
I'm gonna work the straw
Make the sweat drip out of every pore
And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding
Right before the Lord
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will sing no more

And the stains coming from my blood
Tell me "Go back home"



All comments from YouTube:

@yungcuz355

0% naked girls
0% drugs
0% cursing
100% triangles

@horatio1316

It's mesmerizing isn't it

@jahelthegamer6827

Yes

@siankdieno

2:00 circles

@m.i.a3430

Yep definitely triangles

@JeffreyBernabe

Illuminati Intensifies

576 More Replies...

@wonton_7708

I liked the part where they zoomed in on the person in the triangle. Cool part.

@mordecai6106

Waahaa _1 same

@abdielsilva4802

I was hoping someone said that's the whole song so I could say woooosh

@ragingcanadian9526

3 guys bro like that’s the entire song that they zoom in broooo

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