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
I Fought Piranhas
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I hold the sail
And I kept my papers
To keep from land in jail
And I fought piranhas
And I fought the cold
There was no one with me
I was all alone, yeah
Well it's Easter morning now
And there's no one around
So I unroll the sermon
And walk into the town
There was no one with me
I was all alone
And I fought piranhas
And I fought the cold, yeah
Well you know what it's like
I don't got to tell you
Who puts up a fight
Walking out of hell now
When you fought piranhas
And you fought the cold
There's nobody with you
Yes, you're all alone, yeah
The White Stripes’ song “I Fought Piranhas” is a fast-paced, guitar-heavy track that tells a story of a lone adventurer facing various challenges. The lyrics are relatively simple and straightforward, but they convey a sense of resilience and determination as the singer faces dangers such as piranhas and harsh weather conditions alone. The opening lines “Well I hold the rope / And I hold the sail / And I kept my papers / To keep from land in jail” suggest that the singer is on a journey, likely at sea, and is responsible for keeping the boat moving and avoiding legal trouble.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is truly alone, with no one to rely on for support or guidance. The repeated lines “There was no one with me / I was all alone” serve to emphasize the isolation and vulnerability of the singer. Despite these challenges, the singer is determined to persevere, as evidenced by the lyrics “And I fought piranhas / And I fought the cold”.
In the final verse, the singer seems to reflect on the experience and draw a sense of strength from it. The lines “Well you know what it’s like / I don’t got to tell you / Who puts up a fight / Walking out of hell now” suggest that the singer feels empowered by his or her ability to overcome such formidable obstacles. The final lines “When you fought piranhas / And you fought the cold / There’s nobody with you / Yes, you’re all alone, yeah” serve as an affirmation of the singer’s resilience and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I hold the rope
I am taking control of the situation.
And I hold the sail
I am steering my own course through life.
And I kept my papers
I kept my affairs in order to avoid legal trouble.
To keep from land in jail
To avoid being imprisoned.
And I fought piranhas
I faced dangerous obstacles and overcame them.
And I fought the cold
I persevered through difficult, uncomfortable situations.
There was no one with me
I faced these challenges alone.
I was all alone, yeah
I had no support or companionship.
Well it's Easter morning now
The morning marks a new beginning.
And there's no one around
There is a sense of solitude.
So I unroll the sermon
I seek guidance or inspiration.
And walk into the town
I enter society with renewed purpose.
Well you know what it's like
You can relate to my struggle.
I don't got to tell you
I don't need to explain further.
Who puts up a fight
Who has to struggle to survive.
Walking out of hell now
I have overcome my challenges.
There's nobody with you
I faced my struggles alone.
Yes, you're all alone, yeah
The journey to success often requires solitude.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jack White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robyn
on Candy Cane Children
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..