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
Jimmy the Exploder
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well do you want an explosion now
Yeah Jimmy
Do you want to explode now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Hoo x16
Green apples
On the tree and growing now
Green apples
Are gonna be exploding now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Hoo x16
The lyrics of "Jimmy the Exploder" by The White Stripes depict an intense and explosive encounter between the two characters, Jimmy and Monkey. The song's chorus repeatedly asks Jimmy if he wants to explode now, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for a moment of reckoning or release. The chorus' line about Monkey seeing red and jumping on the bed adds to the sense of chaos and frenetic energy in the song. The verses about green apples on the tree also contribute to this feeling of impending explosion, as green apples are what will soon be exploding.
Overall, the song seems to be about wanting to break free from something and experience a cathartic release. It's possible that Jimmy represents the desire to be free and Monkey represents the force trying to hold him back. The song's energy and intensity make it clear that this is not a peaceful or easy process, but rather one that involves a lot of pent-up frustration and emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Now Jimmy
Directly addressing Jimmy as the main subject of the conversation
Well do you want an explosion now
Asking Jimmy if he desires to witness an explosion at this moment
Yeah Jimmy
Affirming Jimmy's identity and reaffirming the focus on him
Do you want to explode now
Reiterating the question to clarify that Jimmy is being asked if he personally wants to explode
Yeah monkey
Addressing a monkey as a new subject, potentially symbolizing chaos or wildness
Are you seein' red now
Asking if the monkey is feeling angry or agitated
Yeah monkey
Continuing focus on the monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Describing the monkey's active and playful behavior
Hoo x16
Potentially representing a vocalization of excitement or anticipation
Green apples
Introducing a new image, potentially symbolizing fertility, growth, or temptation
On the tree and growing now
Describing the current state of the apples as still attached to the tree and developing
Green apples
Repeating the image and emphasizing its importance
Are gonna be exploding now
Predicting that the apples will soon burst or erupt in some way
Yeah monkey
Returning focus to the monkey
Are you seein' red now
Repeating the question to suggest that the monkey's behavior may escalate alongside the impending apple explosions
Yeah monkey
Continuing focus on the monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Repeating the earlier line to suggest that the monkey's playful behavior may become more destructive in the face of impending chaos
Hoo x16
Repeating the previous vocalization, potentially now indicating a sense of chaotic frenzy
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..