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
Lafayette Blues
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Yeah]
Marantette,
Leverette,
Lannette,
Lafayette,
Livernois,
Labrosse,
Metatal,
Rochelle,
Marcelle,
Riopelle,
Manistique,
And Armour,
[?]
Ohh, ohh, hmmm
Hey
Mercier,
Le May,
Tournier,
Salliote,
And Le Roy,
[?]
Montlieu,
Cadieux,
Neveaux Avenue En Detroit,
[?]
Well I'm ready teddy
I'm ready, ready teddy
To rock n roll
Go
Ahh
Lamphere,
Belle Terre,
Marcelle,
Metetal,
Rouge,
Le Blanc
The lyrics of "Lafayette Blues" by The White Stripes can be interpreted as a list of streets and places in Detroit that the singer is familiar with. The first half of the song is a list of streets and places, with some of the names pronounced phonetically to fit the song's rhythm. While the second half of the song is a classic rock and roll refrain expressing the singer's readiness to rock and roll, backed by a guitar riff.
The song seems to highlight a sense of belonging and attachment to a specific place by the singer, as if these street names and locations hold a special meaning to them. It could also be a way of the singer expressing their pride and familiarity with their hometown, emphasizing the importance of home and community.
Overall, the song's lyrics seem to capture a sense of nostalgia and familiarity with one's hometown, and the joy of coming back to a place that is full of memories and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, four
The song starts with a countdown to signify the start of the singer's journey.
Yeah
The singer acknowledges the start of the song and is ready to begin.
Marantette,
Leverette,
Lannette,
Lafayette,
Livernois,
Labrosse,
Louis,
Metatal,
Rochelle,
Marcelle,
Riopelle,
Manistique,
And Armour,
[?]
Ohh, ohh, hmmm
Hey
These are all names of streets located in Detroit, Michigan. The singer is probably reminiscing about his experiences driving around the city and enjoying the sights.
Mercier,
Le May,
Tournier,
Salliote,
And Le Roy,
[?]
These are also street names in Detroit that the singer is familiar with. He is impressed with the history and culture of the city.
Montlieu,
Cadieux,
Neveaux Avenue En Detroit,
[?]
More streets in Detroit that the singer has travelled through or lived on. It highlights his attachment and admiration for the city.
Well I'm ready teddy
I'm ready, ready teddy
To rock n roll
Go
Ahh
The singer is pumped up and ready to rock n roll. The ‘Ah’ is just an exclamation that adds energy to the song.
Lamphere,
Belle Terre,
Marcelle,
Metetal,
Rouge,
Le Blanc
These are also street names in Detroit. The singer is feeling happy and content with driving down these streets.
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..