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
Rated X
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And things didn't seem to work out
Divorce is the key to being loose and free
But you're gonna be talked about
Everybody knows that you loved once
They think you'll love again
You can't have a male friend
When you're a has been
[yeah]
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda gold
That even men turn [?] to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Well nobody knows where you're going
But they sure know where you been
All they're thinking of
Is your experience in love
Well their minds fill up with sin
The women all look at you like you're bad
The men all hope you are
But if you go too far
You're gonna wear the scar
Of a women, rated x
[yeah]
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda gold
That even men turn [?] to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Yeah us women don't have a chance
Cause if you've been married
You can't have any fun at all
You're rated x
No matter what they do
They're gonna talk about ya
Don't know what to think about it
Just let 'em talk
Just let 'em talk meg
The White Stripes's song Rated X is a commentary on the double standards faced by women, particularly divorced women. The song addresses the societal expectations and attitudes towards women who have been divorced or have had multiple partners. The song suggests that women are judged more harshly than men and that societal expectations perpetuate the idea that women should remain virginal and "pure" even after marriage.
The song's lyrics paint a picture of a woman who's been through a divorce and is now viewed as "loose" or "damaged". Even if she tries to move on and have male friends, the stigma of being a "has-been" or rated "X" follows her. The song points out the hypocrisy of society, that a man who's been divorced is not viewed in the same way as a woman who has, and that men who pursue these women are seen as heroic while the women are vilified.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the objectification and mistreatment of women in society, and how their actions are often scrutinized more critically and unfairly than men's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Well if you've been a married woman
If you have been a married woman
And things didn't seem to work out
And if things did not work out
Divorce is the key to being loose and free
Divorce is the solution to be free
But you're gonna be talked about
But society will judge you
Everybody knows that you loved once
Everyone knows you have loved in the past
They think you'll love again
They assume you will love again
You can't have a male friend
You can't have a platonic male friend
When you're a has been
When you are viewed as a failure
Or a woman, you're rated x [yeah]
As a woman, you are judged and labeled as sexually promiscuous
And if you're rated x
And if you are perceived as sexually promiscuous
You're some kinda gold
You become a prized object to be obtained
That even men turn [?] to make
Men will even risk their relationships to be with you
But I think it's wrong
However, I believe it is unjust
To judge every picture
To judge every person
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
If a person makes a mistake in their past
So if your best friend's husband
Therefore, if your friend's husband
Says to you
Tells you
That you started lookin' good
That you have become more physically attractive
You should've known he would
You should have known he would notice
And he would if he could
He would pursue you if given the chance
And he will if you're rated x
And he will pursue you if you are perceived as sexually promiscuous
Well nobody knows where you're going
Nobody knows where your life will lead
But they sure know where you been
But everyone knows about your past
All they're thinking of
All they can think of
Is your experience in love
Is your sexual experiences
Well their minds fill up with sin
Their thoughts are filled with immorality
The women all look at you like you're bad
Women judge and view you negatively
The men all hope you are
Men hope that you are sexually promiscuous
But if you go too far
However, if you take it too far
You're gonna wear the scar
You will be branded with a negative reputation
Of a women, rated x [yeah]
As a woman judged and labeled as sexually promiscuous
Yeah us women don't have a chance
As women, we face an unfair society
Cause if you've been married
Because if you have been married
You can't have any fun at all
You cannot have any fun without being judged
You're rated x
You are judged and labeled as sexually promiscuous
No matter what they do
No matter what you do
They're gonna talk about ya
Society will talk and gossip about you
Don't know what to think about it
Don't know what to think about this unfair treatment
Just let 'em talk
Just let them talk
Just let 'em talk meg
Just let them talk, Meg
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MC CULLOCH, NICK GILDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GWade1217
Well if you've been a married woman
And things didn't seem to work out
Divorce is the key to being loose and free
But you're gonna be talked about
Everybody knows that you loved once
They think you'll love again
You can't have a male friend
When you're a has been
Or a woman, you're rated x
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda goal
Even men turned civil try to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Well nobody knows where you're going
But they sure know where you been
All they're thinking of
Is your experience in love
Well their minds fill up with sin
The women all look at you like you're bad
The men all hope you are
But if you go too far
You're gonna wear the scar
Of a women, rated x
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda goal
Even men turned civil try to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Yeah us women don't have a chance
Cause if you've been married
You can't have any fun at all
You're rated x
No matter what they do
They're gonna talk about ya
Don't know what to think about it
Just let 'em talk
Just let 'em talk meg
@WebFerret246
My left ear loved the lyrics.
@GWade1217
Well if you've been a married woman
And things didn't seem to work out
Divorce is the key to being loose and free
But you're gonna be talked about
Everybody knows that you loved once
They think you'll love again
You can't have a male friend
When you're a has been
Or a woman, you're rated x
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda goal
Even men turned civil try to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Well nobody knows where you're going
But they sure know where you been
All they're thinking of
Is your experience in love
Well their minds fill up with sin
The women all look at you like you're bad
The men all hope you are
But if you go too far
You're gonna wear the scar
Of a women, rated x
And if you're rated x
You're some kinda goal
Even men turned civil try to make
But I think it's wrong
To judge every picture
If a cheap camera makes a mistake
So if your best friend's husband
Says to you
That you started lookin' good
You should've known he would
And he would if he could
And he will if you're rated x
Yeah us women don't have a chance
Cause if you've been married
You can't have any fun at all
You're rated x
No matter what they do
They're gonna talk about ya
Don't know what to think about it
Just let 'em talk
Just let 'em talk meg
@dayzztrippert
white stripes yeh yeh just goes to show you trialz and tribulationz of life makes good songz
@bignorway69
Only Jack White could take a Loretta Lynn song and make it so fucking cool!!!! He also took Dolly Parton's Jolene and made it kick ass. All hail Jack White the Great!
@jennyf646
These songs were cool before Jack.
@bignorway69
@GLAMOROUSPINK05 Yeah I seem to remember them singing something together you're right. Totally awesome!
@thewhitestripeslover
@Thegirlinthefedora99 actually, Jack White and Karen Elson divorced couple months ago.. :) but I can agree with you - White Stripes forever!
@beatlezrawesome
@SuperGreenbay2011 With this song playing in the back ground:)
@Voludo_Loco78
Beautiful Like A Rock In A Cop's Face....
@awsometownnuked
Sneatio what is wrong with you