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
Red Rolling Ball Ruth
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Attention to my words
I love ya
I don't know what you heard
And this fire
Has got to go for sure
Red bowling ball
Well that's somethin'
Then I should know the truth
I said, you roll it
And then it breaks your tooth
Well Peter
Are you in the wrong town?
Well, I love this girl
So hell shall come around
And you leavin'
Will be the only sound
The lyrics to "Red Rolling Ball Ruth" by The White Stripes can be interpreted in different ways depending on who is listening to it. However, one possible interpretation is that the singer is trying to express his love for someone who might have misunderstood his feelings. He urges the listener to pay attention to his words and reassures them that he loves them, despite what they might have heard. The "fire" mentioned in the lyrics could be a metaphor for any issues or misunderstandings that might have been causing trouble in their relationship, and the singer is indicating that these issues have to be resolved in order for them to move forward.
The chorus of the song introduces the character of "Red Bowling Ball Ruth" who could be a real person or another metaphorical element within the song. The singer mentions that this is something that he should know the truth about, perhaps indicating that he is questioning the reliability of his own perceptions. He talks about rolling the red bowling ball, which could represent taking action or making a change, but also warns that it could break one's teeth, suggesting that taking risks can have consequences.
The final lines of the song seem to address someone named Peter, who might be in the wrong town or situation. The singer declares his love for the girl and warns Peter that leaving her will be the only sound he hears. Overall, "Red Rolling Ball Ruth" sounds like a love song with themes of miscommunication, risk-taking, and loyalty.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, pay attention
Listen up, focus on what I'm saying
Attention to my words
Take heed of the words that are coming out of my mouth
I love ya
I have feelings of affection for you
I don't know what you heard
I'm not aware of any rumors or gossip that may have reached you
And this fire
The passion or intensity of my emotions
Has got to go for sure
It needs to be extinguished or resolved
Red bowling ball
A specific type of bowling ball, colored red
Red bowling ball Ruth
The name given to this specific red bowling ball
Well that's somethin'
That's worth noting or interesting
Then I should know the truth
I ought to have a accurate understanding of the situation
I said, you roll it
I instructed you to roll the red bowling ball
And then it breaks your tooth
It causes physical harm by breaking your tooth upon impact
Well Peter
A name used to address someone else
Are you in the wrong town?
Are you lost or don't belong here?
Well, I love this girl
I have deep affection for this woman
So hell shall come around
I am fully prepared to deal with any negative consequences that may arise as a result of my actions
And you leavin'
The sound of you departing
Will be the only sound
There won't be any other sounds or noise afterwards
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NordrvagDavo KINO
I feel like I'll never stop finding more sick ass gems by my favorite band :]
Newcastle
NordrvagDavo KINO same here đź‘Ś
alroy michales
I don't think it's possible for a song to rock harder than this, so much detroit blues garage rock in your face it's just incredible, it just digs into the grit of my soul and puts than grin on my face, you know that really good grin..
Riley Wilkins
will someone please tell me how this is not on the white stripes album? This is fucking awesome!!!
III1236
this really could be the best WS song ever.
Robert Lehne
BRUTAL
theInsaneDoctor
An amazing track, more amazing it's a B-Side.
Riley Wilkins
I know i just added it to my 7'' collection
PussyPumper2012
AC/DC anyone? Angus Young style riff right there. Love it!
Seasuns
oh jesus. <3