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
Stop Breakin' Down
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Breakin' down
Stop breakin' down
Woo stop breakin' down
The stuff I got is gonna bust your brains out
Well it'll make you lose your mind
You Saturday night women
Ape and crown
You won't do nothin' but tear good mans
Reputation down
Stop breakin' down
Woo stop breakin' down
The stuff I got is gonna bust your brains out
Well it'll make you lose your mind
I gave my baby
The ninety-ninth degree
Shed just love to throw a pistol
Down on me
Stop breakin' down
Hey stop breakin'down
The stuff I got is gonna bust you brains out
Well it'll make you lose your mind
The lyrics to The White Stripes's song Stop Breaking Down are a classic example of the blues genre where the singer sings about their troubles with women. The opening line, "Some pretty mama she starts breakin' down," refers to the woman in the singer's life who is causing him distress. The repetition of "stop breakin' down" is a plea to the woman to stop causing trouble and to leave the singer alone. The singer then warns the woman that the "stuff he's got" will "bust her brains out" and "make her lose her mind."
The second verse is directed at "Saturday night women" who are "ape and crown" and "tear good mans' reputation down." This line suggests that the singer may have been the victim of gossip or slander from women who have hatched a plan to defame his name. The chorus repeats, telling the women to "stop breakin' down" and warning them of the consequences if they don't.
The final verse depicts the singer's relationship with his partner, who he feels has gone too far. He claims to have given her the "ninety-ninth degree" and even accuses her of being willing to "throw a pistol down" on him. The chorus repeats once more, urging the woman to "stop breakin' down," and warning her that the singer's "stuff" will "bust her brains out."
Line by Line Meaning
Some pretty mama she starts Breakin' down
A woman begins to struggle and falter.
Stop breakin' down Woo stop breakin' down
Please cease your harmful behavior.
The stuff I got is gonna bust your brains out Well it'll make you lose your mind
My possessions are so powerful they will overwhelm and disorient you.
You Saturday night women You love to Ape and crown
Ladies who go out partying like to mimic and emulate each other's actions and attitudes.
You won't do nothin' but tear good mans Reputation down
You will only ruin the reputation of decent men.
Stop breakin' down Woo stop breakin' down
Please quit engaging in destructive behavior.
The stuff I got is gonna bust your brains out Well it'll make you lose your mind
My possessions have the power to seriously harm your psyche.
I gave my baby The ninety-ninth degree Shed just love to throw a pistol Down on me
I pushed my lover to their limits and they reacted angrily, possibly violently.
Stop breakin' down Hey stop breakin'down The stuff I got is gonna bust you brains out Well it'll make you lose your mind
I implore you to refrain from your damaging actions, or face the dire consequences of encountering my powerful possessions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Robert Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Evans
This is the best version of this song ever recorded, and they did it live on the radio! Jack is a genius and Meg drums with innocent primal power. It's like going to church without all the crosses.
Gandalf Shakur
If Fonzi were a preacher, "Aaayyy Maaaannnn"
Outlandia /:\ Bryan Burdo
Fantastic song fantastic comment.
Electric Eye
If Jack ain't the best around today, someone tell me please. I'm always amazed by his amplifiers' resilience. How those beauties don't catch fire, explode, vaporize, or bore themselves in to earth, I'll never know. What a beast. Don't get me started on those poor guitars.... * tearing up alittle*
Gandalf Shakur
For anyone under the pop/rock/blues radar, Jack (and Meg) kept it alive in the 00s while other forms of new styles shredded our brains.
RickyBear
He's certainly much better than just "good" that's for sure
NBAdagio
Try Mick Taylor and/or Mark Knopfler... my own preference, unapologetic. Jack is good though, OK?
Matthew Galvano
been years since I last listened to this. fucking good as I remembered. goddamn. his touch on the guitar is stunning
Mambold
Amazing blues. I love hearing young musicians play the blues with their own unique twist to it. Good stuff.
Andreas Franz
you're so right, man, very hope that blues will be played eternally