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
The Same Boy You've Allways Known
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then you got up of course
And started over
Forgot my name of course
Then you started to remember
Pretty tough to think about
The beginning of December
Pretty tough to think about
Yeah, yeah, pretty tough to think about
You're looking down again
And then you look me over
We're laying down again
On a blanket in the clover
The same boy you've always known
Well I guess I haven't grown
The same boy you've always known
Same boy you've always known
Think of what the past did
It could've lasted
So put it in your basket
I hope you know a strong man
Who can lend you a hand
Lowering my casket
I thought this is just today
And soon you'd been returning
The coldest blue ocean water
Cannot stop my heart and mind from burning
Everyone who's in the know, says
That's exactly how it goes
And if there's anything good about me
I'm the only one who knows
The White Stripes' song "The Same Boy You've Always Known" is a hauntingly beautiful, introspective song that reflects on the idea of growth or lack thereof. The first verse starts with the line, "You fell down of course, and then you got up of course, and started over," which seems to refer to the idea of failing in life but ultimately getting back up and continuing to live. The next few lines reflect on memory and its imperfection, stating "Forgot my name of course, then you started to remember, pretty tough to think about the beginning of December." These lines could be seen as a metaphor for how memories can fade and become fragmented over time.
The chorus, "The same boy you've always known, well I guess I haven't grown," seems to suggest a sense of stuckness, of feeling as though one has not progressed or changed over time. The reference to laying down on a blanket in the clover, and the line "The same boy you've always known," suggests that the singer is stuck in a sort of time loop, repeating the same experiences and not growing or changing.
The second verse takes a slightly darker turn, with the lines "Think of what the past did, it could've lasted, so put it in your basket. I hope you know a strong man who can lend you a hand lowering my casket." These lines seem to be referencing death and the idea of putting the past to rest. The final verse is introspective, with the lines "I thought this is just today, and soon you'd be returning, the coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my heart and mind from burning. Everyone who's in the know says that's exactly how it goes, and if there's anything good about me, I'm the only one who knows." These lines suggest that the singer feels trapped in their own mind or memories, with a sense of isolation and a lack of understanding from others.
Overall, "The Same Boy You've Always Known" is a song that reflects on the idea of growth and change, or lack thereof. It's a song that's filled with introspection and a sense of being trapped or stuck in one's experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
You fell down of course
It's only natural that you stumbled at some point
And then you got up of course
But you persevered and got back up
And started over
Starting anew with a fresh perspective
Forgot my name of course
You may have forgotten some of the little details
Then you started to remember
But you are beginning to recollect things
Pretty tough to think about
Reflecting on certain memories can be emotionally challenging
The beginning of December
This particular memory is from the start of winter
Yeah, yeah, pretty tough to think about
Revisiting these memories is not easy
You're looking down again
You are lost in thought once more
And then you look me over
You glance at me to refocus
We're laying down again
We are relaxing together once more
On a blanket in the clover
We are outside, enjoying nature
The same boy you've always known
I haven't changed much over the years
Well I guess I haven't grown
I haven't matured much either
Think of what the past did
Contemplate how the past has shaped you
It could've lasted
It had the potential to endure
So put it in your basket
Hold onto these memories
I hope you know a strong man
When I'm gone, I hope you have someone to rely on
Who can lend you a hand
Someone to help you through difficult times
Lowering my casket
The sadness of my passing
I thought this is just today
I believed this moment was fleeting
And soon you'd been returning
But you will come back to me again
The coldest blue ocean water
Even the most frigid of waters
Cannot stop my heart and mind from burning
Cannot extinguish the passion within me
Everyone who's in the know, says
The people with experience understand
That's exactly how it goes
This is the way life is
And if there's anything good about me
If I have any redeeming qualities
I'm the only one who knows
Only I can truly know myself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jack Wallace Photography
You fell down of course
And then you got up of course
And started over
Forgot my name of course
Then you started to remember
Pretty tough to think about
The beginning of December
Pretty tough to think about
Pretty tough to think about
Yeah, yeah, pretty tough to think about
You're looking down again
And then you look me over
We're laying down again
On a blanket in the clover
The same boy you've always known
Well I guess I haven't grown
The same boy you've always known
Same boy you've always known
Think of what the past did
It could've lasted
So put it in your basket
I hope you know a strong man
Who can lend you a hand
Lowering my casket
I thought this is just today
And soon you'd been returning
The coldest blue ocean water
Cannot stop my heart and mind from burning
Everyone who's in the know, says
That's exactly how it goes
And if there's anything good about me
I'm the only one who knows
musashihumar
Honestly, I like this performance better than what was on the studio recording.
Maria Mejia
this has to be one of my fav songs of all time
RP Williams
Me too...i especially love the 'on a blanket in the clover' line...the image it conjures up for me every time i hear it....it's just great.
batman48195
I like when Jack sings at the mic by Meg. It’s like he’s singing to her. <3
Lin2theZ
def my fav white stripes song. you can tell meg loves it too.
thesameboyyouvealwaysknown
I've been looking for a better live version of this song for years but haven't found one yet. From the part "think of what the past did it could've lasted" on, he sounds so real and raw, as if he was saying it to Meg, right in front of her. Oh I love them so much
TSIKA
I love their garage band sound, so raw, but so good.
Chris J
The White Stripes where damn near perfect. I am serious.
failing it all
MalcomWell said. That's exactly the definition of damn near perfect.
Malcolm Boyd
Chris J
Perfectly imperfect