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
You're Pretty Good Looking
The White Stripes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But your back is so broken
And this feeling's still gonna linger on
Until the year 2525 now
Yeah you're pretty good looking for a girl
Your eyes are wide open
And your thoughts have been stolen by the boys
Want now
Yeah you're pretty good looking
Oh yeah
You're pretty good looking
Yes you're pretty good looking
Oh yeah
For a girl
Lots of people in this world
But I want to be your boy
To me that thought is sounding so absurd
And I don't want to be your toy
Cause you're pretty good looking for a girl
My future's wide open
But this feeling's still gonna linger on
Until I know everything I need to know now
Yeah you're pretty good looking
Oh yeah
You're pretty good looking
Yes you're pretty good looking
Oh yeah
For a girl
The White Stripes's song "You're Pretty Good Looking" is a catchy tune that explores the dynamics of superficial attraction and the resulting consequences. The song presents a male perspective on a girl who is considered attractive but has underlying issues that make her broken. The first verse "Oh yeah you're pretty good looking for a girl/but your back is so broken/and this feeling's still gonna linger on/ until the year 2525 now" indicates that while the girl may be physically attractive, she may have emotional issues or a troubled past. The singer acknowledges the attraction but also understands that this lingering feeling might not go away anytime soon.
In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that the girl's good looks are not enough to keep the guys around her happy. The lyrics "Your eyes are wide open/and your thoughts have been stolen by the boys/who took you out and bought you everything you want now" indicate that the girl attracts men because of her appearance, but they do not stick around for long as they only use her for their own purposes. The singer appreciates her looks but knows that she may not be as fulfilled as she seems.
The final verse reveals the singer's conflicting feelings of attraction and uncertainty towards the girl he admires. He wants to be with her but also does not want to be her toy. He recognizes that while the future may be open, his feelings towards her will still linger until everything is resolved. The chorus "Yeah, you're pretty good looking/Oh yeah, you're pretty good looking/Yes, you're pretty good looking/Oh yeah, for a girl" reinforces the girl's physical attractiveness, but it also highlights the singer's awareness that she may be more broken than she appears.
Overall, "You're Pretty Good Looking" can be seen as a commentary on the damaging aspects of superficial attraction, which can be misleading and fleeting. The lyrics, paired with the upbeat melody, present a bittersweet take on attraction and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah you're pretty good looking for a girl
Although you are a female, you possess physical attractiveness, but that does not define you as a person or guarantee success in life.
But your back is so broken
Your emotional and mental state is in turmoil, causing you to feel overwhelmed and helpless.
And this feeling's still gonna linger on
The pain and sorrow that you are experiencing will continue to affect you.
Until the year 2525 now
This feeling of sadness and heartbreak is so intense that it could last centuries, until the distant future of the year 2525.
Your eyes are wide open
You are aware of your surroundings and situation.
And your thoughts have been stolen by the boys
You have been influenced and manipulated by the attention and gifts given to you by male suitors.
Who took you out and bought you everything you want now
These men shower you with material possessions and gifts to win your affection, rather than truly caring for you as a person.
Lots of people in this world
There are many people in the world that I could pursue a relationship with.
But I want to be your boy
Despite the potential for other romantic partners, I desire to be in a relationship with you.
To me that thought is sounding so absurd
The idea of being in an exclusive relationship with you seems unrealistic or unlikely.
And I don't want to be your toy
I do not want you to play with my emotions or treat me as a disposable object.
My future's wide open
I have many possibilities and opportunities for my future.
Until I know everything I need to know now
Before making any major decisions, I need to gather and process all the information and insight I need to make an informed choice.
Yeah you're pretty good looking
Your physical appearance is undeniably attractive.
Oh yeah
Indeed.
You're pretty good looking
Your appearance is positively pleasing.
Yes you're pretty good looking
I acknowledge and affirm your physical attractiveness.
For a girl
Despite societal standards and expectations, your beauty should not be diminished or marginalized simply because you are female.
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..