![]() The paranoid protagonist imagines the bitchy backstabbing of the folks back home, jealous of their fame and success. 'I'm gonna fight 'em off / A seven nation army couldn't hold me back' They're gonna rip it off / Takin' their time right behind my back'Ĭharged with a fearsome defiance, the lyrics were actually inspired by the perception of the band's burgeoning celebrity within the grassroots Detroit scene that spawned them. "So that was just a way for me to remember which one I was talking about, but it took on a new meaning with the lyrics."Īs the down-tuned guitar meets the four-to-the-floor drum thud, White fires his powerful opening salvo: "I was just calling it 'Seven Nation Army' - that's what I called the Salvation Army when I was a kid," White told Rolling Stone. (A very similar effect is heard on another decade-defining hit, Tame Impala's 'The Less I Know The Better'.) Using a digital whammy pedal, he down-tuned his six-string an octave to mimic a bass. The growling, ominous melody sounded like it was played on a bass guitar – a self-imposed White Stripes no-no – but was created by White pitch-shifting his guitar (a semi-acoustic 1950s Kay Hollowbody gifted to Jack by his brother as payment for moving a refrigerator, for you trivia heads). The lack of digital gear wasn't a surprise for the Detroit duo – with their old-fashioned sensibilities stripped-back voice/guitar/drums set-up. 'Seven Nation Army' was recorded in April 2002, at Toe Rag Studios in the London borough of Hackney, entirely on analogue equipment. It remains the highest charting of 10 songs by The White Stripes in triple j's annual music poll. "Maybe it should have won for Best Paranoid Blues Song," White joked to Rolling Stone.īuoyed by its hypnotic music video, which received heavy rotation on MTV and rage here in Australia, 'Seven Nation Army' also hit the Top 10 in the UK and peaked at #17 on the ARIA Singles Chart following its CD release on 28 April, 2003.īy the end of that year, it was voted in at #3 in triple j's Hottest 100 (just behind Outkast's 'Hey Ya' and Jet's 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl?) and interestingly, rose to #2 in a poll on the previous 20 years of Hottest 100 countdowns held in 2013. Released on 17 February 2003, 'Seven Nation Army' rocketed to number one on Billboard's Alternative chart and later earned the Grammy for Best Rock Song, while Elephant won Best Alternative Music Album (the first of three in a row for the band). ![]() "It just shows you that you really never know." ![]() "The labels in America and the UK, neither of them wanted to put that out as the first single," White told Rolling Stone in 2009. "It's almost great when people say that, because it almost makes you get defensive in your brain and think, 'No. Recounting the origin story in It Might Get Loud, White said the muted reaction only encouraged him to pursue the idea further. "I, 'I don't know man, you can do better'." "Weirdly enough, I didn't like it," Swank told Deadspinin 2012. At the time, he didn't think much of what would become one of the most recognisable descending note patterns in music. Jack White came up with the iconic riff during soundcheck at Melbourne's Corner Hotel in January 2002, on one of The White Stripes' earliest tours Down Under.īen Swank – White's roommate and later, Third Man Records exec – was there during that historic moment. Across two decades it's gone from their highest charting hit in triple j's Hottest 100 to an inescapable stadium chant at sporting events the world over.Īnd 'Seven Nation Army' was born right here in Australia. It does not store any personal data.With over one billion streams and counting on Spotify alone, it's The White Stripes' most recognisable and popular song. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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