First off, choosing 7 Jack White songs for this purpose is (while not impossible, I suppose) difficult enough for me to have to take, like, four Nesquik breaks. I thought my brain was going to explode from the pressure. Too many great songs to choose from.
Second, when confronted with this problem, one must be decisive: dedicate this song list to The White Stripes (and The White Stripes alone), and allow for 2 songs per day instead of 1. Problem solved.
Keep in mind that Get Behind Me Satan is one of my all time favorite albums, so I could have included every song from that album on this list. But alas, I did not. What I did do (though) is realize how much I love Jack at the piano, and how much I love his ballads, especially the ones about love and girls and vulnerability and feeling lonely.
And so, here you have it! 14 of my favorite White Stripes songs. Note that instead of naming the artist immediately after the song title I've listed the album title, for your reference.
1. You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl). De Stijl: My first favorite White Stripes song. My (then) boyfriend and I had a mutual crush on Meg and Jack. And on the De Stijl inspired artwork.
2. Truth Doesn't Make a Noise. De Stijl: I love the lyrics. And everything else about the song.
3. The Same Boy You've Always Know. White Blood Cells: This is one of those songs that I love about girls and vulnerability.
4. Hotel Yorba. White Blood Cells: Catchy as all get out. Great to do the twist to.
5. You've Got Her In Your Pocket. Elephant: Another one of those songs about love and girls and vulnerability. I also love the simplicity. Just Jack and the guitar. I would do a variety of dramatic things to hear him play this live.
6. I Want To Be the Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart. Elephant: I think the title says it all.
7. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself. Elephant: Brilliant cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song made popular by Dionne Warwick.
8. My Doorbell. Get Behind Me Satan: Jack at the piano. Love it. It's also just plain cool. And snappy. Very snappy.
9. Little Ghost. Get Behind Me Satan: Hmmm? Mountain music + mandolin + love song about a ghost = perfection, oozing with charm. Also, one of my favorite songs to sing along to.
10. Instinct Blues. Get Behind Me Satan: I love the bluesy grind of this song. And Jack's voice sounds ridiculously good. Also, it's funny. "Even strawberries get it."
11. I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet). Get Behind Me Satan: Again, Jack at the piano. With the exception of one bit of lyrics that makes me chuckle ("she's homely, and she's cranky, and her hair's in a net. I'm lonely, but I ain't that lonely yet"), I find this song totally heartbreaking.
12. A Martyr For My Love For You. Icky Thump: One of my all time favorites. I love the organ, the heaviness of the sound, and the narrative. A man saving the girl he loves from himself. Swoon. And sad. Very sad.
13. Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn. Icky Thump: This song is so full of majesty and a grand sort of atmosphere. And as a (supposed) descendent of Scotch-Irish gypsies (???), I also love the Celtic influence on this one.
14. Let's Shake Hands (Live). Under Great White Northern Lights: I believe this song was the very first White Stripes 7" single. The afore mentioned rendition is from the 2009 live album Under Great White Northern Lights. Great energy. Jack's guitar is killer, and Meg plays her drums with lots of gusto. It's so good!
Photo: cover of The White Stripes 2005 album Get Behind Me Satan
