Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

Last updated

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground.jpg
Single by the White Stripes
from the album White Blood Cells
ReleasedJuly 1, 2002 (2002-07-01)
RecordedFebruary 2001 (February 2001) [1] [2]
Studio Easley-McCain Recording (Memphis, Tennessee)
Genre Rock
Length3:04
Label
Songwriter(s) Jack White, Meg White
Producer(s) Jack White
The White Stripes singles chronology
"Fell in Love with a Girl"
(2002)
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
(2002)
"We're Going to Be Friends"
(2002)
Music video
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" on YouTube

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is a song by American garage rock band the White Stripes, featured on their 2001 third studio album White Blood Cells . Written by the band and produced by vocalist and guitarist Jack White, "Dead Leaves" was released as the third single from the album in July 2002, charting at number 19 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

Contents

Reception

In a review of the song for AllMusic, Tom Maginnis describes "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" as a "grimy rocker", noting it as a display of the duo's "keen understanding of musical dynamics". [3] Paste and Stereogum ranked the song number three and number five, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest White Stripes songs. [4] [5]

Music video

The music video for this song, directed by Michel Gondry, depicts Jack White coming back to his trashed London house and surveying reckless destruction. While he goes from room to room, video of the party events that led to the decimation (and of his and Meg's relationship before he left) is projected over the scenery, until in the final scene she leaves him.

Track listings

All songs were written by Jack and Meg White, except "Stop Breaking Down" by Robert Johnson.

7-inch vinyl(XLS 148)

  1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
  2. "Stop Breaking Down" (Robert Johnson cover; live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

CD single(XLS 148CD)

  1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
  2. "Suzy Lee" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
  3. "Stop Breaking Down" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

DVD single(XLS 148DVD)

  1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (music video)
  2. Interview with Arthur P. Dottweiler

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the UK single CD liner notes [6]

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJuly 1, 2002 V2 [12]
United KingdomSeptember 2, 2002
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
XL [13]

Use in Rock Band

The song was made available to download on May 23, 2011, for play in the Rock Band 3 music gaming platform in both Basic rhythm, and PRO mode which takes advantage of the use of a real guitar / bass guitar, along with standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to vocals. [14] [15]

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The White Stripes</span> American rock duo (1997–2011)

The White Stripes were an American rock duo formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White and Meg White. They were a leading group of the 2000s indie rock and garage rock revival.

<i>Elephant</i> (album) 2003 studio album by the White Stripes

Elephant is the fourth studio album by the American rock duo The White Stripes. It was released on April 1, 2003, through V2, XL, and Third Man records. The album was produced by the band's guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, and continues their "back-to-basics" approach seen in White Blood Cells (2001). It was mostly recorded at Maida Vale and Toe Rag Studios across two weeks in April 2002, and was produced without the use of computers, instead utilizing a duct-taped 8 track tape machine and various gear no more recent than 1963.

<i>De Stijl</i> (album) 2000 studio album by The White Stripes

De Stijl is the second studio album by the American rock duo the White Stripes, released on June 20, 2000, by the Sympathy for the Record Industry. Produced by the band's guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, the album was recorded on an 8-track analog tape in his living room following the covert divorce of members Jack and Meg White, who nevertheless continued working together. The album takes its name from the art movement of the same name, and features their early blues-inspired sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack White</span> American musician (born 1975)

John Anthony White is an American musician who served as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. A key artist of the 2000s garage rock revival, he is known for his distinctive musical techniques and eccentricity. He has won 12 Grammy Awards among other accolades. Rolling Stone included him on their 2010 and 2023 lists of the greatest guitarists of all time. The New York Times called White "the coolest, weirdest and savviest rockstar of our time" in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady Peace</span> Canadian rock band

Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and Jason Pierce on drums. The band has sold several million albums worldwide, won four Juno Awards, and won ten MuchMusic Video Awards—the most MMVAs ever awarded to a band. Nineteen of their singles have reached the Top Ten on one of Canada's singles charts. Between 1996 and 2016, Our Lady Peace was the third best-selling Canadian band and the ninth best-selling Canadian artist overall in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg White</span> American retired musician (born 1974)

Megan Martha White is an American retired musician who served as the drummer and occasional singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. A key artist of the 2000s garage rock revival, White is noted for her "primal" style of playing and elusive media image. Though she typically performed backing vocals for the band, she occasionally sang lead for one song on each album, including "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "Passive Manipulation".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Orchid</span> 2005 single by the White Stripes

"Blue Orchid" is the first track by the American alternative rock band the White Stripes from their album Get Behind Me Satan, and the first single to be released from the album. The song was released six weeks after it was written. Although it was suspected that Jack White wrote the song about his breakup with Renée Zellweger, he has denied this claim. Lyrically, "Blue Orchid" is about White's longing for classical entertainment industries and the turmoil that the newer industries sent him through.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Doorbell</span> 2005 single by the White Stripes

"My Doorbell" is a song by American alternative rock band the White Stripes, released as the second single from their album, Get Behind Me Satan (2005), on July 11, 2005. The song garnered the White Stripes a 2006 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The video for this single was directed by the Malloys, filmed in black-and-white, and features Jack and Meg performing in front of a crowd of children; it was filmed at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fell in Love with a Girl</span> 2002 single by The White Stripes

"Fell in Love with a Girl" is a song by the American rock band the White Stripes, written by the band and produced by Jack White for the band's third studio album, White Blood Cells (2001). Released as the album's second single in February 2002, it peaked at number 21 on both the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and the UK Singles Chart. It was also the band's first single to reach the U.S. Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Nation Army</span> 2003 single by the White Stripes

"Seven Nation Army" is a song by American rock duo the White Stripes. It is the opening track on their fourth studio album, Elephant (2003). V2 Records released the song to American alternative radio on February 17, 2003, as the lead single from the album. Worldwide, the single was issued through XL Recordings. Written and produced by Jack White, the song consists of distorted vocals, a simple drumbeat, and a bass line created by playing a guitar through a pitch shift effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hardest Button to Button</span> 2003 single by the White Stripes

"The Hardest Button to Button" is a song by American alternative rock band the White Stripes, released on August 11, 2003 through V2, XL, and Third Man records. It was written by Jack White and composed by the band for their fourth album, Elephant. According to Jack, the song is about a child trying to find his place in a dysfunctional family when a new baby comes. The cover of the single is an allusion to the graphics of Saul Bass, seen in the movie posters and title sequences of films such as Anatomy of a Murder and The Man with the Golden Arm. The cover also alludes to White's then-broken index finger and his obsession with the number three.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We're Going to Be Friends</span> 2002 promotional single by The White Stripes

"We're Going to Be Friends" is a song by American alternative rock band White Stripes from their album White Blood Cells. It was released in 2002 and tells the story of meeting a new friend at the beginning of a school year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel Yorba</span> 2001 single by the White Stripes

"Hotel Yorba" is the lead single from White Blood Cells, by American garage rock band the White Stripes. It was released on November 12, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Denial Twist</span> 2005 single by the White Stripes

"The Denial Twist" is the third single released from American alternative rock band the White Stripes' fifth studio album, Get Behind Me Satan (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The White Stripes discography</span>

The American duo the White Stripes has released six studio albums, two live albums, four video albums, one compilation album, one extended play, 28 singles, and 20 music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danger! High Voltage</span> 2002 single by Electric Six

"Danger! High Voltage" is a song by American rock band Electric Six. It was released as the band's debut single and the lead single from their debut studio album, Fire (2003), in December 2002 by XL Recordings. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 20 in Ireland and the Netherlands. It received positive reviews from critics and was named Single of the Week by the NME.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman's Dead</span> 1997 single by Our Lady Peace

"Superman's Dead" is a song by Canadian alternative rock group Our Lady Peace. It was released on January 16, 1997 as the lead single from their second album Clumsy, preceding the album's release by a week. This has become one of Our Lady Peace's most popular songs.

<i>Icky Thump</i> 2007 studio album by The White Stripes

Icky Thump is the sixth and final studio album by American rock duo The White Stripes, released through Warner Bros. and Third Man Records in June 2007, with XL Recordings handling the United Kingdom release. Its first release came on June 15, 2007, in Germany, with the release for the rest of Europe occurring on June 18 and the rest of the world on June 19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icky Thump (song)</span> 2007 single by the White Stripes

"Icky Thump" is a song recorded by the American alternative rock band the White Stripes. Written by Jack White, it was the first single released from their sixth and final album of the same name. The song is a heavy garage-rock piece whose lyrics challenge anti-immigration pundits for their hypocrisy. It was recorded and mixed at Nashville's Blackbird studio.

<i>White Blood Cells</i> 2001 studio album by The White Stripes

White Blood Cells is the third studio album by American rock duo the White Stripes, independently released by the Sympathy for the Record Industry on July 3, 2001. Recording took place in Memphis, Tennessee at Easley-McCain Recording over three days, and was produced by guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White. Production was rushed in order to capture a "real tense feeling" and the band's energy, and was their first album to be mastered in a studio.

References

  1. Maerz, Jennifer (June 5, 2001). "Sister? Lover? An Interview with The White Stripes". whitestripes.net. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  2. Giannini, Melissa (May 29, 2001). "The Sweet Twist of Success". Metro Times . Times-Shamrock Communications. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  3. Maginnis, Tom. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground". allmusic . Retrieved March 29, 2009.
  4. Moore, Bo (February 4, 2011). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Paste . Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  5. Williott, Carl (February 26, 2014). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Stereogum . Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  6. The White Stripes - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground, September 2, 2002, retrieved November 13, 2023
  7. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  9. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  10. "The White Stripes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  11. "Most-Played Modern Rock Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 44.
  12. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records . No. 1459. June 28, 2002. p. 26.
  13. "New Releases – For Week Starting 2 September 2002: Singles". Music Week . August 31, 2002. p. 27.
  14. Gonzalez, Michelle (May 18, 2011). "Rock Band 3 Goes Gaga...With Foreigner". The Gaming Vault. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  15. Snider, Mike (June 10, 2010). "Rock Band 3: What's New, What's Notable". USA Today . Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  16. Endelman, Michael (October 13, 2006), "SECOND TIME IS (SOMETIMES) THE CHARM." Entertainment Weekly. (901/902):131