The White Stripes - Icky Thump lyrics
- Icky Thump
- You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)
- 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues
- Conquest
- Bone Broke
- Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
- St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)
- Little Cream Soda
- Rag And Bone
- I'm Slowly Turning Into You
- A Martyr For My Love For You
- Catch Hell Blues
- Effect And Cause
Icky Thump
Yah-Hee,
Icky thump,
Who'da thunk?
Sittin' drunk on a wagon to Mexico.
Ahh well,
What a chump,
Well, my head got a bump,
When I hit it on the radio.
Redhead señorita,
Looking dead,
Came and said,
"Need a bed?"
En español.
I said,
"Gimme a drink of water
I'm gonna sing around the colla'
And I don't need a microphone."
Icky thump,
With a lump in my throat,
Grabbed my coat,
And I was freakin',
I was ready to go.
And I swear,
Besides the hair,
She had one white eye,
One blank stare,
Lookin' up,
Lyin' there.
On the stand,
Near her hand,
Was a candy cane,
Black rum, sugar cane,
Dry ice, something strange.
La la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la.
White Americans, what?
Nothing better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out?
You're an immigrant, too.
Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well, you can't be a pimp
And a prostitute, too.
Icky thump,
Handcuffed to a bunk,
Robbed blind,
Looked around,
And there was nobody else.
Left alone,
I hit myself with a stone,
Went home and learned how
To clean up after myself.
You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)
In some respects,
I suspect you've got a respectable side.
When pushed and pulled and pressured,
You seldom run and hide.
But it's for someone else's benefit,
Not for what you wanna do.
Until I realize that you've realized,
I'm gonna say these words to you.
Yeah, you don't know what love is,
You do as you're told.
Just as a child of ten might act,
But you're far too old.
You're not hopeless or helpless,
and I hate to sound cold.
But you don't know what love is...
You just do as you're told.
I can see your man can't help but win,
Any problems that may arise.
But in his mind there can be no sin,
If you never criticize.
You just keep on repeating
All those empty "I love yous".
Until you see you deserve better,
I'm gonna lay right into you.
Yeah, you don't know what love is,
You just do as you're told.
Just as a child of ten might act,
But you're far too old.
You're not hopeless or helpless,
and I hate to sound cold.
But you don't know what love is,
No, you don't know what love is,
No, you don't know what love is...
You just do as you're told.
Yeah, do as you're told.
Yeah.
300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues
I'm bringing back ghosts
That are no longer there.
I'm gettin' hard on myself
Sittin' in my easy chair.
Well, there's three people in my mirror
And I'm wonderin' which one of them I should choose.
Well, I can't keep from laughin'
Spittin' out these three hundred mile per hour outpour blues.
I'm breakin' my teeth off
Tryin' to bite my lip.
There's all kinds of red-headed women
That I ain't supposed to kiss.
And it's that color which never fails
To turn me blue.
So I just swallow it and hold on to it
And use it to scare the hell out of you.
I have a woman
Says come and watch me bleed.
And I'm wonderin' just how I can do that
And still give her everything that she needs.
Well, there's three people in my head that have the answer
and one of them's got to be you.
But you're holding tight to it--the answer
Singin' these three hundred mile per hour outpour blues.
Put on gloves, a tied scarf and wrap up warm
On this winter night.
Every time you get defensive
You're just looking for a fight.
It's safe to say somebody out there's got a problem
With almost anything you'll do.
Well, next time they stab you, don't fight back
Just play the victim instead of playin' the fool.
And the roads are covered with a million ittle molecules
Of cigarette ashes and the school floors are covered
With pieces of pencil eraser too.
Well sooner or later the ground's gonna be holdin' all
Of my ashes too.
But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone
Will I still have these three hundred mile per hour, finger breaking,
No answers, broken back, dirty cancer,
Bee stung and busted up, empty cup
Torrential outpour blues
One thing's for sure in that graveyard:
I'm gonna have the shiniest pair of shoes.
Conquest
Conquest.
He was out to make a conquest.
Didn't care what harm was done,
Just as long as he won
The prize.
Conquest.
She was just another conquest.
Didn't care whose heart was broke,
Love to him was a joke,
Til he looked into her eyes.
And then in the strange way things happen,
Their roles were reversed from that day.
The hunted became the huntress;
The hunter became the prey.
Conquest.
Now you know who made the conquest.
She with all her female guile
Led him helpless down the aisle.
She had finally made a conquest.
And then in the strange way things happen,
Their roles were reversed from that day.
The hunted became the huntress;
The hunter became the prey.
Conquest.
Now you know who made the conquest.
She with all her female guile
Led him helpless down the aisle.
She had finally made a conquest.
Conquest.
Bone Broke
Look closer, you can see how I been runnin' it.
I got a dollar bill in the cockpit.
Suprised being white is a black hole?
I got another job at the liquor store, damn.
Oh well.
I'm bone broke.
They got a white pony in the stable,
And ride him when the doggie isn't able.
But he don't really care because they pay him,
But still a black suit is gonna shake him down.
Oh well.
I'm bone broke.
Broke as I'll ever be.
Look another way, girl, I'm telling ya.
God gave seven minutes right to ya.
And your mother put her money into platinum,
And now you never have to pay attention.
Do ya?
Do ya?
Yeah.
I'm leanin' on a brick with my nails.
I'm tellin' them the money's in the mail.
Keep showin' that my bones never fake it.
But now the brick bank is gonna break it down.
Oh well.
I'm bone broke.
Look another way, girl, I'm telling ya.
God gave seven minutes right to ya.
Your mother put her money into platinum,
So that you wouldn't have to pay attention.
Right?
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
Singing li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Well, the hills are pretty and rollin',
But the thorn is sharp and swollen.
And the man plays a beautiful whistle,
But he wears a prickly thistle.
Singing li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
The silver birches pierce through an icy fog
Which covers the ground most daily.
And the angels which carry St. Andrew high
Are singing a tune most gaily.
Singing li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
One sound can hold back a thousand hands
When the pipe blows a tune forlorn.
And the thistle is a prickly flower, aye,
But how it is sweetly worn.
Singing li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
Li de li de li, oh oh.
Well a li de li de li, oh.
St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)
This battle is in the air
I'm looking upwards
Where are the angels?
I'm not in my home
St. Andrew, don't forsake me
St. Andrew
Don't forsake me
Who is here to greet me?
The children are crying
I'm not in my home
I travel backwards in ecstasy
Where are the angels?
Don't forget me
St. Andrew
I've been true
What do I need to say?
What do I need to say?
Little Cream Soda
One, two, three, four!
Well every highway that I go down
Seems to be longer than the last one that I knew about,
Oh well.
And every girl that I walk around
Seems to be more of an illusion than the last one that I found,
Oh well.
And this old man in front of me wearing canes and ruby rings
Is like containing an explosion when he sings,
And with every chance to set himself on fire,
He just ends up doin' the same thing.
Well, each beautiful thing I come across
Tells me to stop moving and shake this riddle off,
Oh well.
And there was a time when all I wanted
Was my ice cream colder and a little cream soda,
Oh well, oh well.
And a wooden box and an alley full of rocks
Was all I had to care about,
Oh well, oh well, oh well.
Now my mind is filled with rubber tires and forest fires
And whether I’m a liar
And lots of other situations
Where I don’t know what to do
At which time God screams to me
"There’s nothing left for me to tell you."
Nothing left for me to tell you.
Nothing left.
Oh well, oh well, oh well,
Oh well.
Oh well, oh well, oh well,
Oh well.
Rag And Bone
Jack: ''Mmm.''
Meg: ''Rag and bone!''
Jack: ''Rag and bone!''
Meg: ''Rag and bone!''
Jack: ''Rag and bone! Meg, look at this place!''
Meg: ''What? Ooh...''
Jack: ''Well, this place is like a mansion! It's like a mansion, look at all this stuff!''
Meg: ''I don't know...''
Jack: ''Look, I see something over there.''
Meg: ''Ooh...''
Jack: ''Man.''
Well, can't you hear me selling rag and bone?
Bring out your junk and we'll give it a home.
A broken trumpet or a telephone.
A come on, a come on, a come on,
Come on and give it to me.
Yeah.
A come on, a come on, a come on,
Come on and give it to me.
Rag and bone.
Rag and bone.
A come on, a come on, a come on,
Come on and give it to me.
All of your pretty,
Your pretty little rags and bones.
Jack: ''Well, man, look at all this, you don't want it?''
Meg: ''I can use that.''
Jack: ''You sure you don't want it, man? I can use...take it. It's just things that you don't want. I can use 'em. Meg can use 'em. We can do something with 'em. We'll make something out of 'em. Make some money out of 'em at least.''
Meg: ''This fits me perfect...give it to me.''
Jack: ''Hey, if you ain't gonna use it, just give it to us. We'll give it a home.''
Well, have you got something shiny for me?
Anybody got a Christmas tree?
Can you part with a toilet seat?
A jump up, a jump up, a jump up,
Come on and give it to me.
Rag and bone.
We wanna get it, Granny, while it's hot.
You think it's trash, Granny, but it's not.
We'll be takin' whatever you got.
A give up, a give up, a give up,
Come on and give it to me.
Whoo!
All of your pretty,
Your pretty little rags and bones.
Meg: ''I saw some stuff in your yard, are you going to give it to us...''
Jack: ''Ah Meg, don't be rude.''
Meg: ''...or not?''
Jack: ''They might need it. If you don't want it, we'll take it. If you don't want to give it to us, we keep walking by. We keep going, we're not tired, but got plenty of places to go, lots of home we ain't been to yet. On the west side, the southwest side, middle east, rich house, dog house, outhouse, old folks' house. House for unwed mothers, halfway homes, catacombs, twilight zones! Look at what techniques turntables to gramophones. So take a last lick of your ice cream cone, and lock up what you still want to own. But please be kind...''
Meg : ''Take your time.''
Jack : ''...and don't rewind.''
Meg : ''That's fine.''
All of your pretty,
Your pretty little rags and bones.
Yeah!
Your pretty little rags and bones.
A jump up, a jump up, a jump up,
Come on and give it to me.
Ah ah oh, your pretty little rags and bones.
A come on, a come on, a come on,
Come on and give it to us.
Yeah!
'eah, 'eah.
Ah, yeah.
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!
I'm Slowly Turning Into You
I'm slowly turning into you,
But you don't know this
To be true.
You say I'm lying and I never really tell you the truth.
But your face is getting older,
So put your head on my shoulder.
Yeah, put your head on my shoulder.
Yesterdayi it hit me that I do all the little things that you do,
Except those same little things that you do are annoying.
They're annoying as hell in fact.
It kind of struck a little bell in fact.
I like to keep my little shell intact.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
Then something else came to mind, that was the mirror.
It made everything clearer.
That you're more beautiful, compelling, and stronger;
It didn't take much longer
Just for me to realize I love all the little things,
And the beauty that they're gonna bring.
I dig your little laugh and I'm loving your quick wit.
I even love it when you're faking it.
And it might sound a little strange for me to say to you,
But I'm proud to be you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
And I'm slowly turning into you.
A Martyr For My Love For You
She was sixteen and six feet tall,
In a crowd of teenagers coming out of the zoo.
She stumbles, start to slip and fall,
Teeter-tottered on the top of patent leather shoes.
I happened to catch her and said,
"Maybe these ruby shoes are a little cumbersome for you."
Maybe for you, now.
But not as shaky as I must have seemed,
Talking junk through her giggle little teenage dream.
And on the phone I could not compete,
My dumb luck fake confidence was getting weak.
For a sec' I thought I sounded sweet,
But sure enough in a gruff, faint voice,
I heard myself speak.
I could stay a while, but sooner or later I'll break your smile.
And I can tell a joke, but one of these days, I'm bound to choke.
And we could share a kiss, but I feel like I can't go through with this.
And I bet we could build a home, but I know the right thing for me to do...
Is to leave you alone.
Leave you alone, now.
I'm beginning to like you,
So you probably won't get what I'm going to do.
I'm walkin' away from you,
It probably don't make much sense to you.
But I'm trying to save you
From all of the things that I'll probably say or do.
I'll probably do, now.
I could stay a while, but sooner or later I'll break your smile.
And I can tell a joke, but one of these days, I'm bound to choke.
And we might share a kiss, but I feel like I can't go through with this.
And I bet we could build a home, but I know the right thing for me to do...
Is to leave you alone.
Leave you alone, now.
You'll probably call me a fool,
And say I'm doing exactly what a coward would do.
And I'm beginning to like you;
It's a shame, what a lame way to live,
But what can I do?
I hope you appreciate what I do...
I'm a martyr for my love for you.
A martyr for my love for you.
A martyr for my love for you.
A martyr for my love for you.
Catch Hell Blues
If you go looking for hot water,
Don't act shocked when you get burned a little bit.
If you really want some hot water,
I can help you find it.
Oh...
Oh...
Ah, yeah...
Well, if they catch me around you playing "Rock the Boat",
I'm gonna catch hell.
And if you're throwing your voice in bed singing a note,
I'm gonna catch hell.
I know it.
Guess what?
Try and catch me.
Tricky, tricky.
Yeah.
Oh...
Oh...
If you're getting tricky lying to yourself,
You're gonna catch hell.
And if you're testing God and lying to his face,
You're gonna catch hell.
C'mon.
Hey.
That's it.
They're gonna catch you.
Yeah, they're gonna catch you.
Easy.
Effect And Cause
I guess you have to have a problem if you want to invent a contraption.
First you cause a train wreck, then they put me in traction?
Well, first came an action, and then a reaction,
But you can't switch 'em 'round for your own satisfaction.
Well, you burned my house down then got mad at my reaction.
Well, in every complicated situation of human relation,
Making sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration.
Well, you can't blame a baby for her pregnant ma,
And if there's one of these unavoidable laws,
It's that you just can't take the effect and make it the cause, no.
Well, you can't take the effect and make it the cause.
I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law.
Blame me for robbing Peter, but don't you blame Paul!
Can't take the effect and make it the cause.
I ain't the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call.
You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall.
Yeah, well, I ain't saying I'm innocent--in fact, the reverse--
But if you're headed to the grave, you don't blame the hearse.
You're like a little girl yelling at her brother cause you lost his ball, yeah.
Well, you keep blaming me for what you did, but that ain't all.
The way you clean up a wreck is enough to give one pause, yes.
Well, you seem to forgot just how this all started.
I'm reacting to you because you left me broken-hearted.
See, you just can't take the effect and make it the cause.
Well, you can't take the effect and make it the cause.
I didn't rob a bank cause you made up the law.
Blame me for robbing Peter, but don't you blame Paul!
Can't take the effect and make it the cause.