We're Going to Be Friends

I do believe that this is the most innocent and sweet (not cheesy sweet, but honest sweet) that I've ever heard. To be honest or realize these childhood friendships and how we act at that age makes me feel a little better about adulthood, if Jack White gets it maybe I can.

definitely has a lot of innocence to it, but maybe that's a little deceptive (or i'm overanalyzing it). if you've ever read the poem "in just" by e.e. cummings, which is similar to this song in many respects, you'll know what i mean.

we know that this innocence will not last. most of us (all of us, i hope) visiting this website know that eventually we lose those carefree days and have to deal with all the problems and complications that come with growing up. jack can tell he and suzy are gonna be friends, but what will that mean when they're all grown up? is he gonna get her pregnant? will she cheat on him with his best friend? some other lyrics that sort of capture this same vein is system of a down's "soil," in which tankian says: "my memories are of fun and friendship, of weakness within the strength of youth, for reasons undefined... friends for years, images in red, blew off his own motherfucking head... why the fuck did you take him away from us, you motherfucker!?"

hope i made sense.

Here it is. It will explain the seeming contradiction you all have with the "innocence" and the "melancholy" of the song: Imaginary friend. Suzy Lee does not exist, other than in the narrarator's head. Go ahead, re-read the lyrics.

I think in a much broader sense, this song is about mankind's time on earth.

jack and meg want us to pick up what they are putting down, lyrically... thus the 'simple' guitar riff. they are truly great artists and this song is nothing short of a masterpiece. they would not just put something like this together and intend it to be taken literally... and to do such a thing would be an insult to them.

the breakdown.

*simply put - they choose the word 'SCHOOL' to signal that they are TEACHING us something about this life, if only from their viewpoint.

first stanza: childbirth. "fall is here/hear the yell" (spring time is mating season... from beginning of spring to end of fall is nine months... "fall is here/hear the yell" = 9 months has passed and a child is born.)

the stanza continues through learning to walk and climb...

*school time is our time to learn things only for the betterment of the economy...

"Teacher" = SOCIETY

"teacher marks our height against the wall" AND "teacher thinks that i sound funny, but she likes the way you sing"- judging, categorizing, and discrimination of society.

"we don't notice any time pass" - this is our adult life. the monotony of it all and the lulling of our conscious to sleep, from all the nonsense surrounding us... like the internet :)

"we sit side by side in every class" - we are all equal. once again, this has nothing to do with an actual school. we all have something to give to this world. no one person is better than the other. even jack white knows this. as he says that we are sitting side by side... a very humbling gesture from such an outstanding artist.

last stanza: death/rebirth...

sleep = death. wake = reincarnation.

this is art and it can communicate on different levels based on our perception... resulting in different meanings to different people. I believe, however, that I have found their level of intention for this song in particular.

"you and i will walk together again"

:)

I think this this is a beautiful and innocent song, with a lot of melancholy. When I readed this song ar the first time It makes me cry cause it remind me when i was a kid and the primary school. a GREAT song.

i love this song. the lyrics remind me so much of my childhood and is one of the reasons i miss it so much. plus jack white has a beautiful voice.

I love this song! It is my favorite white stripes song!!!! woohoo

this song makes me so happy =) but it makes me miss my youth..when sex wasn't so important and the simple things were all the matter...

I miss those pre-double-digit years so much... this songs rocks.

This is such a sweet song...when I bought White Blood Cells, this song immediately struck a chord with me on the first listen.