In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Now Jimmy
Well do you want an explosion now
Yeah Jimmy
Do you want to explode now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Hoo x16
Green apples
On the tree and growing now
Green apples
Are gonna be exploding now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Hoo x16
Well do you want an explosion now
Yeah Jimmy
Do you want to explode now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Hoo x16
Green apples
On the tree and growing now
Green apples
Are gonna be exploding now
Yeah monkey
Are you seein' red now
Yeah monkey
Jumpin' on the bed now
Hoo x16
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Jimmy the Exploder Lyrics as written by Jack White
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Like anybody else I may be wrong, but so far I find the song's interpretations here adorably naive rather than anything holding much weight.
To me the lyrics seem to be pretty clearly about reaching sexual maturity. A song about sex, just like so many of Led Zeppelin's songs, which have been a noticeable influence on the White Stripes in general, but especially so on this debut album of theirs.
Let's start with the title; it's about a character named Jimmy--Jimmy, "the exploder." If you still don't get what that could mean, the line "Do you want to explode now?" should do the job. Green apples are premature and they turn red when they become ripe. Jimmy "sees red now", and is "jumping on the bed," have a passionate loss of virginity, giving in to his animalistic urges, like a monkey. The lyrics could've also used a rabbit as a symbol, but I guess that wouldn't have been as cool. Oh, and don't get me started on all those sexual "whoo"s.
Kickass song.
yeah, this song rocks.
maybe it's just the fact that lately everything seems sexual to me, or i;m being immature and taking the monkey analogy too far, but this song seems to be about bigtime sexual frustration. and if it's not, well, that's too bad, 'cause it will forever be my private meaning...
One more thing... the lyrics are "green apples" not 'green eyeballs." check the lyrics for yourself on the official site at: whitestripes.com/lyrics/jimmy.txt
Very powerful, in-yer-face guitar. Maybe the best first song on a debut album since The Cars "Good Times Roll".
spontaneous human combustion
I'm trying to understand where the apples fit in with all of this...
this is actually the meaning of the song...
jimmy is a monkey who can explode anything thats not red. and he eats green apples. that is where the apples come in. i read this in an interview that jack had with a fan
I like that explanation because it follows the color scheme It's like a creation to keep the reds and whites in and all others shall explode Wicked
I really don't think the song is supposed to make sense. No song with the line "Yeah, monkey" in it wants to be taken seriously.
Okay. Jimmy is a monkey. Jimmy only likes to see the colour red. So green apples, are going to be exploding cause Jimmy doesn't like green. Just another childish act of the White Stripes. :)