Okay, some people apparently don't realize that the White Stripes are by their nature a minimalist band. The lyrics aren't supposed to be cryptic or earth-shattering, but sometimes they are ("Black Math," "Do," "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," I could go on for longer). Their whole schtick is that they're NOT about ridiculously complex lyrics. The philosophy is the same as with Japanese art--it's all about minimalism. Americans labor over stanzas and stanzas of poetry, whereas one of the most respected forms of Japanese poetry is a 3-line haiku with a very LIMITED rhyme scheme. Don't look at this song expecting "Stairway to Heaven." The length, lyrics, depth, and message are totally different.
Okay, some people apparently don't realize that the White Stripes are by their nature a minimalist band. The lyrics aren't supposed to be cryptic or earth-shattering, but sometimes they are ("Black Math," "Do," "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," I could go on for longer). Their whole schtick is that they're NOT about ridiculously complex lyrics. The philosophy is the same as with Japanese art--it's all about minimalism. Americans labor over stanzas and stanzas of poetry, whereas one of the most respected forms of Japanese poetry is a 3-line haiku with a very LIMITED rhyme scheme. Don't look at this song expecting "Stairway to Heaven." The length, lyrics, depth, and message are totally different.