Lyric discussion by mandarinbaby99 

Cover art for Icky Thump lyrics by White Stripes, The

heres my interpretation:

Icky thump Who'da thunk? Sittin drunk on a wagon to Mexico?(an american is going to mexico. who'd of thought someone "like them" would go there?)

Ahh well What a chump Well my head got a bump When I hit it on the radio(passed out at some point)

Redhead senorita Looking dead Came and said "Need a bed?" En Espanol(a mexican woman offers him a place to stay)

I said "Gimme a drink a water, I'm gonna 'sing around the collar' And I don't need a microphone."(he's rude and only asks things of her with nothing in return)

Icky Thump With a lump in my throat Grabbed my coat And I was freaking I was ready to go!(he's ready to leave without thanking her)

And I swear Besides the hair She had: one white eye, One black (nk) stare Lookin' up Lyin' there.(he only thinks about what she looks like and not her hospitality)

On the stand Near her hand Was a candy cane Black rum, sugar cane Dry ice (and) something strange(imports of foreign country's...except the dry ice, i dont really no about that. maybe another country's idea)

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?(americans come from everywhere. however, the original white americans took the country from native americans. those white americans want to drive out foreigners, even though they are themselves.)

Who's using who? What should we do? Well, you can't be a pimp And a prostitue too.(who's getting more out of living in america. those who've been here longer or the newcomers? you can't send others out (pimp) and send yourself out (prostitute)

Icky thump Handcuffed to a bunk Robbed blind Looked around And there was nobody else(he assumes he was robbed by the mexican woman, even though it may not have been her.)

Left alone I hit myself with a stone Went home and learned how To clean up after myself. (without the mexican woman he wound up "hurting himself" and had to clean up after himself instead of being catered to."

i think the song is generizing the woman as any present-day foreigner of america.

I like your interpretation. Women and foreigners are under-appreciated.

I think "You can't be a pimp and a prostitute too" is about how we exploit illegal foreigners who come here by having them work for less pay than Americans have the right to under law (minimum wage), (illegally) saving employers money and we bitch about illegal immigrants' presence at the same time. You can't pimp someone out (use them for your monetary gain like an underpaid worker) and hook at the same time (play another role other than employer, someone who sells an idea contradictory to their actions).