Is it midnight already? “Icky Thump” made its way into the hands of XFM DJs before it even stood a shot over at iTunes, and the requisite radio rip is available for your consumption at Web Vomit. “Icky” literally thumps through the verses, Jack plying on the keys, rattling off some slick-tongued rants (sounding sorta Adrockish for a sec in verse three), and offering concert goers at least one easily memorable lyric for concert fest chant back purposes (i.e. “la la la la la”).
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Sounds like snippets of band practice mixed together. First impression – weak and lazy. But first impressions are never quite accurate.
aaaawwwwwww yeaaahhhhh…rawk ‘n roll!
interesting…. not too shocking but still cool
There were some political lines in there, maybe Kele will be slightly pleased.
I liked it. It’s definately White Stripes. I think this album should be good.
My first impression is if you don’t like this song, you ain’t shit!!!!
OH MAN. i can’t believe you guys posted this already. this is why i love stereogum.
god this song rules. i’m still gonna buy at midnight, as i am irrationally excited for this album
Fantastic new sound!
Wow!!! That’s the absolute shit on so many levels. What’s that wicked little keyboard thing?
Sorry, really disappointed. I’m a big fan of the Stripes and I was anticipating their ‘back to rock n roll’ sound but this like a terrible mess of lyrics and a horrid ‘bag-pipe’ backing to boot.
has jack white ever done anything that hasn’t been great? seriously. every stripes record is at least solid if not great. raconteurs record rocked, and was even better live. soundtrack to cold mountain is solid, loretta lynn.
i mean he’s on a 10 year roll with a lot music in that 10 years.
so is the itunes single gonna have the b-side as well? anyone know?
this song is amazing. period.
it’s heavy, catchy, and innovative.
a BIG step up from their last two releases that sounded like they were in some sort of slump.
God bless the quasi-incestuous rock melodies of the White Stripes.
kele can stick that in his pipe and smoke it.
That is pretty amazing! Jack White is surely the most talented musician from this new mainstream generation. The beats, the lyrics, this song is pretty awesome and it´ll be hard not to be anxious to hear the whole CD. Thanx for this, Setereogum kidos.
absolutely thrilling.
anyone think it’s a fake?
So great. guitar work is phenomenal, as always, and the drums are competent and complementary, as usual.
can’t wait to hear the rest of the disc.
it might be a little contrived but i wouldn’t go so far as to call it fake.
Tell me what is contrived about this song? With the shit that gets put out there today and eaten up by this directionless pitchfork culture (Arcade Fire, The Shins), it takes a lot of balls and soul to rock n roll anymore. This is the most inventive song I’ve heard in a long time.
Sorry guys. Bad joke. Honestly though, i can’t decide if this is a bold new direction for the stripes, or if it’s just more of the same. Either way i’m digging the electric bag pipe sound, or whatever that thing is.
My favorite line “you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too.” sweet.
Rarr! Jack White Smash!
I was a major supporter of Get Behind Me Satan, and this is just as good, in my opinion. Strange idea for single, though. Doesn’t seem like an appropriate choice. But then again, who knows.
Jim Wrote: “anyone think it’s a fake?”
- That’s what I said the day “Blue Orchid” leaked. So it’s probably for real. I’m waiting for midnight. I’ve learned not to be excited anymore but I still can’t help feel a tingle of anticipation. Ok I’m excited again.
But have you seen these tour dates? Crazy.
a complete fucking mess. Are you people fucking retarded? Did you actually listen to that musical abortion all the way through? Ugh. Get a Q-tip folks and clean out those ears. Fuck. Get some Ajax. Me? I’ll continue to watch We are the World part 2 on American Idol. Simon Cowell and Il Divo Forever!
Kudos to them for releasing something so oddball as a single.. can’t see it becoming an anthem a la Seven Nation Army, or a hit even, but it’s compelling in terms of pure attitude..
singing and some bits of the musicstuffs sound beefheartesque. early on they did some captain beefheart covers and i think jack’s bent for those sorts o songs come out.
no?
it’s not on itunes…
It’s on iTunes, I’m listening to it right now. And all I have to say is,
“HOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY FUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKK!!”
I bow down before the alter of Jack and Meg.
Fuck Me! This is good, really, really, really good!
Close?
*Interpretted from first listen
Yah-hee, icky-thump
Who’d a-thunk
Sittin’ drunk
On a wagon to Mexico
Her hair, what a chump
On my head
Got a bump
When I hit it on the radio
>RIFF
Red-head seniorita
Lookin’ dead
Came to said
I need a bed, in espanol
So I gave a drink of water
I’m gonna sing around the collar
But I don’t need a microphone
—Fuzzy Melotron Solo—
Icky thump, with the lump
In my throat
Grab my coat
And now it’s reckon
That I was ready to go
Well I swam beside her head
She had to wonder why I
One blank stare
Lookin’ like a nightmare
On a stand in her hair
Was a kid that came
Black room, sugar cane
Jive on some strings
La la, la la la la la la la la la laaaaaaa….laaaa…laaaa
>RIFF
>Climbing riff, to more melotron
Well Americans want
Nothing better to do
Why don’t you kick yourself out?
You’re an immigrant too
Who’s usin’ who?
What should we do?
Well you can’t be a pimp
And a prostitute too
>MELOTRON
Icky thump, handcuffed to a bunk
Robbed blind
Looked around
And there was nobody else
Left alone
I hit myself with the stone
Went home
And learned how to clean up after myself
i think “she had to wonder why i” is actually “she had one white eye, one blank stare…” etc.
could be wrong though. thanks for posting these!
i’ve read every piece of available literature on jack & on the stripes, & i gotta say, jack seems to be very calculated & conscious of which tracks are put out first….so something tells me that he’s making a statement to everyone who isn’t a devoted candy caner–love it, or kiss off into the air!
man…on this track, i swear to god i heard jack’s guitar TALKING to me!
http://rapidshare.com/files/28087808/01_Icky_Thump.mp3.html
Love it! Zepplin meets Black Keys meets 70′s power pop with blues riffs. But somehow totally original and like nothing else out there.
The song is being transported from the late 60′s. The keyboard sounds exactly like the backwards guitar on “Baby, You’re a Rich man” by The Beatles. It even sounds like something off of Magical Mystery Tour in a sense. I also sensed a little bit of Steppenwolf or Deep Purple. All the same it’s fantastic.
Got tickets to Vienna last week and can’t wait to see this live. What a track ! Loud, heavy and Jacks voice on top form. Don’t get stuck in the rut and go with the flow .
Seeya there .
are you people missing the fucking main CONCEPT of this song. Jack doesnt know what he is talking about? hes talking politics, when hes not a politican! we couldnt & wouldnt kick ourselves out because we are immigrants, it has NOTHING to do with people being an immigrant and thats why we kick them out. it is because they are ILLEGAL!!!!!!! HELLO!?!?!? dont you kids pay attention to this shit? why would you support this? it doesnt even sound good, if YOU really listen!! its crap.
just beats & him rapping about shit he doesnt know. he needs to check himself.
@applepie,
wtf is a politician, anyways?
Ronald Reagan?
Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Please.
You’ve clearly missed the point entirely,
and *you* are the one that doesn’t know
what he’s talking about.
Die. Thx.