# Suggest a White Stripes song with "great guitar" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498 "2003-10-04T04:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/1 "2003-10-04T04:37:17Z")
I’m afraid my total exposure to White Stripes has been “Seven Nation Army”. Which is a very catchy tune, and that’s cool. A recent Rolling Stone named Jack White (the guitarist for White Stripes) as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. Rated better than Mark Knopfler, Les Paul, Eddie Van Halen, and that’s not to mention those that didn’t even make the list like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. Well, that may be, but not in “Seven Nation Army”. Not a bad song, but nothing really impressive guitar wise. So, can someone recommend me some songs with some of the best guitar work by Mr. White? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/2 "2003-10-04T05:07:37Z")
Find some live recordings… Jack can just go nuts on that axe. Most of the studio stuff doesn’t really capture his energy, IMHO. However, I think he placed so high on that list for reasons other than his skills. ---
**Author:** ![daniel801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@daniel801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daniel801)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/3 "2003-10-04T05:10:06Z")
I like Black Math. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/4 "2003-10-04T05:52:10Z")
I don’t think there’s anything he’s done that can justify his ranking there. _Rolling Stone_ is just full of dumb asses who like making lists, I’m afraid. But yeah, “Black Math” kicks. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/5 "2003-10-04T07:42:08Z")
I think the guitar work on “Ball and Biscuit” is outstanding, in an emotional, bluesy way. There’s more to guitar work than speed, and Jack’s got a lot of skills. Phrasing, timing, energy… ] That said, I wouldn’t put him that high up on the list either. Maybe if he impresses me for a few more years. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/6 "2003-10-04T08:12:05Z")
I really like his version of “Jolene”, much more emotive than Dolly Parton’s. But then again, I like Dolly Parton’s version of “Shine” better than the original by Collective Soul. Jack White is really good at doing the sloppy open A thing. And his voice live just goes all over the place. He’s nearly a one-man Led Zep tribute band. I think he made the list mostly because the latest album was recorded on old analog equipment, nearly nothing was spent producing it, and just exploded sales-wise. “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” is a fun tune… ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/7 "2003-10-04T08:24:06Z")
The guitar on _Ball and Biscuit_ is pretty good. But, as **Darth Nader** said, you have to see him live to appreciate his guitar skills. He goes off. He’s not particularly flashy like Mark Knopfler, but what he does do, he does really well. But that’s why I think Greatest Guitarists lists are pointless - for guitaring do you look for technical skill or something more? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/8 "2003-10-04T12:26:23Z")
Another one for _Black Math_ and _Ball and Biscuit_\*, and I’d throw in _I Just Don’t Know What to do With Myself_ as well. Also, I thought the line about being a “one-man Led Zep Tribute Band” pretty much hit the nail on the head. Hundred greatest guitarists? Who the hell knows? I don’t think the Stripes have a large enough body of work yet to say. Certainly, though, one of the most inventive guitarists currently working in the blues idiom. ---
**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/9 "2003-10-04T12:47:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bill H. \* > \*\* > A recent Rolling Stone named Jack White (the guitarist for White Stripes) as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. Rated better than Mark Knopfler, Les Paul, Eddie Van Halen, and that’s not to mention those that didn’t even make the list like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. > \*\* That doesn’t mean he’s better than any of those guys, just that right now he’s “cooler” and better known than any of them. ---
**Author:** ![daniel801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@daniel801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daniel801)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/10 "2003-10-04T16:13:31Z")
Also, listen to their songs and then realize that there’s only 2 people in the band. There’s a whole wall of sound there. ---
**Author:** ![Oat1957](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Oat1957](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oat1957)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/11 "2003-10-04T18:36:04Z")
You can listen to some tunes here: [http://www.whitestripes.net/downloads.php](http://www.whitestripes.net/downloads.php) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/12 "2003-10-04T22:09:23Z")
I’d say their bass player (is it the chick?) is better than anyone else in the band… listen to Seven Nation Army again and you’ll probably agree. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/13 "2003-10-04T22:24:18Z")
Dutchboy… Whoosh! That’s Jack, again, just playing his guitar with a special pedal. The chick is Meg, the drummer. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-a-white-stripes-song-with-great-guitar/205498/14 "2003-10-04T23:15:45Z")
Yup, live they really _are_ good - sometimes you _can_ belive the hype