The 30 Best White Stripes Songs, from De Stijl to Icky Thump

What is the White Stripes' most famous song?

"Seven Nation Army" is the White Stripes' most famous song. Its riff topped the alternative chart in 2003, won the Grammy for Best Rock Song and became a chant sung by sports crowds all over the world. "Fell in Love with a Girl", "Icky Thump", "Blue Orchid" and "Hotel Yorba" are their other signature songs.

The White Stripes' biggest songs

1. "Seven Nation Army", 2003: the stomping riff heard in stadiums everywhere.
2. "Fell in Love with a Girl", 2002: a two-minute blast famous for its Lego video.
3. "Icky Thump", 2007: a heavy, organ-laced title track and a number one alternative hit.
4. "Blue Orchid", 2005: a fierce, falsetto-driven single from Get Behind Me Satan.
5. "Hotel Yorba", 2001: a cheerful, stomping folk song named after a Detroit motel.
6. "The Hardest Button to Button", 2003: a tense, rhythmic single with a famous stop-motion video.
7. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground", 2002: a raw, bluesy single from White Blood Cells.
8. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself", 2003: their cover of the Bacharach and David song.
9. "My Doorbell", 2005: a piano-driven, bouncy single.
10. "The Denial Twist", 2005: a playful, piano-led single from Get Behind Me Satan.

Songs from The White Stripes (1999) and De Stijl (2000)

11. "The Big Three Killed My Baby", 1999: a furious single from their debut.
12. "Hello Operator", 2000: a bluesy single from De Stijl.
13. "Apple Blossom", 2000: a sweet, short love song.
14. "Death Letter", 2000: their thunderous cover of the Son House blues.
15. "You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)", 2000: the bouncy opener of De Stijl.

Songs from White Blood Cells (2001)

16. "We're Going to Be Friends", 2001: a gentle acoustic song about the first day of school.
17. "Offend in Every Way", 2001: a crunchy, catchy album track.
18. "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman", 2001: a swaggering, bluesy song.

Songs from Elephant (2003)

19. "Ball and Biscuit", 2003: a long, swaggering blues jam with huge guitar solos.
20. "In the Cold, Cold Night", 2003: a hushed song sung by Meg White.
21. "There's No Home for You Here", 2004: a layered, stomping single.
22. "Black Math", 2003: a fast, heavy rocker.

Songs from Get Behind Me Satan (2005) and Icky Thump (2007)

23. "As Ugly as I Seem", 2005: a quiet acoustic song.
24. "Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)", 2005: a marimba-tinged breakup song.
25. "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)", 2007: a melodic rock single.
26. "Conquest", 2007: a dramatic, mariachi-horn cover of the Patti Page song.
27. "Rag and Bone", 2007: a playful, half-spoken blues.
28. "I'm Slowly Turning into You", 2007: an organ-driven love song.

Covers and rarities

29. "Jolene", 2004: their intense live version of the Dolly Parton song.
30. "Lafayette Blues", 1998: an early single from their Detroit days.

Who were the White Stripes?

The White Stripes formed in Detroit in 1997. Jack White sang and played guitar and keyboards, and Meg White played drums with a simple, powerful style that became part of the band's identity. They dressed only in red, white and black and built their music on blues, garage rock and punk, with no bass player. After two albums for small labels, White Blood Cells made them international stars in 2001, and Elephant, in 2003, made them one of the biggest rock bands in the world. They split in 2011 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.

The story behind Seven Nation Army

Jack White wrote the riff during a soundcheck in Australia and saved it, he said, in case he was ever asked to write a James Bond theme. The title came from his childhood mispronunciation of the Salvation Army. The famous bass-like line is actually his guitar, played through a pitch-shifting pedal set an octave down. The song won the Grammy for Best Rock Song in 2004, and after football fans in Europe began chanting the riff in 2003, it spread to stadiums, arenas and political rallies around the world.

The Lego video and Michel Gondry

Director Michel Gondry made several of the band's most famous videos. For "Fell in Love with a Girl" he animated the band entirely in Lego bricks, and for "The Hardest Button to Button" he multiplied Meg's drum kit and Jack's amplifiers across New York with each beat. Both videos became MTV favorites and helped make the band's look as recognizable as their sound.

Meg White's drumming

Meg White's drumming was simple, primal and perfectly suited to Jack's songs. Critics sometimes dismissed it, but many drummers and fans have defended her, pointing out that the band's sound depended on her steady, uncluttered beat and that songs like "Seven Nation Army" and "Fell in Love with a Girl" would not hit the same way with a busier player. After the band ended, she stepped away from public life.

Jack White after the White Stripes

Jack White kept busy long before the White Stripes ended. He formed The Raconteurs, whose "Steady, As She Goes" was a 2006 hit, and The Dead Weather, and in 2009 he opened Third Man Records in Nashville, a label, record store and venue built around vinyl. His solo albums, starting with Blunderbuss in 2012, have kept his raw, blues-rooted sound alive.

Grammy wins

The White Stripes won Grammys for Elephant (Best Alternative Music Album) and "Seven Nation Army" (Best Rock Song), for Get Behind Me Satan (Best Alternative Music Album) and for Icky Thump, which won both Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

White Stripes albums in order

• The White Stripes (1999): a raw, bluesy debut.
• De Stijl (2000): named after the Dutch art movement.
• White Blood Cells (2001): the breakthrough, with "Hotel Yorba".
• Elephant (2003): their masterpiece, recorded on vintage analog equipment in London.
• Get Behind Me Satan (2005): piano, marimba and fewer guitars.
• Icky Thump (2007): a heavy, adventurous final album.

White Stripes songs for a workout or a game day

"Seven Nation Army" is the ultimate game-day song for any team, and "Icky Thump", "Blue Orchid", "Black Math" and "Fell in Love with a Girl" keep a workout moving. For more, see our songs about winning and motivational songs.

White Stripes songs for a wedding

"We're Going to Be Friends" is a sweet choice for a ceremony or a first dance, especially for couples who met young, and "Apple Blossom" and "I'm Slowly Turning into You" are fun alternatives for a couple who love garage rock. For more, see our rock wedding songs.

A song as bold as a two-piece band

The White Stripes proved you only need two people and a great idea. A personalized song can be just as bold for someone you love: their name, your shared stories and the moments that made you who you are. It makes a great birthday or anniversary gift for a rock fan.

How to create a personalized rock song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, acoustic, folk and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
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5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.