AS OF MAY 22, 2018

So...I am a very impressionable little child.

My friend is a huge fan of old fashioned rock and alt rock, so on (or before, I'm not sure) November 18, I started really getting into one of his favorite bands, "The White Stripes." And...now it's one of my favorite bands, too, so now I'm going to talk about it...obviously...if you can read the title...

And yes, I normally do a top 15 for my favorite songs list, but if you know The White Stripes enough, you'll understand why I decided to use such a strange number for a ranked list. Because of this, there will be no explanations for the honorable mentions, they will only be listed. However, they are ranked from least favorite to best, and (spoiler alert) there are seven, so this is basically a top 40 song list. This list has been edited a lot, and it probably still will be as I warm up to more of those meh songs, and one thing I've noticed is that often the song at the top of the honorable mentions (basically my 34th pick) is not the first to enter the list. Sometimes, I just can't deny one of the others to enter.

As always, my favorite albums are, from greatest to least: White Blood Cells, De Stijl, Icky Thump, Get Behind Me Satan, Elephant, The White Stripes, and then their singles.

My only rule is no covers...only original songs allowed.

33) My Doorbell (Get Behind Me Satan)
This song used to be at number 10. I know it's really popular, and I see why. It's an excellent song. It's so catchy and it kind of reminds me of the songs from the 50's...whatever I'm weird. (the 50's were amazing btw)
Most powerful line(s): "But I don't need any of your pity, I've got plenty of my own friends"
Additional: "I've been thinking about the doorbell - when you gonna ring it? When you gonna ring it?"

32) You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl) (De Stijl)
This song gets in your head and stays there. That's the main reason why I love this song, actually. XD There's not much else to say.
I do have to applaud the excellent dips between the lines "you're pretty good looking" and "for a girl." It was a nice touch, and it really emphasizes that "for a girl" is extra information that isn't exactly the best thing to say to someone.
Most powerful line(s): "For a girl" (after first line of chorus}

31) Sugar Never Tasted So Good (The White Stripes)
I used to not like this song much, but it got stuck in my head. It became familiar, and like Portugal. The Man and Imagine Dragons, I grew to like it.
Most powerful line(s): "Water never tasted so good" (first time)
Additional: [entire chorus] "What a fool this boy can be"

30) Candy Cane Children (Merry Christmas from The White Stripes)
I'd say this is one of my favorite Christmas songs...but I listen to it year round, so it's not really that Christmas-y to me. XD I don't really know what I love about this, it's just a really great song.
Most powerful line(s): "So when Christmas finally comes and nobody's got a gun"
Additional: "Candy cane girl, don't you know your name girl? Twelve people are gonna ask you just the same, girl" "Nobody knows how to talk to children"

29) I Think I Smell a Rat (White Blood Cells)
I was surprised this song got this high on the list - it was always one of those songs that I normally skipped. It's really catchy, though, and combined with the strong and nonchalant "I think I smell a rat" really drove me to include it.
Most powerful line(s): "Oh, I think I smell a rat"

28) The Big Three Killed My Baby (The White Stripes)
One thing I'm always saying about Fall Out Boy is that I love them because their songs just bleed passion. This is a perfect explanation of this song. The keyboard (I think that's what is playing...?) adds a suspenseful opening, and then Jack White just comes in screaming that his baby is dead, and I love it.
Most powerful line(s): "Nobody's coming home again"
Additional: "The big three killed my baby" "Yeah yeah yeah" "And I found out my baby is dead" "And the big three killed my baby"

27) In the Cold, Cold Night (Elephant)
I've wanted to add this song for a long time. This is one example of a song that wasn't ever at the top of the honorable mentions but still made it (the song at the top was literally just about to take this slot until this showed up and I had to replace it). I just really like Meg's voice in this one. (What is this, one of four songs that we hear her in? She's backgrounds in Rag and Bone, anyway, so really the third time.) It reminds me of jazz, and I LOVE jazz.
Most powerful line(s): "Come to me again in the cold, cold night"

26) Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me? (De Stijl)
I think the best part of this song, and The White Stripes in general isn't exactly the lyrical content, but more of the music that kind of drags you along on this emotional, captivating journey. This song is a perfect example of this.
Most powerful line(s): "Oh"
Additional: "So I stopped caring" "Nobody's calling"

25) Little People (The White Stripes)
.
Most powerful line(s): "
Additional: "

24) Fell in Love With a Girl (White Blood Cells)
This song is fun. A lot of people say that this song is overrated...and honestly, I think it kind of is. It's a great song, don't get me wrong, but there are so many other really good songs. This song used to be higher, and I never really felt bad for bumping it back to be honest.
Most powerful line(s): "I said it once before but it bears repeating now"
Additional: "But sometimes these feelings can be misleading" "She turns and said 'are you alright?' I said 'I must be fine 'cause my heart's still beating'" [chorus]

23) Little Cream Soda (Icky Thump)
This song is so fun and I don't know why I love it so much, but I guess I was drawn to it because cream soda is amazing and it's my dad's treat to us when we go on long car rides. It used to be higher on the list and I feel kind of bad that it got bumped out of the top 10, but either way, I couldn't leave it out.
Most powerful line(s): "God screams to me, 'There's nothing left for me to tell you'"
Additional: "And there was a time when all I wanted was my ice cream cone and my little cream soda - oh well, oh well"

22) Take, Take, Take (Get Behind Me Satan)
I almost forgot about this song - it's a little forgettable to be honest. XD It must be doing something right, though, if it made the list over the 40 other songs.
Most powerful line(s): "And that was all that I needed"
Additional: "Take, take, take"

21) You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told) [Icky Thump]
I really like this song, actually. It's different from a lot of what The White Stripes write. It reminds me a little bit of the kind of music that my brother loves to listen to.
Most powerful line(s): "You're not hopeless or helpless, and I hate to sound cold"
Additional: "Gonna say these words to you" "But you don't know what love is, you just do as you told"

20) I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet) (Get Behind Me Satan)
This is probably the slowest song by The White Stripes, but I like a little mix-up. It's a sweet song and one of the more relatable ones by the duo.
Most powerful line(s): "Filled with regret, I go down and I wonder if there was any reason left - but just before my lungs could get wet...I'm lonely, but I ain't that lonely yet"
Additional: "And don't ask for much" [fourth verse]

19) I'm Finding it Harder to Be a Gentleman (White Blood Cells)
I completely forgot about this song. I really love this one, and it's really catchy. That seems to be most of these songs, doesn't it? XD This is another song that I feel guilty about it not being higher, but what can you do? Not everything can be number one (well, technically yes, but let's not talk about that).
At the same time, it sends a good message. Girls these days are either too demanding for attention from guys or get angry whenever a guy shows them common courtesy. What's with that? That guy you like/are intimate with isn't your slave. But can no one show another human being that they care about them by helping them out with something or should we all just let each other fend for ourselves?
Most powerful line(s): "Well I'm finding it harder to be a gentleman everyday"
Additional: "But if I could find emotion to stimulate devotion, then you'll see" "Tell us which one is sane"

18) Expecting (White Blood Cells)
This song was in my honorable mentions for my top 15 songs for quite a while, though it did occupy the number 15 slot at some point. I just love the strong riffs, and it's another example of how the best part about The White Stripes songs aren't always the lyrical content.
Most powerful line(s): "Hello Operator"
Additional: "How're you gonna get the money?"

17) City Lights (Jack White Acoustic Recordings)
This used to be in the number 29 slot - and I'm not surprised this song jumped so far - it is one of my favorites by Jack White in general.
I love how sweet this song is. It's nostalgic, in a way. This entire song is a powerful line. How am I expected pick one?
Most powerful line(s): "Any attempt to engage will push away what you want becomes a magnet"
Additional: "I will tell by their reaction if they're like me or if I am crazy" "To be seen in hell from your place in a tree, always helping, ever loving" "I could ask for, so I'm asking: soon we will be side by side the plane will land and the wings will glide" "When the lights of the city hit my eyes on the plane looking out the window, I am consumed by a comforting notion that you are there and I am welcome - if our miles have added up to a giant pile of distance that we cannot reach past, climb, or conquer"

16) It's My Fault for Being Famous (Conquest)
I feel like this song would be higher, but the reason it's not is because
Most powerful line(s): "But it's my fault for being famous" (first and second chorus)
Additional: "The cops want to know what was wrong with me" [entire first chorus]

15) Effect and Cause (Icky Thump)
I said when I first started this list that Icky Thump was my favorite album, but I hadn't listened to a lot of the songs on the album. When I did, this was one of the songs that made me kind of lean away from it. I never really listened to folk music and it reminded me a bit of bad country music that I sometimes heard. It was just so new and it told a bit of getting used to. Nowadays, this is one of those songs that I'm perfectly happy singing under my breath when I'm busy (even if I still don't know the lyrics).
Most powerful line(s): "Well you can't take the effect and make it the cause"
Additional: "I guess you have to have a problem if you want to invent a contraption" "Well you burnt my house down and then got mad at my reaction" "It's that you just can't take the effect and make it the cause" "I didn't rob a bank because you made up the law" "Can't take the effect and make it the cause" "I ain't saying that I'm innocent - in fact the reverse - but if you're headed to the grave then you don't blame the hearse"

14) Offend in Every Way (White Blood Cells)
When I started finding the most powerful lines, I was really paying attention to the lyrics and realized that this is probably the most relatable song I have ever heard from this band. Granted, it still can't beat the top three songs, but it still managed to jump two slots.
Most powerful line(s): "You tell me to relax"
Additional: [entire last verse] "But how much can I fake? I'll speak until I break"

13) We're Gonna Be Friends (White Blood Cells)
This song used to be in the number three slot. Technically, it was the second song I listened to, but I actually heard a parody of it long before I started really listening to the band. It's really sweet, but also really simple, so it's not as high as it was, but still up there. I'm Lonely almost beat it to the number seven slot, but I couldn't deny this one to be higher on the list.
This song still has the honor of being the first White Stripes song I learned on my ocarina.
Most powerful line(s): "You and I, we'll walk together again"
Additional: "I can tell that we are gonna be friends"

12) Blue Orchid (Get Behind Me Satan)
This song used to be one of those songs that I hadn't really listened to that much but was still catchy. It used to be lower on the list, but after listening to it more, I realized just how much I truly loved it.
Most powerful line(s): "How dare you? How old are you now, anyway?"
Additional: "You took a white orchid, turned it blue" "Your lip tastes sour" "You got a reaction, didn't you?"

11) Rag and Bone (Icky Thump)
This song actually was discovered on the 19th of November. I know this because November 18, 2017 was when I traveled down to Arizona for my grandparent's 50th anniversary surprise party and then drove back to California the next day. I listened to this song too many times, probably even more than my first and second picks. I don't normally like this type of music, but for some reason it just really clicked with me. It's so much fun, and it's one of those songs that just makes my day infinitely better.
Most powerful line(s): "Come on and give it to me"
Additional: "Your pretty little rags and bones" "This place is like a mansion"

10) The Hardest Button to Button (Elephant)
This song almost didn't make the top 15 list but whooOOAAA boy did it grown on me. This used to be in the number 14 slot but I got really attached to it really quick.
This song has the BEST music video, which is probably also why I love it so much. During my Algebra II and Honors English finals, I could not get this song out of my head. The ending, though long and repetitive, is so catchy.
Most powerful line(s): "I had opinions that didn't matter"
Additional: "You're the hardest little button to button"

9) Little Room (White Blood Cells)
This song almost didn't make the top 15. It's short, yes, but it's still an amazing song. It's so good and I wish it were longer, but it's perfect just the way it is, even if it is the shortest track by the artist.
Most powerful line(s): "You're gonna need a bigger room"
Additional: "Well, you're in your little room and you're working on something good" "You might need to think of how you got started, sitting in your little room" "Da da da da da da da da..."

8) A Martyr for My Love for You (Icky Thump)
This song grew on me fast. It used to be at number 22.
So many powerful lines in this song...it really contrasts the feeling of the lyrics - the music is strong like craving for love, but the lyrics are saying that he's happy leaving the girl alone. It really sets the mood of the song, and was a brilliant idea.
Most powerful line(s): "Is to leave you alone"
Additional: "I heard myself speak" "She was sixteen and six feet tall" "Maybe for you now" "But one of these days I'm bound to choke" "I'm doing exactly what a coward would do" "But what can I do?" "Leave you alone, now"

7) The Air Near My Fingers (Elephant)
This song is just so intriguing. I love how dry his tone is, just like, "I know what you said but I also know I'm right." The do's in the song just add to his almost condescending vocals.
Most powerful line(s): "I never said I ever want to be a man"
Additional: [entire second verse] "Do do do do do do do do do do do do"

6) Truth Doesn't Make a Noise (De Stijl)
I really like how sad this song seems. I'm too attracted to depressing songs, I know.
Most powerful line(s): "Because truth doesn't make a noise"
Additional: "And all she does is stare at you - her stare is louder than your voice"

5) Apple Blossom (De Stijl)
I loved this song from the minute I heard it when I was creating my playlist of all the clean songs by The White Stripes, and I knew it had to make the top 15 (used to be number 12). I love the beat of this song, and it's also relatable to me, as well. Everyone who knows me knows that the more relatable a song is, the more I'll like it above other songs.
Most powerful line(s): "I will come and rescue you"
Additional: "Hey little apple blossom, what seems to be the problem? All the ones you tell your troubles too - they don't really care for you" "Cause just when the boat is sinking"

4) Hotel Yorba (White Blood Cells)
This song also almost didn't make the top 15 list, but it was just too fun to leave out. I almost forgot about it, actually. XD It used to occupy the number 12 spot, but I just felt so guilty for it not making the top ten. I love it so much and I just couldn't deny just how much I loved it.
Most powerful line(s): "Well it's 1,2,3,4, take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba; I'll be glad to see you later"
Additional: "Never gonna worry about locking the door" "Grab hold of me 'cause I'm your favorite fella"

3) Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (White Blood Cells)
This song also jumped up quite a bit, previously occupying the number nine slot. This got a lot more recognition from me after watching the music video. It's another one of those relatable songs. It's a mixture of that and a nice rock-y feel to it. It has a great beat, and oh my goodness, I love it.
Most powerful line(s): "If you can hear a piano fall, you can hear me coming down the hall"
Additional: "Every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me" "Any man with a microphone can tell you what he loves the most"

2) Seven Nation Army (Elephant)
This song almost didn't make the top three songs, but after hearing it more and more, I just couldn't leave it out. I know this is really typical to a lot of you, but this was the first song I heard from The White Stripes. I was playing it at basketball games with the pep band on my trombone looong before I even knew who wrote the song! I live under a rock...
And come onnnn. Who can say this song isn't good? It might have a lot of publicity, but there's a reason for that. I mean, the riff is more well-known than the lyrics, and how often does that happen?!
Most powerful line(s): "And I'm talking to myself at night because I can't forget"
Additional: "Back and forth through my mind behind a cigarette" "And the stains coming from my blood tell me, 'Go back home!'"

Honorable Mentions
(also ranked least -> greatest)

Aluminum (White Blood Cells)
Jimmy the Exploder (The White Stripes)
Astro (The White Stripes)
Little People (The White Stripes)
Red Rain (The White Stripes)
When I Hear My Name (The White Stripes)

1) Icky Thump (Icky Thump)
Of course Icky Thump is my favorite. You might've been wondering why Icky Thump is my favorite album despite the many White Blood Cells songs throughout the list. Icky Thump was one of the first songs I heard by the band (if you don't count a parody of We're Going to be Friends, then I'm pretty sure it was the third, if not the fourth...if not the second), and the first song that I listened to on repeat. Not only was it really good, but it was also the only song I had downloaded on the trip to Arizona besides Seven Nation Army and Conquest (maybe also The Denial Twist). I questioned whether my favorite was this or Rag and Bone for quite a while, but it had to be this one. That seems to be a reoccurring theme with me and my bands - I listen to the second over and over again (Rag and Bone used to be number two, but I did the same thing with Seven Nation Army, anyway), and then the first is like sacred. XD
Most powerful line(s): "Why don't you kick yourself out? You're an immigrant too!"
Additional: "Icky thump, handcuffed to a bunk" "La la la la la la la la la la la la la" "You can't be a pimp and a prostitute, too"

_

Conquest, Stop Breaking Down, Love Potion #9, Death Letter, and I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself all used to occupy slots in the list, but were taken down once I found out they were covers.

Okay, so there are a few songs that weren't considered. As for the ones with language I don't approve of, that includes The Denial Twist (which used to be number nine, by the way), Bone Broke, I'm Slowly Turning Into You, Catch Hell Blues, St. James Infirmary Blues, Let's Shake Hands, Look Me Over Closely, 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues, and Honey, We Can't Afford to Look Cheap.

Least favorite songs (in no particular order...but the first is the worst, right?): St. Andrew (The Battle is in the Air), Little Ghost, Little Acorns, and Well it's True that We Love One Another.