White Moon by The White Stripes

Album: Get Behind Me Satan (2005)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

In the closing scene of The White Stripes' documentary Under Great White Northern Lights, Meg is sitting at a piano beside Jack as he tinkles this song, tears rolling down her face. Mojo magazine asked Jack why Meg was crying. He replied: "I could venture to guess, but I don't think any of my guesses would come close to the real reason. Either way, it shows that she's alive and involved in the energy of what we put out together. That's what I could take from it."
The "Rita," who is mentioned in the song four times, is the actress Rita Hayworth, and glamor icon who was a star in the 1940s and '50s. In the song, Jack White ruminates on her life.

The Get Behind Me Satan album was recorded at White's home in the Indian Village section of Detroit, and he had pictures of Hayworth all over the house. White also mentions her in the track "Take, Take, Take."
The original title was "White Moon and the Red-Headed Guest."
The crashing sound at 3:45 wasn't planned: that was Meg White's bells falling to the floor. Instead of killing the take, they kept going and left it in.

Comments: 2

Amanda from Los Angeles, CaRegardless of whom or what this song is about, every time I listen to it, I think of Meg :(
Brandon from Northeast, OhNear the end of the song (3:46 in the included video), you can hear a cymbal crash. Apparently, Meg accidentally dropped it.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Paul RevereBeastie Boys

In Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere," the title refers to the name of a horse. They took it from a song in the musical Guys And Dolls where a character sings, "I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere."

Somebody That I Used To KnowGotye

45% of the royalties for "Somebody That I Used To Know" go to the estate of the Brazilian classical guitarist Luiz Bonfá, whose song "Seville" Gotye sampled.

In The Air TonightPhil Collins

"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins was revived when it was used in the first episode of Miami Vice, three years after it was released.

Rolling In The DeepAdele

Adele got the title "Rolling In The Deep" from the British saying "Roll Deep," which means to look after someone. She was "rolling deep" with her boyfriend until he betrayed her.

HeroesDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Heroes" is about his producer Tony Visconti and his girlfriend, but Bowie didn't admit this until the '00s, since Visconti was married at the time.

TushZZ Top

"Tush" doesn't have to refer to anatomy, according to ZZ Top. It's a word that also means "lavish."