7 notable Detroit references in White Stripes song lyrics

Tuesday will bring publication of "The White Stripes Complete Lyrics," a handsome hardbound anthology compiling the Detroit duo's songs from 1997 to 2007. Here's a look at some of the key hometown references in the work of Jack White and Meg White, who emerged from the city's indie garage scene to become global rock stars.

Singer-guitarist Jack White was the White Stripes' songwriter and chief creative force, and the band's lyrics included plenty of local imagery, both obvious and otherwise. This is a sampling:

'Hotel Yorba' (2001)

This lively stomp, capped by an infectious sing-along chorus, cites the long-running, somewhat dilapidated hotel not far from Jack White’s family neighborhood in southwest Detroit. Situated on West Lafayette and visible from I-75, the Yorba was the scene of the single’s recording — in room 206 — and much of its accompanying music video.

'The Big Three Killed My Baby' (1999)

Jack White has largely avoided explicit political or social messaging in his music. But this early track from the Stripes’ debut album took aim at Detroit’s major automakers, implying they valued corporate dollars over safety and durability. “Don’t feed me planned obsolescence,” White sings. “I’m about to have another blowout.”

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'Lafayette Blues' (1998)

This spirited blues-rocker delivers a 2-minute, 15-second fusillade of French-derived street names in the White Stripes' hometown of Day-twah: There's Marantette, Leverette, Lannette and Lafayette, plus Livernois, Labrosse and much more.

'Seven Nation Army' (2003)

“I'm going to Wichita / Far from this opera forevermore.” That line in the White Stripes' biggest hit contains a stealthy but pivotal Motor City reference, and the best way to divine it is from a passing moment in the song's award-winning video: To punctuate the word “opera,” Jack White raises his palm, Michigan-map-style, and points to Detroit’s location.

White would go on to say that "Seven Nation Army" was about his frustration with the drama of personal gossip. And while he acknowledged he'd never actually visited Wichita at that point ― it was just a literary device, he told the Detroit Free Press in 2016 ― he did eventually relocate south to Nashville.

'Broken Bricks' (1999)

With lyrics by Jack White’s brother Stephen Gillis, “Broken Bricks” appears to be inspired by Detroit’s abandoned buildings, which White has said he loved to explore as a kid. The closing lines send the message: “Think about the spot your father spent his life / Demolition calls it ‘Building C’ now."

'Little Acorns' (2003)

Veteran Detroit broadcaster Mort Crim is the voice on the spoken-word opening of this “Elephant” album deep cut, and he wound up there by happy accident: Jack White was repurposing a reel-to-reel studio tape filled with old radio bits when he stumbled onto Crim’s tale of a woman named Janet and her plucky comeback from hardship. White loved the narration by the local celebrity and ― with Crim's blessing ― incorporated it into the heavy and heaving White Stripes track.

'Little Cream Soda' (2007)

This one we're grandfathering in. While the studio version of the recording contains no direct Detroit references, the song had started life as an impromptu onstage number — in which Jack White sang “Faygo Creme Soda” in a nod to the classic Motor City pop drink.

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: White Stripe lyrics contain lots of Detroit references: Here are 7