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Rating: Jack White, leader of the famous duo The White Stripes, along with the rhythm section of the Greenhornes and singer Brendan Benson, decided to dedicate 2006 to the side project The Raconteurs. A renowned director like Jim Jarmusch directed the video for the first single Steady As She Goes, and the British press, as expected, is already ready to aprioristically praise the efforts of White & Co.
The ten tracks of Broken Boy Soldiers deliver what they promise: a bit of good old rock 'n' roll. In some moments, you almost get the impression of having in front of you a sort of jukebox ready to play, under the guise of original songs, all the hits of the seventies. During the not even forty minutes of Broken Boy Soldiers, a certain monotony emerges here and there. Apart from the aforementioned Steady As She Goes—perhaps the best track, certainly the most catchy—Hands, Intimate Secretary, and Level are worth mentioning. The more relaxed tracks—I’m thinking of the last two Call It A Day and Blue Veins—do not always hit the mark.
An album neither praiseworthy nor infamous, destined mainly to satiate White Stripes fans who do not want to wait until 2007 to listen to their idol's new compositions.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Steady, as She Goes (03:35)
Find yourself a girl and settle down
Live a simple life in a quiet town
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
So steady as she goes
Your friends've shown a kink in the single life
You've had too much to think, now you need a wife
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
So steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Well here we go again
You've found yourself a friend that knows you well
But no matter what you do
You'll always feel as though you tripped and fell
So steady as she goes
When you have completed what you thought you had to do
And your blood's depleted to the point of stable glue
Then you'll get along
Then you'll get along
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
So steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Well here we go again
You've found yourself a friend that knows you well
But no matter what you do
You'll always feel as though you tripped and fell
So steady as she goes
Steady as she goes
Settle for a world (settle for the world), neither up or down (neither up or down)
Sell it to the crowd (sell it to the crowd) that is gathered round (that is gathered round)
Settle for a girl (settle for the girl), neither up or down (neither up or down)
Sell it to the crowd (sell it to the crowd) that is gathered round (that is gathered round)
So steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
So steady as she goes (steady as she goes)
Steady as she goes, are you steady now?
Steady as she goes, are you steady now?
Steady as she goes, are you steady now?
Steady as she goes, are you steady now?
Steady as she goes
02 Hands (04:01)
Girl, you got those hands that heal
help me get in touch with what I feel
Cause you understand and you sympathize
and you know me best it's no surprise
When you're with me there's a light and I can see my way
when you speak to me it's a song and I know what to say
Girl, you got those eyes that see
help me find the good that's inside me
Cause you're the only one who really knows
how the feeling comes and why it goes
When you're with me there's a light and I can see my way
when you speak to me it's a song and I know what to say
When you're with me there's a light and I can see my way
when you speak to me it's a song and I know what to say
When you listen there's a hope and I know I'm being heard
when you smile at me and I know that we don't have to speak the words
When you're with me there's a light and I can see my way
When you speak to me it's a song and I know what to say
03 Broken Boy Soldier (03:02)
I'm pulling down questions from the shelf
I'm asking forgiveness
I ain't asking nobody but myself
and I want you to know this
and I want you to know this
You're rifling through a box of toys
that were handed down to me
just take out the ones you brought and then
give the rest to my family
I'm gonna go back to school today
but I'm dropping myself off
I'm throwing the childhood seat away
I'm through ripping myself off
I'm done ripping myself off
I'm child and man and child again
the toy broken boy soldier
I'm child and man then child again
the boy never gets older
the boy never gets older
the boy never gets older
the boy never gets older
the boy never gets older
never gets older
the boy broken toy soldier
the boy...
the boy!
04 Intimate Secretary (03:30)
I've got a rabbit, it likes to hop
I've got a girl and she likes to shop
The other foot looks like it won't drop
I had an uncle and he got shot
Is this greeting the type that's meant for me?
Are you part of this kakistocracy?
This ringing in my ears won't stop
I've got a red Japanese tea-pot
I've got a pen but I lost the top
I've got so many things you haven't got
This fellow's craft is just not for sharing
He's not an intimate secretary
I've got a rabbit it likes to hop
I've got a girl and she likes to shop
The other foot looks like it won't drop
I had an uncle but he got shot
Then on rubble of skull is monarchy
Down with luck we'll see Ecclesiarchy
Our fellow's craft is just not for sharing
He's not an intimate secretary
(This ringing in my ears won't stop)
The Ex-archives inspector inquisitor
(I've got a red Japanese tea-pot)
The demockery streets master
(I've got a pen but I lost the top)
Are you part of this khakistocracy?
(I've got so many things you haven't got)
Is this greeting the type that's meant for me?
05 Together (03:58)
You and me forever
we belong together
and we'll always endevour
throughout any type of weather
You want everything to be just like (x2)
The stories that you read but never write (x2)
You gotta learn to live
and live and learn
You gotta learn to give
and wait your turn
or you'll get burned
You wrote our names down on the sidewalk
the rain came and washed them off
So we should write them again on wet cement
So people a long time from now will know what we meant
You want every morning to be just like (x2)
The stories that you read but you never write (x2)
You gotta learn to live
and live and learn
You gotta learn to give
and wait your turn
I'm only concerned
I'm adding something new to the mixture
so there's a different hue to your picture
a different ending to this fairy tale
with no sunset into which we sail
You want everything to be just like (x2)
The stories that you read but you can't write (you can't write)
You gotta learn to live
and live and learn
Oh, you gotta learn to give
and wait your turn
or you'll get burned
06 Level (02:21)
My baby's on the level
I try to read her mind
She's on the straight and narrow
I'm guessing all the time
But I can't see the road
If I'm looking at the signs
I'm carrying a load
And stepping out of line
My baby's on the level
And I try to read her mind
She's on the straight and narrow
And I'm guessing all the time
Oh well how can I see the road
If I'm looking at the signs
I'm carrying a load
And stepping out of line
07 Store Bought Bones (02:25)
Down on your hands and knees, underneath the pop up trees
Digging through sticks and stones, looking for store bought bones
Waiting on the rising sun, clutching at your holstered gun
Praying on a shooting star that I can be wherever you are
Looking through a telescope, maybe there's a sign of hope
Leaving everything behind, stirring a store bought mind
Sitting at the edge of your seat, wishing you were here by me
Sifting through the mud and the bricks, looking for a store bought fix
You can't buy what you can't find
What you can't buy, what you find
What you can't buy, what you can
You can't buy what you can't find, what you can
You can't buy what you can't find, what you can
Buy what you find, what you can't find, what you can
You can't buy what you can't find, what you can
You can't buy what you can't find, what you can
08 Yellow Sun (03:20)
Yellow sun is shining in the afternoon,
I'd really like to tell you but I feel it's too soon.
My actions are dictated by the phase of the moon,
The phase of the moon.
The sun, it isn't hiding when it sets on you,
it's not a coward like me and I know that it's true.
Waiting for the darkness now is all I can do,
it's all I can do.
And if the sun should follow us into your room,
then the courage will be wrought from me to tell you the truth.
The setting sun's the only thing that's shining on you,
that's shining on you.
You're makin' me hungry,
but what's really funny,
is it's not sunny,
anymore.
And when I finally told you when the sun has gone,
you're laughing cuz' you thought I was the only one.
And the only thing that's left for me is the rising sun,
the rising sun.
You're makin' me hungry,
you're makin' me hungry,
but what's really funny,
is it's not sunny,
anymore.
You're makin' me hungry,
you're makin' me hungry,
but what's really funny,
is it's not sunny,
anymore.
It's not sunny anymore. (rpt. to finish)
09 Call It a Day (03:36)
Can we call it a day?
Now would that be okay?
Can we just go our own separate ways? (ways)
I'm cold and I'm wet and I'm willing to bet
That you constructed this maze (maze)
Well I stumble around
Try to follow the sound
Then something takes hold of my hand (my hand)
It becomes such a mess and I'd venture to guess
That you concocted this plan (plan)
And I don't know what to do
Cause it's always been you
Who helps me to make up my mind (my mind)
But I'll stake my life
And I'll swear by this knife
That it's all by your design (design)
Enough has been said
It goes round in my head
Until I break down and cry (and cry)
I wouldn't be surprised
If that look in your eyes
Was your way of saying goodbye (goodbye).
Can we call it a day?
Now would that be okay?
Can we just go our own separate ways? (ways)
Cuz I'm cold and I'm wet and I'm willing to bet
That you constructed this (maze)
...(my hand)
...you concocted this (place)
I don't know what to do
Cause it's always been you
Who helps me to make up my mind (my mind)
But I'll stake my life
And I'll swear by this knife
That it's all by your design (design)
Yeah it's all by your (design)
10 Blue Veins (03:52)
When I was surrounded by the world
You were the only one who came
And you were the only one astounded
Which kept me grounded
As the other girls thrashed my very name
Then I looked over
Just in time to see her smiling back at me
And saying everything's OK
As long as you're inside my blue veins
Your blue veins
Yeah and the feeling that you gave me
No matter what I do or where I go
It always will remain
And those who would enslave me to get to me must get past you and will have no luck
Cause you'll protect me from all pain
The most beautiful, yeah the most beautiful thing cause anything else can't compare
Must be the blood that's running through your blue veins
Your blue veins
Your blue veins
And I know you won't deceive me
Like the rest and there's nothing you need to explain
You always were the first one to believe me
When I said to you girl
I think it's gonna rain
But I could be wrong
Yeah but all of these things
All these things
They're all truly nice but ain't nothing
Ain't nothing compared to the love that's running through your little blue veins
Your blue veins
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Other reviews
By Vito Alberto
"The rock blues of the White Stripes merges with Benson’s power pop, finally allowing Jack not to be burdened with the task of singing and caring for Meg."
"Their debut is old-school rock, sincere, passionate, with lots of sweat... few overdubs, and four stars."
