Jack White
“Over and Over and Over”
limited edition one-sided tri-color, 200 something copies pressed, complete with custom picture sleeve that will be slightly different from the standard released version
Do you guys know how pumped I am?
For the record, I first heard this monster riff in 2005 at Jack’s house while he and Meg were recording “Get Behind Me Satan.”
I am pretty sure that the “Blue Orchid” riff pre-dates this one by a few days, but in my mind, they exist hand-in-hand. While “Blue Orchid” smashed that recording process wide open and gave Jack the inspiration to make that album as bad ass as possible, THIS riff, inarguably, is ten times stronger. I feel like Jack was originally calling it “Thermonuclear Counter-Thrust” but maybe I’m just imagining that. I can find no contemporaneous documentation of that name.
There are two takes of demo recordings of this song from 2005 (with the riff played solely on fuzz bass). There are demo recordings from 2007 with the White Stripes trying it in rehearsal leading up to the tracking of the “Icky Thump” album. Imagine the guitar profile more in line with the octave-pedaled presence of the song “Icky Thump” and that’s a good start for understanding the 2007 version. I guess the Raconteurs tried it but I never heard any evidence, same with the Dead Weather. It was apparently the main track that Jack and Jay-Z worked on together in 2009, under the title “Ray Bans” or “Behind My Ray Bans” and although I’ve never heard that working, I’m told to imagine the phrase “Behind my Ray Bans” to coincide with the last five notes of the riff.
As Jack has already said, this had been his white whale. We sincerely considered including the ’07 demo as part of the “Icky Thump X” Vault package last year. I have no recollection of Jack ever previously giving me such an impassioned plea…”I just really think we shouldn’t put this on the Vault” he said. My response was pretty matter-of-factly, “Well, it’s your label, so please don’t feel like you have to convince me.” Maybe he was trying to convince himself?
Regardless, at the end of 2017 when Jack finally had played me this version you hear now, upon the end of the song, I looked at him and said “I’ve been waiting twelve years to hear this song with lyrics.”
The final version of this song is everything I’d ever dreamed it would be. It is my favorite moment on the album, with the coda to “Humoresque” being a close second. I cannot wait to see this monster unleashed unto a sell-out crowd at Little Caesar’s Arena, a stone’s throw away from the Gold Dollar where this whole mess got started.
I’ve got an extra copy of this limited tri-color to give away here. AUTOGRAPHED by Jack White, today, explicitly for this purpose. Don’t use my give-away here as an excuse to miss going to any number of the listening parties we’re throwing at record stores worldwide though. Even though we’re giving away tri-colors at the listening parties, none of those will be autographed. Man we spoil you kids.
As for the giveaway, post a comment, can be about whatever, but maybe talk about a significant wait you’ve endured in life. Can be funny, pithy, in iambic pentameter, whatever. The “best” comment will be solely determined by me. Please chime in by noon central time on Tuesday, March 13th.
***WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED***
Wow! What an amazing back story and incredible giveaway! Thank you so much for this opportunity to win such a badass gift! Good luck to all!!!
I don’t know about longest wait, but I’m hoping my shortest wait will be until I get that sweet sweet tri-color in my arms.
Oh wait, my longest wait to date has been waiting for a follow up film to “Midnight Madness”. I’m. Still. Waiting.
I don’t usually comment but Jack Whites music is truly enduring. His music is a sound for the century and can be heard across all walks of life and you can’t help but like or admire the lyrics and how they come together with his music. Everyone I know has a favorite song and if they like him or not they respect his love for music and vinyl. Truly inspirational and very fan driven. It’s like having a best friend that can sing, play guitar and owns a really cool company that we can be a part of. Hats off to you guys for doing it not just right but better ;)
I have been waiting 16 years for my son to be old enough to take to a Jack White show…which will finally come to fruition in San Francisco this summer one day before his senior year of high school starts….he doesn’t know that he is going to the show (first SF night) and is going to blast through the roof when he finds out. I have been trying to figure out how to drop the news on him….and maybe…just perhaps it could be done with wrapping this single up for him along with the tickets….Thanks for putting this out there
How to get your first guitar from heartbreak: I had a crush on this girl in elementary school throughout middle school. I had tried everything to get her attention, but I was young and unsure of myself. One afternoon I came home from school and asked my dad how to make this girl like me. His reply; the next day he plays a live video of Eddie Van Halen playing eruption. Blew my mind! He said if I could play the Guitar like that I could have any girl I wanted. But I didn’t have a guitar. About a week later my Dad took me to the local guitar shop and bought me my first guitar, which I had wanted for quite sometime but never had the money. It’s one of my fondest memories in life. 10 plus years later, I still play that guitar and think of that.
WAit what time is that on the west coast? lol
My longest wait would probably have to be last year when I finally got to go to my first concert. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of my favorite artists (behind Jack White) and when I saw that their tour was somewhat close to where I lived, I knew I had to get tickets. I went with a few of my friends and we all got to experience great live music and for me it was my first time. Now I want to go to as many concerts as I can for artists I love. It’s why I’m seeing Jack White in Columbus this June. The wait for this concert is almost as brutal but it’s very close.
The wait for my twin boys was a many year journey. We had to endure several setbacks as I guess we are not the most fertile people lol. Finally found the right specialist to make our dreams come true! Thanks for this opportunity Ben
and I thought my comment was long
Hey Ben, I coach fastpitch softball at a public school in the Detroit area. I’d been at the helm for many years but a championship of any kind had eluded us. Finally, after nearly 20 years of waiting, we had our shot. Last game of the season, last play of the game, our rivals loaded the bases while we protected a one-run lead. The league MVP taps a slow roller past the pitcher, my shortstop charges, bare hands, spins and throws. The play at 1st is as close as they come. The time between the ball hitting our 1st baseman’s glove and when the umpire went up with his right hand to signal “OUT!” was the most excruciating wait imaginable. We’d finally done it! The ensuing celebration, and the joy on those girls’ faces, was worth all the years (and the extra 3/10 of a second) of waiting.