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***
We all experiance some waits. For example, I wait for the BHR to be released, for The White Stripes to reunite and for the TMR to sign me. I leave it to you which is more realistic. I often wait for the TMR packages to come as it takes some time for it to arrive in Poland. I’ve waited longer for the vault #34 as i was sent two replacement packages – it was the THIRD (III) 3 time that worked. I’ve been waiting for some new music from Jack for 3 years now (since last Dead Weather album), 4 years since Lazaretto and on friday i travelled 400 miles just to shorten that wait two weeks. Listening to the album left me begging to hear it again. Obviously, i dont regret it but i’m just hungry (for this album) and the hunger will linger till 23rd now… Nevertheless there’s someone who waits all his life, i’m not sure for what, but he waits over and over and over. Tom Waits. He waits. He Waits. Tom Waits waits. Sorry for a lame joke, but i couldnt help it.
Anyway, i crave for another wait. Ben, please, make me wait. Make me wait for this tricolor.
thank you for caring, so here i am, sharing, an excerpt on waiting, caring, human complexity[,(?)] and trying, repeatedly, ad infinitum:
“Being in the studio with James was like suspending time … When James recorded, he would actually dance as if he was onstage. He’d be dripping wet … He said he wanted to feel the song while he recorded it. And he’d do it over and over and over again …
It fascinated me how he would always cut more songs than they were scheduled to do; he’d cut three or four songs that just disappeared into the ether. Maybe four years later, he’d pull one out and say, ‘Time to put this on the album now.’ He’d have a sense when he made the recording that it wasn’t the right time for the public, but he heard the music, and he heard the words, and he wanted to record it. One day in 1979, several years after I left him the first time, I got a memorable phone call from James.
‘Rev, I think I want to do a gospel-rap record,’ he said.
‘Gospel-rap?’ I said, not understanding how those two things could possibly go together.
‘Yep. I want you to preach. I’m going to sing. I’ve never done a gospel song.’
But I was still confused. ‘Me preach and you sing? How’s that going to go?’
‘Rev, I got this,’ he said …
James liked the James Cleveland song ‘God Has Smiled on Me,’ so that’s the one we were going to do but reimagined with an up-tempo beat. He taught the band the tempo he wanted … he started singing, ‘God has smiled on me … He has set me free …” And then he pointed at me.
‘What?’ I said.
‘Preach!’ he said.
‘What am I going to say?’
‘Just say it from your heart!’
And so he started it again, then he pointed at me—and I started preaching. He’d break in and start singing again, then he’d point at me to preach again. We did that for hours, recording two or three songs that night, with James, me, and the JBs. James believed in improvising. He didn’t read music; he didn’t even really read lyrics. He mostly believed in going with what came from the heart. And that’s what he wanted me to do. The man was truly a gifted musical talent.
James tried to get those songs out on the market for mass distribution, but he never found a willing partner in the music industry. I still have the recordings, though.”
From Chapter 10, verse unclear, of the Reverend’s “The Rejected Stone”
Ever since I discovered The Velvets and Lou Reed when I was sixteen I wanted to visit NYC and check out some rock n roll hauntsamd soak up the vibe. I finally made it some thirty plus years later. I was stoked that I would be in the same city as one of my main musical heroes but sadly Lou died a few months before the trip was due. Gutted
I’ve always wanted to check out the Nashville store front. And last year I made the trip from Toronto to Nashville and finally got to see in person what I’ve followed online since its beginning. I absolutely love Jack’s (and the team’s) attention to every detail. I could spend countless hours in there…. ANYWAYS, once I finally got in the doors and was snooping around the story takes an embarrassing twist. My buddy Rob who isn’t as well versed in all thing TMR as I am, loudly asked me from across a crowded room why Jack Black hadn’t put out any White Stripes songs. I didn’t know where to start as I looked at him with a “don’t ruin this for me look”. Long story short, we both enjoyed our visit and I returned alone the following day in a Groucho Marx disguise.
January 2000. After 23 1/2hours of labor and a medical issue where I nearly lost them both, my longest wait was over when I met my daughter. Now I get to share my love of JW music with my wife, daughter and son who are all huge fans. Family trip booked for the Toronto show this summer and we can’t wait.
Unfortunately only a dream! But thank you very much for this little dream!
Shut up and send me my tri (you already took my money) ;-)
I waited almost 18 years to lose my V chip and probably wait even longer to win something,as
the only thing I ever won in my life was a free enema …
Hopefully this will change soon
Much Love
There were cameras rolling every year, but I’m still waiting for the release of ANYTHING from the ‘Detroit Sounds & Spirits – Old Fashioned Holiday Spectacular’ shows. (Especially “One Night With You” by JW and Swank.) I’ve been pestering Dave Feeny for 15 years now. See what you can do Ben.
I mean, I’ve been waiting 7 years for my ex to return my copy of Blunderbuss on CD. Good thing I have the vinyl.