What song did the White Stripes play after Seven Nation Army at the 2004 Grammys?

July 3, 2006 4:03 PM

What song did the White Stripes play after Seven Nation Army at the 2004 Grammys?

whitestripe filter: At the 2004 Grammys, the White Stripes performed 2 verses of 7 Nation Army, then at 2:09 into the performance, they went into a bluesy-sounding song that I haven't heard before. Jack's guitar solo is one of the most badass things I've ever seen. Watch it here.

So what's the song? Is this a Stripes song, or a cover? Are there other live recordings of this song as performed by the White Stripes?

posted by fearless_yakov to media & arts (12 comments total)

It's their own. Death Letter.
posted by team lowkey at 4:13 PM on July 3, 2006

That was quick. Thanks!
posted by fearless_yakov at 4:14 PM on July 3, 2006

Wait! It's a cover of Son House's original.
posted by mochapickle at 4:16 PM on July 3, 2006

What mochapickle said, it's a cover of a Son House song.
posted by keswick at 4:19 PM on July 3, 2006 [1 favorite]

I stand corrected.
posted by team lowkey at 4:20 PM on July 3, 2006

You'll find it on De Stijl, the White Stripes' second release.
posted by booner at 4:30 PM on July 3, 2006

The question really is what was the punky one that came after Death Letter - just a nameless jam they created?
posted by rmm at 5:51 PM on July 3, 2006

there's gotta be other live recordings of death letter around. i thought i had one but i don't anymore.
posted by amethysts at 6:31 PM on July 3, 2006

rmm makes a good point - I was interested in the "punky" jam that they play after the verse of what I now know to be Death Letter.

I think you can find a couple versions of death letter on You Tube.

Thanks, MeFites.
posted by fearless_yakov at 9:00 PM on July 3, 2006

Also try the Little Room, the White Stripes message board - and if you find out the name of the punky jam, let me know! I'm a member on that message board but haven't searched for the song in a while - don't think it's a full song sadly.

He is indeed one of the best guitarists around - he does truly creative awe inspiring things with his instrument. And Meg does great stuff with her instrument too :)
posted by rmm at 9:13 PM on July 3, 2006

You could have googled the (completely intelligible on YouTube) lyrics, you know.

(And to actually be of help, rather than just coming in and pissing and moaning ...) The "punky jam" after Death Letter starts with a speeded-up version of the riff and drums from Let's Build A Home (also on De Stijl); the rest of the performance seems to be just White taking that and running with it.
posted by Len at 7:39 AM on July 4, 2006

That little jam they did, they do after every time they play death letter. Maybe not the same EXACT thing, but close. Get some White Stripes bootlegs and you'll see that they often attach Death letter on the end of a medly and close it off in a little jam.
posted by Blandanomics at 10:37 AM on July 5, 2006