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In the Cold, Cold Night

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"In the Cold, Cold, Night"
Song by the White Stripes
from the album Elephant
ReleasedApril 1, 2003 (2003-04-01)
RecordedApril–May 2002
StudioToe Rag Studios, London
Genre
Length2:58
Label
Composer(s)Jack White, Meg White
Lyricist(s)Jack White
Producer(s)Jack White

"In the Cold, Cold Night" is a song by American rock duo the White Stripes from their fourth studio album, Elephant (2003). The fifth track on Elephant, it was written and produced by Jack White specifically for Meg White to sing, which was her first time performing as the band's lead vocalist. Musically, "In the Cold, Cold Night" features a minimal soundscape and lyrics about a woman awaiting her lover's return.

Though never released as a single, "In the Cold, Cold Night" was praised by music critics for its composition and Meg's vocals, and was deemed a highlight of Elephant. It is considered one of the White Stripes' best songs.

Recording

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Meg White in 2005

The White Stripes made their recording debut in 1998, and Jack White was established as the duo's guitarist and lead vocalist and Meg White their drummer.[1] She only performed background vocals for the band's second and third studio albums, De Stijl and White Blood Cells respectively,[2] and shared vocal duties with Jack on the Loretta Lynn cover "Rated X" which features as the B-side to their 2001 single "Hotel Yorba".[3] After the band's international breakthrough with White Blood Cells, they began to create material for their fourth studio album, Elephant.

"In the Cold, Cold Night" was one of eleven songs recorded through April and May of 2002 at Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, London.[4] It is the first time Meg recorded leading vocals on any work of the band to that point; to gain confidence in her singing abilities, she sang more during their live performances and covered The Velvet Underground's "After Hours".[5][6] Meg would sing lead once more on "Passive Manipulation" in their follow-up album Get Behind Me Satan (2005),[7] and speak on the bagpipe-heavy track "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)" in Icky Thump (2007).[8]

Composition

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"In the Cold, Cold Night"
15-second sample from the intro of "In the Cold, Cold Night"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"In the Cold, Cold Night" is an alternative rock, blues rock, and garage rock song.[9] Unlike the band's prior work, the song does not have any percussion and features a minimalist soundscape of guitars and bass pedals of a Hammond organ.[10][11] The song is written in the key of D minor, and Meg's voice ranges from soprano to mezzo-soprano.[12]

Jack wrote "In the Cold, Cold Night" specifically for Meg to sing.[5] Though its lyrics have been interpreted ambiguously, the song is about a young—and possibly inexperienced—woman pleading for her lover to return.[13] Critics and audiences have noted its contrast to the rest of the the band's songs for both Meg's leading position and its cryptic atmosphere.

Release

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The song was never released as a standalone single, but it was a staple of the White Stripes' live performances, and was frequently performed by the band from 2003 until their final performances in late 2007.[14] Notable performances of "In the Cold, Cold Night" include at the Aragon Ballroom in 2003,[15] Madison Square Garden in 2007,[16] and during their 2007 Summer Tour in Canada featured in the documentary, Under Great White Northern Lights (2009).[17] A visualizer for the song was created for Elephant's 20th anniversary in 2023.[18]

Reception

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"In the Cold, Cold Night" received positive reviews from music critics, and is considered one of the band's best songs. Matt Harvey of BBC said that "Meg speaks and (unlike her drumming) comes across all fey and, well, sort of pre-Raphaelite in a down-town Motor City kind of way. [...] it's all so divinely confident, so sexy."[19] Tim Coffman of Far Out called the song "one of the most haunted recordings to be found on a White Stripes record" and found it immersive.[20] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian called her vocals "childlike", praising its "stark, unaffected quality" and its "radical departure" from the band's usual sound.[21] Petridis later called it "her finest moment not as the White Stripes' drummer, but their vocalist".[22] Toby M.S of Medium agreed, called it "seductive" and "the greatest Meg feature."[23] Stephen Trageser of Nashville Scene believed the song has an "unsettling, ambiguous sentiment" with a "determined creepiness".[24] Brent DiCrescenzo likened Meg to "a coy Mo Tucker or Georgia Hubley–more so than take-no-sass Patsy Cline or Dusty in Memphis."[25] Staff at The Quietus wrote: "her (Meg's) clear-voiced invocations of flickering flame carnality exude a shy, eye-of-the-storm poise which contrasts beautifully with the high voltage drama that hallmarks the song’s chart-topping parent album (Elephant)".[26] Ron Hart of Spin called her vocals "sweet and tender", and Cat Clyde wrote for Spin: "I loved that Meg’s voice was timid. It felt so real. [...] I still feel today it’s such a perfect recording."[27] Tom Breihan of Stereogum said she "brings a magnetic remoteness" and called it "beautifully weird".[28]

Select rankings for "In the Cold, Cold Night"
Publication/critic Accolade Rank Ref.
The Guardian Jack White – 10 of the Best 6 [29]
The White Stripes' 20 Best Songs 1 [22]
Medium All the White Stripes Songs Ranked 18 [23]

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Elephant.[30]

Cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ Wilkinson, Alec (March 5, 2017). "Jack White's Infinite Imagination". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  2. ^ Schlanger, Talia (September 21, 2018). "Meg White Is The 21st Century's Loudest Introvert". NPR.
  3. ^ Betts, Stephen L. (January 29, 2015). "Watch the White Stripes Do Loretta Lynn Proud". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Blackwell, Ben (2023). Elephant UHQR (booklet). Third Man Records.
  5. ^ a b Staff, Billboard (March 24, 2003). "White Stripes Stay Pure On 'Elephant'". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  6. ^ Coffman, Tim (July 5, 2023). "Watch The White Stripes cover The Velvet Underground". Far Out. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  7. ^ Sheffield, Rob (June 16, 2005). "Get Behind Me Satan". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  8. ^ Howard, Will (December 24, 2024). "The one song that derailed The White Stripes' final album". Far About. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Phares, Heather. "Elephant – The White Stripes". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. ^ Pareles, Jon (April 6, 2003). "White Stripe: Same Old Colors". The New York Times. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  11. ^ "In The Cold, Cold Night by The White Stripes - Songfacts". Songfacts. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  12. ^ "The White Stripes "In the Cold, Cold Night" Sheet Music in D Minor". Musicnotes.com. September 21, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  13. ^ White, Jack (October 10, 2023). The White Stripes Complete Lyrics. Third Man Books. ISBN 979-8986614526.
  14. ^ Graham, Adam (September 19, 2019). "Audio of White Stripes' final concert now available online". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  15. ^ "THE WHITE STRIPES CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ELEPHANT WITH LIMITED EDITION VINYL AND DIGITAL DELUXE RELEASES". Third Man Records – Official Store. March 9, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  16. ^ Menze, Jill (June 27, 2007). "The White Stripes / July 24, 2007 / New York (Madison Square Garden)". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  17. ^ "Buy It, Steal It, Skip It: The White Stripes' Under Great White Northern Lights". Vanity Fair. March 15, 2010. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  18. ^ "Music Videos Archives". whitestripes.com. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  19. ^ Harvey, Matt (2003). "The White Stripes Elephant Review". BBC. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  20. ^ Coffman, Tim (April 19, 2023). "10 classic rock songs that are not performed by the lead singer". Far Out. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  21. ^ Petridis, Alexis (March 28, 2003). "The White Stripes: Elephant". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  22. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (December 5, 2024). "Tall tales, campfire singalongs and Oldham slang: the White Stripes' 20 best songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  23. ^ a b M.S, Toby (May 9, 2020). "ALL The White Stripes Songs Ranked". Medium. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  24. ^ Trageser, Stephen (November 12, 2013). "Wanda Jackson Covers The White Stripes' 'In the Cold, Cold Night'". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  25. ^ DiCrescenzo, Brent (April 1, 2003). "The White Stripes: Elephant". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  26. ^ "The White Stripes: Delving Beyond The Hits". The Quietus. February 8, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  27. ^ Hart, Ron (April 1, 2023). "Elephant Turns 20: Artists Reflect on the White Stripes' Landmark Album". Spin. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  28. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 30, 2023). "The White Stripes' 'Elephant' Turns 20". Stereogum. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  29. ^ Renshaw, David (January 11, 2017). "Jack White – 10 of the best". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  30. ^ Elephant (Liner notes, CD booklet). The White Stripes. 2003. XLCD 162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ^ Bartleet, Larry (June 20, 2015). "Eight Unmissable Covers Of White Stripes Songs". NME. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  32. ^ Pelly, Jenn (November 12, 2013). "Listen: Wanda Jackson Sings the White Stripes' "In the Cold, Cold Night" for Jack White Covers Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
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