De Stijl (album)

De Stijl
Studio album by
the White Stripes
ReleasedJune 20, 2000 (2000-06-20)
Recorded2000
StudioThird Man[a] (Detroit, Michigan)
Genre
Length37:31
LabelSympathy for the Record Industry
ProducerJack White
The White Stripes chronology
The White Stripes
(1999) 		De Stijl
(2000) 		White Blood Cells
(2001)
Singles from De Stijl
  1. "Hello Operator"
    Released: May 2000

De Stijl (/də ˈsteɪl/) is the second studio album by the American rock duo the White Stripes, independently released by the Sympathy for the Record Industry on June 20, 2000. It was conceived before band members Jack White and Meg White divorced, who nonetheless continued working together and presented themselves as siblings. Produced by Jack and recorded on an 8-track analog tape in his living room, the album takes inspiration from the art movement of the same name and features the band's early blues-inspired sound.

De Stijl sold moderately upon release but received generally positive reviews from critics. The album has gained renewed attention and peaked at 38 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart in 2002. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and included on NME's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2013.

Background and recording

The White Stripes band members Jack and Meg divorced in March 2000,[3] however, Meg insisted that they continue working together.[4] Despite their divorce, they continued living together[5][b] and De Stijl was recorded in their living room, exclusively using a Tascam 8-track analog tape machine.[8][9][10][11] Jack later considered recording De Stijl at home a mistake, due to the distractions of domestic life.[12]

De Stijl takes its name from the De Stijl ("the style" in English) art movement, which included the painter Mondrian.[13][14] Jack had been an admirer of the style for some time, especially of furniture designer Gerrit Rietveld, who designed the Rietveld Schröder House which the band had visited. Its cover art sets Jack and Meg against an abstract background of rectangles and lines in red, black and white,[15] and utilizes common elements from the aesthetics of its namesake.[16] De Stijl was dedicated to both Rietveld and Blind Willie McTell. Mixing was done at Ghetto Recorders by Jack and Jim Diamond, and the album would be completed in spring 2000.[9]

Music and lyrics

De Stijl features the band's early blues-inspired sound, which was prominent on their self-titled debut album.[17] Tom Breihan of Stereogum said the album showcased delta blues, hard and psychedelic rock influences, and Lizzy Goodman of NPR similarly noted its "camp" blues sound.[18][19]

On February 5, 2008, Canadian media reported that former Radio-Canada host Dominique Payette filed a lawsuit against the White Stripes for using a nine-second clip of her interview with a little girl at the beginning of "Jumble, Jumble". She demanded $70,000 in damages and the removal of the album from store shelves. The dispute was settled out of court.[20]

Songs

Tracks 1–6

"You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)", a bubblegum pop song, was inspired by the songwriting process of Michael Jackson, and came about spontaneously while Jack was driving one day; he finished the song when he got home by adding the melody, guitar, and drums.[21]

"Hello Operator" was the only single on the album. The song was promoted by influential British radio DJ John Peel, despite not having been released in the United Kingdom at the time. Peel owned his own copy, having purchased it a record store in the Netherlands.

The album's third track, "Little Bird" was heavily inspired by Led Zeppelin.[22]

"Apple Blossom" debuted on a local Detroit Public Television segment called Backstage Pass[23] and appeared in the Quentin Tarantino film The Hateful Eight (2015).

"I'm Bound to Pack It Up" is a country song depicting a break-up in which the narrator moves out of the home. The song does not feature Meg's drums.

"Death Letter" is a cover of song by Son House, an artist whom Jack considers to be his idol. House's family earned significant royalty checks and personally thanked him for covering the song.[24] It was one of the top three most performed songs by The White Stripes during their career, and was performed at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.

Tracks 7–13

"It can't be anything but the state of the world now. The state of the internet now, the state of pop culture now, and how fragile and disposable truth has become. But that's my guess. It wasn't sitting down and intending to say that. It just comes out, and you try to get out of the way of it."

–Jack on revisiting the themes of "Truth Doesn't Make a Noise".[25]

"Sister, Do You Know My Name?" and "A Boy's Best Friend" were two songs that Jack particularly liked on the album, but were rarely performed live due to their slow-burning nature ("A Boy's Best Friend" was possibly never performed live).[26] "Sister, Do You Know My Name?" was used as background music during a scene in the band's documentary Under Great White Northern Lights.

"Truth Doesn't Make a Noise" was written c. 1999, and was based on a phrase that kept running through his mind. The theme would also go on to inspire Jack's 2024 solo album No Name.[25]

"Let's Build a Home" features a recording of Jack as a child in the intro reciting a nursery rhyme for his mother and one of his brothers. The song was performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2003.

"Jumble, Jumble"'s intro contains audio of Canadian radio host Dominique Payette speaking to a child talking about "the first time" (within the context of human sexuality). Payette found this to be a violation of the child's privacy under Québec laws and sued the band. They settled out of court.

The song "Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?" appeared on The Simpsons in 2010, used in the episode "Judge Me Tender".

"Your Southern Can Is Mine", a cover of a song by Blind Willie McTell, recounts relentless domestic violence against the narrator's partner; Jack perceived the meaning of the title in various ways and dedicated the album to McTell, albeit he still condemned the violence against women.[27][28] Meg sings background vocals on the chorus and it was the first time she sang on a White Stripes track. The song was performed on their first ever national television appearance (The Late Late Show in 2001)[29] and on Radio New Zealand during the band's first international tour, among other occasions.[30]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Boston Phoenix[31]
NME8/10[32]
Pitchfork9.1/10[33]
Rolling Stone[34]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[35]
Stylus MagazineA−[36]

De Stijl was released on June 20, 2000, through the Sympathy for the Record Industry label.[37] A re-issued vinyl LP version of the record was pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville, Tennessee and mastered all-analog from the original master tapes.[38] The album was re-issued again for its 20th anniversary.[39][40]

De Stijl earned positive reviews from critics, who noted its simplicity, and fusion of blues and "scuzzy garage rock". Heather Phares of AllMusic said that "As distinctive as it is diverse, De Stijl blends the Stripes' arty leanings with enough rock muscle to back up the band's ambitions."[37] William Bowers of Pitchfork wrote that the album "contained thunderous, honky-soulful, lacerating pop at various stages of evolution".[41] Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone called it "feisty and clever" and praised the drumming, guitar and vocal performances, stating that "like everything about the White Stripes, it [De Stijl] proves that you don't need bombast to make a blues explosion."[42] Ann Powers of the New York Times described the album as "what many hip rock fans consider real music."[43]

De Stijl was a sleeper hit, earning a following after the White Stripes began to grow popular outside of Detroit and reaching number 38 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart in 2002.[44] It is since considered a cult classic,[45][46] and NME included it on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list in 2013.[47]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Jack White, except where noted; all music is composed by Jack and Meg White, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)" 1:49
2."Hello Operator" 2:36
3."Little Bird" 3:06
4."Apple Blossom" 2:13
5."I'm Bound to Pack It Up" 3:09
6."Death Letter"Eddie James "Son" House4:29
7."Sister, Do You Know My Name?" 2:52
8."Truth Doesn't Make a Noise" 3:14
9."A Boy's Best Friend" 4:22
10."Let's Build a Home" 1:58
11."Jumble, Jumble" 1:53
12."Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?" 3:22
13."Your Southern Can Is Mine"William Samuel "Blind Willie" McTell2:29
Total length:37:31
Japanese edition bonus track[48]
No.TitleLength
14."Red Death at 6:14" 

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[49]

The White Stripes

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2004–05) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[50] 164
UK Albums (Official Charts Company)[51] 137
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[52] 38

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] Gold 100,000^
United States — 366,000[54]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Perry, Andrew (November 14, 2004). "The White Stripes uncut". The Guardian.
  2. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "De Stijl – The White Stripes". AllMusic. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  3. ^ Brown, Jake (June 9, 2002). "White Stripes Divorce Certificate". Glorious Noise. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  4. ^ Handyside, Chris (September 3, 2004). Fell in Love with a Band: The Story of The White Stripes. St. Martin's Publishing Group. pp. 129–130. ISBN 978-1-4668-5184-9.
  5. ^ Robbins, Ira (June 16, 2001). Jack White Rocks Himself Out of His Socks – via Music in a Word: 50 Years on a Rock and Roll Soapbox Volume 1. We still have our house in Detroit and we can afford to live there.
  6. ^ Ramirez, Charles E. (March 1, 2019). "MI Dream Home: $1.1M Detroit house designed by famed architect". The Detroit News.
  7. ^ Han, Junfu (July 26, 2018). "Indian Village home once belonged to Jack White". Detroit Free Press.
  8. ^ "Stripes take on a modern slant". The Age. June 15, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Home Has Run Out of Space". Spotify. No Smiling, Third Man Records. April 29, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  10. ^ Chute, Hillary (July 31, 2001). "Primary Colors". The Village Voice. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  11. ^ Crane, Larry (March 2011). "Jack White III: The White Stripes, The Dead Weather". Tape Op. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  12. ^ Phipps, Keith (April 9, 2003). "The White Stripes". A.V. Club.
  13. ^ "De Stijl". Tate Glossary. tate.org.uk. Archived from the original on September 4, 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  14. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (February 15, 2001) "THE WHITE STRIPES". Rolling Stone. 862:65
  15. ^ Cameron, Keith (March 29, 2003). "The sweetheart deal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  16. ^ Baker, Brian (March 8, 2001). "Stars and Stripes". CityBeat.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  17. ^ "TIME.com: The Sampler -- Music: White Lies and The White Stripes". June 23, 2001. Archived from the original on June 23, 2001. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "The White Stripes' 'De Stijl' Turns 20". Stereogum. June 19, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  19. ^ Goodman, Lizzy (July 6, 2020). "20 Years Ago, The White Stripes Made An Album For No One". NPR.
  20. ^ "The White Stripes sued for sampling from reporter's radio show". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. February 5, 2008. ISSN 0319-0714. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2017.(subscription required)
  21. ^ Male, Andrew (April 28, 2025). "Jack White: "I wanted to write a song the way Michael Jackson did…"". MOJO.
  22. ^ Hoskyns, Barney. Led Zepplin IV. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-59486-370-7. 'Little Bird' was definitely one of the moments where I thought, 'I know this sounds like Led Zeppelin, but I'm going to put it on the album anyway," Jack White said. "All my friends would come over and say, 'This is very Led Zeppelin.' And I'd say, 'I know it is.'
  23. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (June 26, 2020). "Watch The White Stripes' unearthed TV debut from 2000". NME.
  24. ^ True, Everett. White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-85712-211-7.
  25. ^ a b Graves, Wren (December 2, 2024). "Artist of the Year Jack White Pushed Mystery in Music". consequence.net.
  26. ^ True, Everett. White Stripes and the Sound of Mutant Blues. p. 37. There are songs on our albums that I really like that don't go over well live. They're slow… people don't respond to them. It's a shame that I can't play 'A Boy's Best Friend' or 'Sister, Do You Know My Name?' often because they stop the show in a bad way or something. It's hard to sneak them in. I try to sneak them in every once in a while.
  27. ^ Simpson, Dave (March 7, 2013). "Jack White on the Mississippi blues artists: 'They changed the world'". The Guardian.
  28. ^ Hasted, Nick. Jack White: How He Built an Empire from the Blues. p. 70.
  29. ^ Hagan, Joe. "MUSIC; Hurling Your Basic Rock at the Arty Crowd". New York Times.
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  31. ^ Carioli, Carly (April 7, 2004). "White Stripes: Die Stijl (Sympathy for the Record Industry)". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on April 7, 2004. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  32. ^ Chick, Stevie (April 20, 2001). "The White Stripes : Die Stijl". NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  33. ^ Bowers, William (June 17, 2002). "The White Stripes: The White Stripes / De Stijl". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  34. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (June 25, 2001). "De Stijl". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  35. ^ Hoard, Christian (2004). "The White Stripes". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York City: Simon & Schuster. p. 870. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  36. ^ Chakroff, Evan (September 1, 2003). "The White Stripes – De Stijl – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  37. ^ a b The White Stripes - De Stijl Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved April 3, 2023
  38. ^ "The White Stripes - De Stijl (Third Man Records) on press". Facebook. February 23, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
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  40. ^ "White Stripes Mark 20th Anniversary of 'De Stijl' With Third Man Vault Reissue". Rolling Stone. February 5, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  41. ^ "The White Stripes: De Stijl / The White Stripes". pitchfork.com. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  42. ^ "De Stijl". Rolling Stone. November 23, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  43. ^ Powers, Ann (February 27, 2001). "POP REVIEW; Intellectualizing the Music Or Simply Experiencing It". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  44. ^ "White Stripes De Stijl Albums, CDs, Vinyl Records and LPs". November 20, 2007. Archived from the original on November 20, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  45. ^ "The White Stripes, 2002 People of the Year". Rolling Stone. February 2, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  46. ^ "White Stripes: Biography : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. October 28, 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  47. ^ Barker, Emily (October 23, 2013). "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 400-301". NME. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  48. ^ De Stijl (CD track listing). 2021. SICP 31464.
  49. ^ De Stijl (CD liner notes). The White Stripes. Third Man Records. 2000. TMR032.
  50. ^ "Lescharts.com – The White Stripes – De Stijl". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  51. ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: Kristine W – Tammy Wynette". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  52. ^ The White Stripes - De Stijl Awards. AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  53. ^ "British album certifications – The White Stripes – De Stijl". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 23, 2019. Select albums in the Formats field. Type De Stijl The White Stripes in the "Search:" field.
  54. ^ Center, Marc (June 13, 2009). "Weather Report" (PDF). Billboard. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2022 – via American Radio History.
  1. ^ Although the liner notes credit the recording location as Third Man Studios, the album was actually recorded in the living room of Jack and Meg's home rather than any official studio.[1]
  2. ^ They lived together until about 2003, by which point Jack moved to a different home in the neighborhood of Indian Village.[6] Their fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, was also recorded in his next home.[7]
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