Bored and Razed

Album: Help Us Stranger (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Raconteurs kick off their Help Us Stranger album with this garage rocker featuring scattergun verses by Jack White about a girl who's "California bored and razed." Though she's living with another, he's still thinking of her.
  • White explained in a video that he and guitarist Brendon Benson wrote the music for this early on in the recording process for Help Us Stranger. However, they didn't add any lyrics or vocals until they were getting down to the final track. They only did so because drummer Patrick Keeler was begging for them to finish the song before it was too late.

    White added: "I'm really glad it because what me and Brendan went out and did vocally at that moment was right off the top of our heads and it really turned into a track that could only go first on the album."
  • The song features a strong Detroit influence and even has a lyric about White's place of birth.

    Well, I'm Detroit born and raised

    White told The Sun the song "has an MC5 vibe to it." Garage rockers MC5 had a fervent live following in the Detroit area in the late '60s and early '70s.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Billy Gould of Faith No More

Billy Gould of Faith No MoreSongwriter Interviews

Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, chats to us about his two new experimental projects, The Talking Book and House of Hayduk, and also shares some stories from the FNM days.

Brenda Russell

Brenda RussellSongwriter Interviews

Brenda talks about the inspiration that drove her to write hit songs like "Get Here" and "Piano in the Dark," and why a lack of formal music training can be a songwriter's best asset.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

80s Music Quiz 1

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.