Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine

Album: Elephant (2003)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song deals with the placebo effect, meaning that if you think you are taking medicine, you will feel better, even if the medicine contains no active ingredients. In the song, the girl's misery is in her head, and she has the power to feel better.
  • Jack White explained: "I suppose it is just about this tongue in cheek take on male and female relationships when things are bothering girls about headache medicine. Aspirin, Tylenol and things like that. It's like men can take anything like a sugar pill and it will make their headache go away but there is always some sort of special care for women. It is sort of a metaphor for taking the time to care for someone I guess." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2
  • This is Meg White's least favorite song of the band's because she finds the meaning behind the song problematic. She even made Jack White remove some lyrics before agreeing to record the song. In response to this, Jack would tease Meg by changing the lyrics to "Meg, you have no faith in medicine..." when performing it live. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Amanda - Los Angeles, CA

Comments: 3

  • 229mick from UsThe lines: "Well strip the bark right off a tree And just hand it this way. Don't even need a drink of water to make the headache go away."
    Alludes to the use of willow (tree) bark as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Historically (for centuries) individuals would chew the bark to relieve headaches as well as fever and other symptoms, benefiting from the salicin in the bark, similar to aspirin (acetylSALICylic acid). And of course, you 'don't even need a drink of water'...
  • Amanda from Los Angeles, CaThis is Meg White's least favorite song of the band's because she finds the meaning of the song problematic. She even made Jack White remove some lyrics before agreeing to record the song. In response to this, Jack White would tease Meg by changing the lyrics to "Meg, you have no faith in medicine..." when performing this live.
  • Ziggy from HellBest song on Elephant. I love Jack's vocal, it's wild.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's Songs

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.