Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine by The White Stripes

Album: Elephant (2003)

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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: "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 this 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.

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