Screwdriver

Album: The White Stripes (1999)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • One of the earliest White Stripes songs, "Screwdriver" dates back to when the band formed in 1997. The group was a married couple: Jack and Meg White. Both had day jobs - Jack had an upholstery business and Meg was a bartender. Jack was also a musical savant who could play just about any instrument, so he taught Meg how to play drums. When they came up with "Screwdriver" and a few other songs, it looked like their musical pairing just might work. It did, but their marriage did not. By the time "Screwdriver" was released on their debut album in 1999, they were separated as a couple. When their next album, De Stijl, was issued in 2000, they were divorced. Their music only got stronger; The White Stripes became one of the most popular rock bands of the '00s and stayed together until 2011.
  • According to the White Stripes FAQ, Jack White devised the lyric when he was working up the song with Meg and spotted a screwdriver in the room. He thought about what he would do with it if he was angry; how he's use it to protect himself:

    I'm not just gonna stand there grinnin'
    I'm not the one who's sinnin'
    Screwdriver...
  • The White Stripes played "Screwdriver" on their first late-night TV show appearance when they performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, June 7, 2001. Late shows suited them well; they became a favorite of Conan O'Brien.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Christopher Cross

Christopher CrossSongwriter Interviews

The man who created Yacht Rock with "Sailing" wrote one of his biggest hits while on acid.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.