Released August 2002 (2002-08) Label XL | Length 3:04 | |
Format 7" vinyl, CD single, DVD single Recorded February 2001 (2001-02) at Easley-McCain Recording, Memphis, Tennessee Genre Alternative rock, garage rock, punk blues | ||
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is a song by American garage rock band The White Stripes, featured on their 2001 third studio album White Blood Cells. Written and produced by vocalist and guitarist Jack White, "Dead Leaves" was released as the third single from the album in August 2002 and charted at number nineteen on the United States Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and at number twenty-five on the UK Singles Chart.
Contents
Music video
The music video for this song, directed by Michel Gondry, depicts Jack White coming back to his trashed London house and surveying reckless destruction. While he goes from room to room, video of the party events that led to the decimation (and of his and Meg's relationship before he left) is projected over the scenery, until in the final scene she leaves him.
Reception
In a review of the song for allmusic, Tom Maginnis describes "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" as a "grimy rocker", noting it as a display of the duo's "keen understanding of musical dynamics".
Track listings
All songs were written by Jack White, except "Stop Breaking Down" by Robert Johnson.
- "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
- "Stop Breaking Down" (Robert Johnson cover; live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
- "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
- "Suzy Lee" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
- "Stop Breaking Down" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
- "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (music video)
- Interview with Arthur P. Dottweiler
Rock Band Music Gaming Platform
The song was made available to download on May 23, 2011 for play in the Rock Band 3 music gaming platform in both Basic rhythm, and PRO mode which takes advantage of the use of a real guitar / bass guitar, along with standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to vocals.