Seven Nation Army

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“Seven Nation Army”
“Seven Nation Army” cover
Single by The White Stripes
from the album Elephant
Released May 13, 2003 (UK)
Format CD, 7"
Recorded Toe Rag Studios, London
April 2002
Genre Alternative rock
Length 3:52
Label XL Recordings
V2 Records (CD radio promo)
Writer(s) Jack White
Producer Jack White
The White Stripes singles chronology
"Candy Cane Children"
(2002)		 "Seven Nation Army"
(2003)		 "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself"
(2003)

"Seven Nation Army" is the first track on the album Elephant by American alternative rock band The White Stripes. It was released as a single in 2003, and is easily the most well known song from the band. Seven Nation Army reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks for three weeks and won 2004's Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The song is known for its underlying riff, which plays throughout most of the song. Although it sounds like a bass guitar (an instrument the group had famously never previously used), the sound is actually created by running Jack White's semi-acoustic guitar (a 1950s style Kay Hollowbody) through a whammy pedal set down an octave. The riff was composed at a sound check before a show at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne, Australia, according to the set notes in the booklet which accompanied the Under Blackpool Lights DVD. Some critics, however, have pointed out the riff's striking similarity to that of Cleveland garage rock band The Pagans' "Eye of Satan."[citation needed]

The song shows a rare example of the Phrygian Half Cadence in popular music. It is also a rare example of a popular song with a wholly instrumental refrain.

According to White, "Seven Nation Army" was what he used to call the Salvation Army as a child.[1]

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Seven Nation Army" at number 8 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.[2] In September 2005, NME placed "Seven Nation Army" at number 5 in its list of the 50 Greatest Tracks Of The Decade.[3] In May 2008, Rolling Stone placed this song at number 21 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. [4]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

[edit] CD

  1. "Seven Nation Army" – 3:52
  2. "Good to Me" – 2:06 (Brendan Benson)
  3. "Black Jack Davey" – 5:06

[edit] 7"

  1. "7 Nation Army" – 3:52
  2. "Good to Me" – 2:06

[edit] 7" (promo)

  1. "7 Nation Army" – 3:52
  2. "In The Cold, Cold Night" – 2:58

[edit] CD (radio promo)

  1. "7 Nation Army" – 3:52

[edit] Music video

The video, directed by Alex and Martin, consists of one seemingly continuous shot through a tunnel of mirrored black, white and red triangles, each containing a picture of either Jack or Meg playing. During the video, when the song begins to intensify, lights flash. Images of walking skeleton soldiers also appear regularly. An elephant (referring to the name of their album) appears once near the end. As the pace of the song speeds up, the speed that one "passes" through the tunnel speeds up, and as it slows, the speed through the tunnel slows. Jack's head also seems to set on fire in one triangle.

[edit] Cover versions

 This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

[edit] Usage in sport

  • The main riff of the song has turned into a popular chant that has become a staple at various sporting events around the world. "Seven Nation Army" was first sung during the UEFA Champions League matches of Club Brugge in the season 2003-2004.So actually the Belgian Football Team was the pioneer of using the song during sports events.
  • Italian football fans often chant the song's signature guitar riff, most notably during Italy's victory in the FIFA World Cup 2006. About 10 million Italians were supposedly singing the song "Across the Nation" the night following the final.They picked the song up when AS Roma played in and against Club Brugge for the UEFA Cup [6]. Coincidentally, in order to win the World Cup, a team has to play against seven different nations. The success of the chant led to the song gaining a second Italian Top Ten entry, peaking at #3.
  • The riff is regularly sung by the fans of Rapid Vienna to celebrate their team's goals. They seem to have adopted it after Rapid's 2005/06 Champions League campaign which also saw games against Club Brugge.
  • Following the popular adaptation by the fans of the Italian national football team, fans of Melbourne Victory FC in Australia's A-League have begun to also use the riff at games. The widespread use came about after several Melbourne Victory fans attended the World Cup in Germany and adopted the chant being sung by the Italian fans. The song is also used by the radio station SEN 1116 as their theme tune for their A-League broadcasts.
  • Occasionally, during home football games, the Penn State Blue Band will play their rendition of "Seven Nation Army" as the team is driving down the field.
  • The riff is also played in the Air Canada Centre during Toronto Raptors games in between the 3rd and 4th quarters.
  • Isabelle Severino used "Seven Nation Army" as her floor music in her gold medal winning routine at the 2005 European Gymnastics Championships.
  • The guitar riff is often used by Hearts fans to ridicule the sexuality of their city rivals Hibs to the words of "All Hibees are gay". This chant started when the song was played before the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on 2 April 2006, which Hearts won 4-0.
  • In the following derby match at Easter Road, Hibs fans retaliated by using the guitar riff to chant "Paul Hartley is gay". Hartley was an ex-Hibs player who had scored a hat-trick in the semi-final. The chant appeared to have the desired effect as Hartley had a poor game and Hibs won 2-1. Hibs fans still sometimes use the chant, even though Hartley subsequently moved to Celtic.
  • It is often sung by members of the Inferno, the FC Dallas supporters' club, during home matches, since FC Dallas's red and white striped uniforms resemble the red and white attire often worn by The White Stripes.
  • This song was also played during the 2005/6 Cricket season in Australia in the VB Series, particularly when Adam Gilchrist was coming out to bat
  • The main riff is the favoured chant of the French Kempo team at the recent Kempo International world championships. It was subsequently used to ridicule the French when performed with hands clasped over mouth, mimicking their football-style claim to receiving an illegal attack (punch to the mouth)
  • New York Mets reliever Aaron Heilman used the song as his entrance music during the 2007 season.
  • Crystal Palace FC use the tune from seven nation army to sing their own song, using the club colors to make the tune, "We're the Red and Blue Army."
  • The NBA team Phoenix Suns uses the guitar riff for their introduction of players.
  • In BZW Jamie Grunge uses it as his theme song and it was formerly used as the intro song to BZW Hellzone 2007 a pay per view exclusive to their youtube fanbase

[edit] References

  1. ^ True believers: The White Stripes live out their rock-and-roll fantasy. Boston Phoenix (April 17, 2003). Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  2. ^ RockList.net (2005). Q magazine - 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever!. rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
  3. ^ RockList.net (2005). The Greatest Tracks Of The Decade 1996 – 2006. rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
  4. ^ Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time
  5. ^ Arjan Writes
  6. ^ Sports Illustrated staff writer (2006)."Totti's time" SportsIllustrated.com (accessed July 11, 2006)

[edit] External links

Preceded by
"Send the Pain Below" by Chevelle		 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single
July 12, 2003		 Succeeded by
"Just Because" by Jane's Addiction
v • d • e
The White Stripes
Jack White · Meg White
Studio albums
EPs
Singles
DVDs
Related