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In the Cold, Cold Night
"In the Cold, Cold Night" is a song by American rock duo the White Stripes from their fourth studio album, Elephant (2003). The fifth track on Elephant, it was written and produced by Jack White specifically for Meg White to sing, which was her first time performing as the band's lead vocalist. Musically, "In the Cold, Cold Night" features a minimal soundscape and lyrics about a woman awaiting her lover's return. Though never released as a single, "In the Cold, Cold Night" was praised by music critics for its composition and Meg's vocals, and was deemed a highlight of Elephant. It is considered one of the White Stripes' best songs. Recording The White Stripes made their recording debut in 1998, and Jack White was established as the duo's guitarist and lead vocalist and Meg White their drummer.[1] She only performed background vocals for the band's second and third studio albums, De Stijl and White Blood Cells respectively,[2] and shared vocal duties with Jack on the Loretta Lynn cover "Rated X" which features as the B-side to their 2001 single "Hotel Yorba".[3] After the band's international breakthrough with White Blood Cells, they began to create material for their fourth studio album, Elephant. "In the Cold, Cold Night" was one of eleven songs recorded through April and May of 2002 at Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, London.[4] It is the first time Meg recorded leading vocals on any work of the band to that point; to gain confidence in her singing abilities, she sang more during their live performances and covered The Velvet Underground's "After Hours".[5][6] Meg would sing lead once more on "Passive Manipulation" in their follow-up album Get Behind Me Satan (2005),[7] and speak on the bagpipe-heavy track "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)" in Icky Thump (2007).[8] Composition"In the Cold, Cold Night" is an alternative rock, blues rock, and garage rock song.[9] Unlike the band's prior work, the song does not have any percussion and features a minimalist soundscape of guitars and bass pedals of a Hammond organ.[10][11] The song is written in the key of D minor, and Meg's voice ranges from soprano to mezzo-soprano.[12] Jack wrote "In the Cold, Cold Night" specifically for Meg to sing.[5] Though its lyrics have been interpreted ambiguously, the song is about a young—and possibly inexperienced—woman pleading for her lover to return.[13] Critics and audiences have noted its contrast to the rest of the the band's songs for both Meg's leading position and its cryptic atmosphere. ReleaseThe song was never released as a standalone single, but it was a staple of the White Stripes' live performances, and was frequently performed by the band from 2003 until their final performances in late 2007.[14] Notable performances of "In the Cold, Cold Night" include at the Aragon Ballroom in 2003,[15] Madison Square Garden in 2007,[16] and during their 2007 Summer Tour in Canada featured in the documentary, Under Great White Northern Lights (2009).[17] A visualizer for the song was created for Elephant's 20th anniversary in 2023.[18] Reception"In the Cold, Cold Night" received positive reviews from music critics, and is considered one of the band's best songs. Matt Harvey of BBC said that "Meg speaks and (unlike her drumming) comes across all fey and, well, sort of pre-Raphaelite in a down-town Motor City kind of way. [...] it's all so divinely confident, so sexy."[19] Tim Coffman of Far Out called the song "one of the most haunted recordings to be found on a White Stripes record" and found it immersive.[20] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian called her vocals "childlike", praising its "stark, unaffected quality" and its "radical departure" from the band's usual sound.[21] Petridis later called it "her finest moment not as the White Stripes' drummer, but their vocalist".[22] Toby M.S of Medium agreed, called it "seductive" and "the greatest Meg feature."[23] Stephen Trageser of Nashville Scene believed the song has an "unsettling, ambiguous sentiment" with a "determined creepiness".[24] Brent DiCrescenzo likened Meg to "a coy Mo Tucker or Georgia Hubley–more so than take-no-sass Patsy Cline or Dusty in Memphis."[25] Staff at The Quietus wrote: "her (Meg's) clear-voiced invocations of flickering flame carnality exude a shy, eye-of-the-storm poise which contrasts beautifully with the high voltage drama that hallmarks the song’s chart-topping parent album (Elephant)".[26] Ron Hart of Spin called her vocals "sweet and tender", and Cat Clyde wrote for Spin: "I loved that Meg’s voice was timid. It felt so real. [...] I still feel today it’s such a perfect recording."[27] Tom Breihan of Stereogum said she "brings a magnetic remoteness" and called it "beautifully weird".[28]
PersonnelCredits are adapted from the liner notes of Elephant.[30]
Cover versions
References
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