Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

"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 July 2002, charting at number 19 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
Single by the White Stripes
from the album White Blood Cells
Released	July 1, 2002 (2002-07-01)
Recorded	February 2001 (February 2001)^[1]^[2]
Studio	Easley-McCain Recording (Memphis, Tennessee)
Genre	Rock
Length	3:04
Label	V2 XL
Songwriter(s)	Jack White
Producer(s)	Jack White
The White Stripes singles chronology
"Fell in Love with a Girl" (2002) "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (2002) "We're Going to Be Friends" (2002)
Music video
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" on YouTube

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".^[3] Paste and Stereogum ranked the song number three and number five, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest White Stripes songs.^[4][5]

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.

Track listings

All songs were written by Jack White, except "Stop Breaking Down" by Robert Johnson.

7-inch vinyl (XLS 148)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
2. "Stop Breaking Down" (Robert Johnson cover; live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

CD single (XLS 148CD)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
2. "Suzy Lee" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
3. "Stop Breaking Down" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

DVD single (XLS 148DVD)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (music video)
2. Interview with Arthur P. Dottweiler

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the UK single CD liner notes^[6]

• Jack White – guitar, vocal
• Meg White – drums

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002) Peak position Scotland (OCC)^[7] 26 UK Singles (OCC)^[8] 25 UK Indie (OCC)^[9] 3 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[10] 19

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[11] 63

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 1, 2002	Active rock alternative radio	V2	^[12]
United Kingdom	September 2, 2002	7-inch vinyl CD	XL	^[13]

Use in Rock Band

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.^[14][15]

Cover versions

• Mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile covered "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" on his 2006 album How to Grow a Woman from the Ground in a bluegrass style.^[16]
• Nina Persson covered this song in the 2006 film Om Gud Vill (God Willing).
• Jack White performed this song with Jimmy Page and the Edge in the 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud.
• The main riffs and vocal patterns were borrowed in "Weird Al" Yankovic's 2009 White Stripes style parody "CNR".

References

1. Maerz, Jennifer (June 5, 2001). . whitestripes.net. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
2. Giannini, Melissa (May 29, 2001). "The Sweet Twist of Success". Metro Times. Times-Shamrock Communications. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
3. Maginnis, Tom. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground". allmusic. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
4. Moore, Bo (February 4, 2011). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Paste. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
5. Williott, Carl (February 26, 2014). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
6. The White Stripes - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground, September 2, 2002, retrieved November 13, 2023
7. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
9. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
10. "The White Stripes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
11. "Most-Played Modern Rock Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 44.
12. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1459. June 28, 2002. p. 26.
13. "New Releases – For Week Starting 2 September 2002: Singles". Music Week. August 31, 2002. p. 27.
14. Gonzalez, Michelle (May 18, 2011). "Rock Band 3 Goes Gaga...With Foreigner". The Gaming Vault. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
15. Snider, Mike (June 10, 2010). "Rock Band 3: What's New, What's Notable". USA Today. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
16. Endelman, Michael (October 13, 2006), "SECOND TIME IS (SOMETIMES) THE CHARM." Entertainment Weekly. (901/902):131

External links

• White Stripes.Net FAQ
• "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" Music video on YouTube