"Seven Nation Army", the hymn of the White Stripes raging in the Russian World Cup

The list is long and eclectic: Maroon 5, Living Color, Bruno Mars, The Flaming Lips, Kelly Clarkson, Metallica, Audioslave, Kate Nash and thousands and thousands of football, rugby and even motor racing fans around the world. There are innumerable versions that have – and still have – "Seven Nation Army", the song written by


Jack White
for the fourth album of The White Stripes,
Elephant . So, at one point, the American musician is no longer considered the "master" of his own composition.

Fifteen years after its release as a single, the performances of the catchy riff continue to fascinate sports or musical presentation: no one can stop to follow the rhythm of dun-dundundun-dundun, applaud, or deprive themselves to sing it in a sort of tribal rite that ignores nationalities or age groups. At some point, "Seven Nation Army" has become a part of popular folklore that may seem in a UEFA Cup final or, nowadays, every time the football teams come on the pitch, in the different matches of the 2018 Russian World Cup.

Bond, James Bond

Jack White says that the riff came to him in mind during a sound test in Australia in 2001. At that time, the duo that was part of the drummer Meg White was presenting his third album,
White Blood Cells.

With this work, The White Stripes had managed to find the right point between punk and blues, tinging it from a near-rock garage sound. Just a guitar and a drums, a "back to basics" much celebrated by the trade press, at a time when electronics seemed to devour everything.

The melody in question stayed in Jack's head for a moment. One day he touched him again and an ambitious fantasy appeared in his mind: "I thought that if they asked me to write a song for a James Bond, that would be the riff that I would use . Fortunately, the time and composition work ahead of his next studio album,
Elephant they changed their minds. And, later, he had a revenge: in 2008, he played with Alicia Keys "Another Way to Die", central theme of the
007 Quantum of Solace .

A success in the old

Once Meg and Jack had the musical composition, the guitarist started working on the lyrics of the song. And, in the absence of a clear idea of ​​what he would say, he was thinking of "Seven Nation Army" as a tentative title. This is how he named, when he was a child, the Salvation Army – the world-renowned institution for his sales of clothing, appliances and home appliances. of other property and which was donated for charitable purposes

. Jack was inspired and wrote about the disappointment of a young man who discovers that his friends are talking about him behind his back. "He feels so bad that he's leaving town, but he feels so lonely that he's coming back (…) The song talks about gossip, about me, about Meg and about the people we're with out, "he explains later.

"Seven Nations Army", like the rest of
Elephant was recorded at Hackney's Toe Rag Studios, an old-school temple in badog equipment. We know that Jack is not a friend of the technology, and he said it very clearly in the booklet that accompanied the CD. "No computer was used during writing, recording, mixing, or mastering this recording," he writes

] Source: Archive

White was always very proud of the riff and rawness that the song acquires as the latter progress. For this reason, he was convinced that it should be the first single from the album, contrary to what the makers of the V2 Records (USA) and XL Recordings (Europe) labels believed. Finally, he won the fight and was not wrong: in 2004, in addition to winning the Grammy for best alternative album, Jack and Meg received the best rock song for the catchy song that had the fate of the hymn. [19659023] On the courts

Legend has it that it is in Europe that "Seven Nation Army" was adapted for the first time as a football promotion anthem. More precisely in Belgium, when a group of fans enjoyed a party bar that faced Club Brujas with Milan. The evening brought, as a surprise, the visitor's victory over the Italian team, and led to the celebration. Then the single of The White Stripes, which ended up inspiring the now famous "oh-ohohoh-ohoh"

later, was adopted by the followers of Rome as their own, and so the song ended up being a kind of cabal to every match played by Italy during the 2006 World Cup. A cabal that worked and was sung on the streets when the national team was crowned champion. Little by little, the composition of Jack White began to have a life of its own to be adapted as an ode to different flags, teams and even players.

"I am honored that the Italians took this song for them," said the musician. . "Nothing is more beautiful than kissing a melody and allowing it to enter the pantheon of popular music.As a composer, it is impossible to plan, especially at this time." Likes most people who sing it.This makes it a popular music. "

For example, a video: On July 24, 2016, a thousand musicians met at the Orogel stadium. Cesena, Italy, to perform a mbadive concert – and very well coordinated – "Seven Nation Army" version, as part of the Rockin & # 39; 1000 series. The result is simply impressive.

Without hard feelings

Even after the separation of The White Stripes – officially announced in February 2011 – Jack continued to perform "Seven Nation Army" in his solo shows. These days, indeed, the singer and guitarist is embarking on the European stage of his tour
Boarding House Reach and this song is the one chosen to finish their concerts.

We must admit that White was not only very detached with his own success, but also very grateful. Far from other singers who are wary of these creations that become mbadive and healthy even in the soup, he keeps a penchant for his composition and the satisfaction that it has provided. One of them, surely, should be this wonderful moment recorded in the documentary
He Might Get Loud (2008), in which he can be seen teaching The Edge and Jimmy Page himself how to play the famous intro of the song

"Seven Nation Army" is me trying to write a song without a choir and always attract attention people, "White said recently in an interview. "At the time, I thought it was a small experience that no one would care too much, it was more of a challenge for me." Let's see if I can get away with mine. "And what a bargain!"