Under Blackpool Lights
Encyclopedia
Under Blackpool Lights is the first official DVD
released by The White Stripes
. It has since been out of print and hailed as a must for White Stripes fans.
The DVD
consists of 26 tracks recorded at The Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens
in the English
seaside resort of Blackpool
on January 27 and 28, 2004, and directed by Dick Carruthers. Among these tracks, there are some cover songs such as "Take a Whiff on Me" (Leadbelly
), "Outlaw Blues
" (Bob Dylan
), "Jack the Ripper
" (Screaming Lord Sutch
), "Jolene
" (Dolly Parton
), "Death Letter
" (Son House
), "Goin' Back to Memphis" (Soledad Brothers), and "De Ballit of de Boll Weevil
" (Leadbelly
).
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
released by The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
. It has since been out of print and hailed as a must for White Stripes fans.
The DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
consists of 26 tracks recorded at The Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
The Winter Gardens is a large entertainment complex in the town centre of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It has twelve different venues, including a theatre, ballroom and conference facilities. Opened in 1878, it is a Grade II* listed building, incorporating various elements built between 1875 and...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
seaside resort of Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
on January 27 and 28, 2004, and directed by Dick Carruthers. Among these tracks, there are some cover songs such as "Take a Whiff on Me" (Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
), "Outlaw Blues
Outlaw Blues (song)
"Outlaw Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan. It was originally released in 1965 on Dylan's fifth studio album, Bringing It All Back Home.An alternate version of the song was released as part of the "Three Song Sampler - EP", which contained outtakes from the soundtrack of the Martin Scorsese Dylan...
" (Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
), "Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper (song)
"Jack the Ripper" is a song by English musician Screaming Lord Sutch, released as a 7" single in the UK and Germany in 1963 on Decca. It was produced by Joe Meek and recorded in his Holloway Road studio in Islington, England...
" (Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
), "Jolene
Jolene (song)
"Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:...
" (Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
), "Death Letter
Death Letter
"Death Letter", also known as "Death Letter Blues", is the signature song of the Delta blues musician Son House. It is structured upon House's earlier recording "My Black Mama, Part 2" from 1930...
" (Son House
Son House
Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music...
), "Goin' Back to Memphis" (Soledad Brothers), and "De Ballit of de Boll Weevil
Boll Weevil (song)
"Boll Weevil" is a traditional blues song, also known by similar titles such as "Boweavil" or "Boll Weevil Blues." Although many songs about the boll weevil were recorded by blues musicians during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, this one has become well known, thanks perhaps to Lead Belly's rendition of...
" (Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
).
Track listing
- "When I Hear My Name"
- "Black Math"
- "Dead Leaves and the Dirty GroundDead 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...
" - "I Think I Smell a Rat"
- "Take a Whiff on MeTake a Whiff on Me"Take a Whiff on Me" is an American folk song, with references to the use of cocaine. It is also known as "Take a Whiff ", "Cocaine Habit", and "Cocaine Habit Blues".-History:...
" (and part of "Cannon") - "Astro"
- "Outlaw BluesOutlaw Blues (song)"Outlaw Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan. It was originally released in 1965 on Dylan's fifth studio album, Bringing It All Back Home.An alternate version of the song was released as part of the "Three Song Sampler - EP", which contained outtakes from the soundtrack of the Martin Scorsese Dylan...
" - "Jack the RipperJack the Ripper (song)"Jack the Ripper" is a song by English musician Screaming Lord Sutch, released as a 7" single in the UK and Germany in 1963 on Decca. It was produced by Joe Meek and recorded in his Holloway Road studio in Islington, England...
" - "JoleneJolene (song)"Jolene" is a song written and performed by Dolly Parton from her album Jolene , produced by Bob Ferguson. It is ranked #217 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".-History:...
" - "Hotel YorbaHotel Yorba"Hotel Yorba" is the lead single from White Blood Cells, by Detroit, Michigan garage rock band The White Stripes, and their first single to be released commercially. It was released in November 2001....
" - "Death LetterDeath Letter"Death Letter", also known as "Death Letter Blues", is the signature song of the Delta blues musician Son House. It is structured upon House's earlier recording "My Black Mama, Part 2" from 1930...
"/"Grinnin' In Your Face" - "Do"
- "The Hardest Button to ButtonThe Hardest Button to Button"The Hardest Button to Button" is a 7" single by the American alternative rock band The White Stripes. It is the third single from their album Elephant...
" - "Truth Doesn't Make a Noise"
- "The Big Three Killed My BabyThe Big Three Killed My Baby"The Big Three Killed My Baby" was released in March 1999 as a 7" single and is the third track on re-releases of The White Stripes, the eponymous debut of the Detroit-based American garage rock band The White Stripes. A live recording of the song is featured on Under Blackpool Lights; the band's...
" - "Wasting My Time"
- "You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)"
- "Hello OperatorHello Operator (single)"Hello Operator" is a song from De Stijl, the second album by the Detroit, Michigan garage rock band The White Stripes and the first track from it to be released as a 7" single. It was released in May 2000. It is backed by The White Stripes' off-kilter cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene"...
" - "Apple Blossom"
- "Ball and Biscuit"
- "Let's Shake Hands"
- "I Fought Piranhas"
- "Let's Build a Home"
- "Goin' Back to Memphis"
- "Seven Nation ArmySeven Nation Army"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. "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...
" - "De Ballit of de Boll WeevilBoll Weevil (song)"Boll Weevil" is a traditional blues song, also known by similar titles such as "Boweavil" or "Boll Weevil Blues." Although many songs about the boll weevil were recorded by blues musicians during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, this one has become well known, thanks perhaps to Lead Belly's rendition of...
"
DVD Easter eggs and other oddities
There are a number of Easter eggs on the DVD:- On the third page of song selections, highlighting the third song ("Let's Shake Hands") and pressing right three times on the navigation controls will cut to a short scene that shows Jack and Meg inspecting the crew.
- The writing on Jack's arm switches between "Noxious" and "Obnoxious" over the course of the show. Apparently, this was Meg's joke on the director. This is possible since the film was shot over the course of two performances.
- After "Let's Shake Hands", at the 58:05 mark, Jack and Meg can be seen applauding themselves. In the DVD booklet it explains Meg does not use her left hand during the performance as a hint to click right on that track.
- At the end of the credits at the end of the DVD Jack can be heard saying in a hushed tone, "Let's split the money, fifty-fifty".
- During "Ball and Biscuit", a second cameraman can be seen filming from the audience. At one point he gives the thumbs up to the camera filming him.
- During the hidden "crew inspection" segment, Jack checks off multiple people, though there are only four lined up. You can see each person leave the line after he's checked them off, and end up in the back of line to be inspected once more. Eventually Tracee Mae Miller, of BlancheBlanche (band)Blanche is an American alternative country band from Detroit, Michigan. Their music is based in Americana, early country, and folk blues, with a touch of haunting Southern Gothic stylings and garage rock mentality. Blanche is known for wearing vintage fashion of the early to mid-20th century.The...
, sneaks in and is dismissed by Jack.