Tynan's Anger

SONGS OF THE DECADE #63

[For more info, read the Ground Rules of The Song of The Decade List]

The Dead Weather - Hang You From the Heavens (2009) 


Before the decade began, Allison Mosshart and Jack White were in the exact same position: garage rock brats looking for any house party that would have them. As garage rock revival began to dominate America in the beginning of the decade, and as America began to embrace a British-style of boom and bust hype, these two deeply gifted, talented, and inspired musicians took two tracks—Jack took the high road of fame as America's "last great rock star," and Mosshart took the low road of preserving underground punk nastiness that led her to become the dark angel of American Rock 'N' Roll. By 2009, after The Kills were starting to became a headlining act and Jack White had already been down that path, two kindred spirits decided to meet on a project and a song that very much kept them on their mean side. The violent emotions of fame and celebrity—a long running theme in Jack White's work—needed a distinctly feminine voice to get the point across. "I want to grab you by the hair/ and hang you up from the heavans" may be the best anti-idolatry one-liner since "Forgive them Father," turning the dangers of cult of personality onto the members of that cult. It's a devastatingly harsh song too, one that only ganed traction because of one name associated with the act. Christ, you know it ain't easy.

Labels: 2000s, hang you from the heavens, lists, pop music, songs of the decade, the dead weather