Hey
Hey

Look closer, you can see all the money
I got a dollar bill in the cockpit
Surprised that your wallet is a black hole
I got another job at the liquor store, damn

Oh, well
I'm bone broke

Hey

They got a white pony in the stable
And ride him when the doggie isn't able
But he doesn't really care because they pay him
But, still, a black suit is gonna shake him down

Oh, well
I'm bone broke
Hey, broke as I'll ever be

Look another way, girl, I'm telling ya
God gave seven minutes right to ya
And your mother put her money into platinum
And now you never have to pay
Attention

Do ya?
Do ya?

Uh-huh

Yeah

I'm kneeling on a brick with my nails
I'm telling her the money's in the mail
Keeps shiny in my box, never fake it
But now the brick breaker's gonna break it down

Oh, well
I'm bone broke

Look another way, girl, I'm telling ya
God gave seven minutes right to ya
Your mother put her money into platinum
So that you wouldn't have to pay
Attention
Right?


Lyrics submitted by kipperjoe

Bone Broke Lyrics as written by Jack White

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Bone Broke song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Jack wrote this song before the first album but he didn't put it on until Icky Thump. He said that in some interview.

    I think it could possibly be about Detroit, with a majority black community, and how being white doesn't make him better than them or richer?

    I also think it's about how people who are born into rich families don't have to try hard because they'll always be secure, but the people that are working class have to work really hard only to work several jobs to get by ("I got another job at the liquor store") I get this idea from the part

    "Look another way girl I'm telling ya God gave seven minutes right to you ya* And you're mother put her money into platinum So that you'd never have to pay attention"

    Basically, she doesn't have to work hard to be fine, because she'll inherit everything she needs. I put a * next to the second line of that verse because I suddenly thought of the game '7 minutes in heaven'. Maybe a reference to the fact anyone can get famous, and maybe that she will do that by fucking someone famous, thereby earning more money, and it'll be easy for her to get in that situation because she was rich in the first place.

    VortexOfLanguageon January 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    About being broke, for the first verse...second verse is about people that are ridiculously rich and they waste money on stupi things just for the sake of it e.g. paying a horse so that they can ride it, the chorus describes how easy it becomes for those brought into a rich background the last verse is about what he is trying to do to get more money.

    kipperjoeon June 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm still not sure what it means but i love this kind of white stripes songs... filled with all kinds of emotions

    rominaon June 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm still not sure what it means but i love this kind of white stripes songs... filled with all kinds of emotions

    rominaon June 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There are so many mistakes in these lyrics...

    MovieTraileron June 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There are so many mistakes in these lyrics...

    MovieTraileron June 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    anyone ever reminded of paris hilton by the lyrics in here? maybe its a song about dumbass inheritance celebrities

    surchekianon June 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    from the lyric booklet:

    Look closer you can see How I been running it I got a dollar bill in the cockpit Surprised being white is a black hole? I got another job at the liquor store Damn, I'm bone broke

    They got a white pony in a stable and ride him when the doggie isn't able But he don't really care, 'cause they pay him But still a black suit is gonna shake him down Oh well I'm bone broke Broke as I'll ever be

    Look another way girl I'm tellin ya God gave seven minutes right to ya and your mother put her money into platinum so that you wouldn't have to pay Attention Right?

    I'm leaning on a rick with my nails I'm tellin 'em the money's in the mail Keep showing that my bones Never fake it but still a brick bank is gonna break it down Oh well I'm bone broke

    Look another way girl I'm tellin ya God gave seven minutes right to ya Your mother put her money into platinum and now you never have to pay Attention Do you?

    2xlpon June 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is more of a reflection of the cost of fame. In the first verse Jack sings "Look closer you can see how I been running it. I got a dollar bill in the cockpit. Suprised being white is a black hole?"

    I think he's saying that people would be suprised that even though the White Stripes are famous they still have money problems.

    In the second and third verse I believe he's talking about people who were born into wealth and never have to worry about being broke.

    And with the verse "I'm leaning on a rick with my nails. I'm tellin 'em the moneys in the mail. Keep showing that my bones never fake it. But still a brick bank is gonna break it down."

    I think he's saying here that since the band has gotten famous more people like lawyers etc. have there hands out. And all he has is his word that he will pay them. I also think "brick bank is gonna break it down." Could mean going bankrupt.

    I could be wrong, but that's just my opinion of what the song could mean.

    rosalar27on July 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    what're y'all talkin about? the drums sounded fine....

    okay, up until about 1:13, then it did something weird.

    and again at 2:34.

    i really like this song overall, i love how it sounds, but it almost sounds too staticky...

    THe_Atomic_Punkon March 16, 2008   Link

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