Cannon
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Contents |
Releases
- The White Stripes (1999)
- Live in Mississippi (2011)
- Under Moorhead Lights All Fargo Night (2011)
Other Appearances
Credits
Performers
- Jack White: electric guitar, lead vocals
- Meg White: drums
Production
- Originally performed by The White Stripes; written by Jack White and Meg White.
- Contains an excerpt from "John the Revelator" (traditional), as performed by Son House.
- Produced by Jack White.
- Co-produced and engineered by Jim Diamond.
- Recorded in 1998 at Third Man Studios, southwest Detroit.
Meaning
- From SongMeanings: "This is about a man unprepared for some sort of apocalypse. His door is "unlocked" -- in a song that most will agree is apocalyptic, and that has numerous references to the Bible, the unlocked door seems to refer to the Bible passage that says the second coming will arrive like a thief in the night and that we must be prepared for it at all times. The singer is not prepared for the thief; his door is unlocked. He has not prepared or kept watch for the apocalypse. What makes this song extraordinary to me is the ambiguity in "Cannon". It marks the narrator as simultaneously fighting against the apocalypse and his doubts about the religion that prophesizes it. The word becomes conspicuous because Jack repeats it, and because it is singular: before, he fought "guns", "tanks"; he should now fight "cannons", but instead, he fights "cannon" or maybe "canon". "Cannon" can mean both "cannon" as in an old gun, and "canon", as in, the holy books considered authentic to a religious sect. So the singer fights against "cannon", the worldly weapons bringing on the apocalypse, and/or "canon" -- the texts and teachings that are supposed to have predicted this apocalypse, and prepared and strengthened him in this fight. Therefore, when I listen to this part of the song, I imagine a man fighting for his life in an unreal, fiery apocalypse, while still struggling with his religion, even though his religion predicted this apocalypse, and should be validated. Which seems so human; so maddeningly contradictory, but believable and therefore awesome."
- "John the Revelator" is a traditional gospel/call-and-response song made famous by Blind Willie Johnson and Son House. In the chorus, John of Patmos, the traditional author of the Book of Revelation, is writing "the book of the seven seals." At the time of the song's composition (and in modern times), John of Patmos was generally considered the same person as John the Apostle and John the Evangelist.
Band Quotes
Trivia
- Live guitar: The Airline in standard tuning.
Lyrics
Outside my door, unlocked, I'm lookin' at this sound, that chime out of nowhere, yeah, nowhere.
Whoo! Wheels turnin', scratchin', and burnin'. Yeah, I fought guns, tanks... cannon... cannon. Yeah!
Tell me, who's that writin'? John the revelator...
Tell me, who's that writin'? John the revelator...
Tell me who's that writin'? John the revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.
Christ went down on Easter mornin'. Mary mother went down to see it.
"Go tell my disciples to meet me in Galilee."
Who's writin'? John the revelator.
Tell me who's that writin'? John the revelator.
Tell me who's that writin'? John the revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.
Hey! Whoo! Lord above, I command! I've been evil! Evil, yeah... evil.
