226 Comments

1. la la says:

   May 1, 2006 at 6:08 am

   Lets make it to 300

   Dont usually return to posts but I did think this was worth the watching. Still stand by my original comments - the song is bollocks, but otherwise could not give a bugger.
   I drink Coke in my Jack Daniels. Jesus Christ I must be a sell out.
   Anybody here drink Coke/Pepsi in the old JD. Thought so. Whats worse, paying Coke for their commodity or being paid by Coke for their commodity. I know which one I would prefer.

   As to point 14. I agree that GBMS would not likely be ‘lauded’ as as great if it were the first album but how much of that is about timing, music ’scene’ etc.. Could you say that the Beatles White Album or Revolver would have been picked up in 1962 and lauded universally. Its not likely cause thats not what the music scene was about then. The process of evolution is not unusual in bands that have been around for a while and whilst it is a bit of a bummer to have bands deviate from tried and trusted formulas, and from the ’sound’ we like best -is it not better artistically? Its why the Beatles were always way better than the stones.
   As for the commentary on live stage. Glastonbury is fucking huge and inevitably dont show Jack n meg in their best light. In a smaller venue however, they blow the roof off on a good night, and send me home smiling on a bad.
2. Stephen says:

   May 1, 2006 at 10:21 am

   I know that even discussing this topic is helping the evil Coke empire promote it’s not-so-clever guerilla ad campaign, but I just have to speak out: any artist/musician that sells out to a large scale coropration has nothing more to say. Their music - past, present & future - instantly becomes empty, hypocritical and devoid of any soulful meaning. Some of the people who have commented above - who seem to support Jack Whites involvement with CC - are clearly forgetting one very important thing: music is about expression, freedom of thought, standing up and fighting the evil elements which exist on this planet, and when you allow your music to be used for commercial gain by immoral corporations, you essentially side with the enemy. Respect is lost and dignity is burnt at the stake and there’s no coming back, no matter what reason you give to justify your actions (unless you or someone you love was being blackmailed or course). The reason for this slightly draconian ruling is that the music you write should be as sacred as your soul and when you sell your music, you sell your soul. I hope you young un’s can learn from this and do the right thing, throw your WS albums away and look for an artist or group with some backbone.

   Oh and by the way, let’s not waste time debating whether the music or video was good or bad, it’s the f*****g principle that matters here!
3. Anonymous says:

   May 1, 2006 at 11:26 am

   Respect is lost and dignity is burnt at the stake and there’s no coming back, no matter what reason you give to justify your actions (unless you or someone you love was being blackmailed or course).

   Right on Stephen-Jack White had a lot of peoples respect-not anymore
4. Anonymous says:

   May 1, 2006 at 12:06 pm

   Could you say that the Beatles White Album or Revolver would have been picked up in 1962 and lauded universally. Its not likely cause thats not what the music scene was about then. The process of evolution is not unusual in bands that have been around for a while and whilst it is a bit of a bummer to have bands deviate from tried and trusted formulas, and from the ’sound’ we like best -is it not better artistically?

   what the fuck are you on about. ‘get behind me satan’ is shit, and in no way shape or form can white stripes be compared to the beatles or stones. theyve not evolved, theyve devolved and in a very short amount of time. columbian chalk and full fat cheese, innit. and if yr comparing notes to bands thatve had a fucksight more talent/drive/will to please than the white stripes, im sure this here ad song holds a candle to anything they did, and they didnt pull some sort of illusionary holier than thou shit about morals and what not. well not that much anyway. apart from lennon maybe, and hes dead.
5. Anonymous says:

   May 1, 2006 at 3:22 pm

   The reason for this slightly draconian ruling is that the music you write should be as sacred as your soul and when you sell your music, you sell your soul. I hope you young un’s can learn from this and do the right thing, throw your WS albums away and look for an artist or group with some backbone.

   Jack has been selling his music for years now hasn’t he? Gee I wonder how many criminals and despicable people have picked up White Stripes albums? I wonder how much money the band has made was actually blood money? Artists don’t discriminate when it comes to sells. Jack didn’t sell Coke a song that was near and dear to his heart. He intended to give that song to them. It held no special meaning for him. Now if he had given them We’re Going to Be Friends, a song he wrote in some girl’s bedroom, then I think that would be more like selling a part of his soul.

   Their music - past, present & future - instantly becomes empty, hypocritical and devoid of any soulful meaning. Some of the people who have commented above - who seem to support Jack Whites involvement with CC - are clearly forgetting one very important thing: music is about expression, freedom of thought, standing up and fighting the evil elements which exist on this planet,

   This is bullshit ok? People write music to express their feelings to articulate things they can’t articulate through speaking. They don’t write music to save the damn world. I am so tired of music fans projecting this idea on to musicians because they feel it is expected of them. Why don’t you let them have their own beliefs and do whatever the hell they want to with their music? They don’t asked to be put into that role, people like you put them there. Jack has said time and time again he is not political and that he doesn’t want to talk about politics or sing about them. The Big 3 was an exception and was still more of a personal song than politicial song because it was something he faced as he was growing up in Detroit. You also seem to have a very “cut and dry” “black and white” view of this. Writing a song for an ad immediately nullifies their past and future work? All I can say is you must not have been that big of a fan to begin with because music should be something that touches you and makes you feel. You look to music you love and artists you love to evoke certain feelings and make your life just a little better for a few minutes. Something you care about that much cannot easily be tossed aside and discredited like garbage. I can only conclude you didn’t care about the White Stripes music too much if it comes so easily to you. How can you say it becomes empty? What about the song that was playing the first time you kissed someone or the day you got dumped? If the artist who had written those songs “sold out” would they all of a sudden be empty and meaningless? We associate music with certain events and periods in our lives. No other artform can evoke memories like music can. Do you stop to think when you hear that song that evokes a specific memory, “Oh he sold-out”? I’m only mentioning all of this because The White Stripes had a very big impact on my life unlike any other band has. I’ve learned so much about music through Jack and have discovered some amazing artists because of him. His songs carry a lot of meaning for me. To discredit all of that because he wrote a 60 sec song for an ad would be ludicrous. An ad that, according to reports, is likely never even going to be shown. What is important to you? The music itself or if the artist holds the same views and ideas as you do? While you go around passing judgment and dismissing hard-working, passionate artists for doing things you (or is it Bill Hicks?) don’t agree with, is your conscience clear? Have you ever given money to Coca Cola? Have you ever bought Dasani bottled water? Do you have a clean record? As my good friend Jesus said,
   “He who is without sin shall cast the first stone”
6. #1 Bush Fan says:

   May 1, 2006 at 6:59 pm

   “People write music to express their feelings to articulate things they can’t articulate through speaking.”
   I couldn’t agree more. I think Jack White did a great job of articulating through music things that he couldn’t through speaking in the Coke ad. Maybe he couldn’t articulate how much money he wanted to make, so he wrote a song about it.
   Like you, I have great memories of the White Stripes’ music, and because of that, I really appreciate them now writing commercial jingles. I love to think back, ‘Man, I remember the first time I kissed Laura at that party. I remember that song from the Carnival Cruise line was playing — “Lust for Life,” by Iggy Pop.’ And that song is not only special to me, but also to the millions of people who enjoy cruise line commercials. It hasn’t cheapened it in anyway for me. And I’ll continue using bullshit reasoning when Jack White does sell some of his old songs to commercials, too.
   I also think your “he who is w/o sin” line is a great argument, since it’s basically a bullshit excuse that you can use to defend anything. By that reasoning, even Jesus couldn’t criticize anything. You’re proposing is that we no longer evaluate art or music, since none of us is perfect. That’s awesome, because I have really low expectations when it comes to ethics. And that goes for all you people who hold our government and the rest of the culture up to a high standard: you can’t criticize the barbaric, atavistic practice of torturing prisoners, because, hey, who hasn’t run a stop light before. And you can’t say American Idol is contributing to the painful death of American culture, because, hey, you’ve never tried to sing a Bon Jovi song in front of a live studio audience.
   I can’t wait until everyone thinks like you, then this country will be 100% made up of mindless idiots.
7. Anonymous says:

   May 1, 2006 at 7:27 pm

   Bush fans are 100% idiots
8. Anonymous says:

   May 1, 2006 at 8:56 pm

   And that song is not only special to me, but also to the millions of people who enjoy cruise line commercials. It hasn’t cheapened it in anyway for me. And I’ll continue using bullshit reasoning when Jack White does sell some of his old songs to commercials, too.

   I don’t think he’s going to be selling White Stripes songs to commercials so you don’t have anything to worry about for now.

   I also think your “he who is w/o sin” line is a great argument, since it’s basically a bullshit excuse that you can use to defend anything. By that reasoning, even Jesus couldn’t criticize anything. You’re proposing is that we no longer evaluate art or music, since none of us is perfect. That’s awesome, because I have really low expectations when it comes to ethics. And that goes for all you people who hold our government and the rest of the culture up to a high standard: you can’t criticize the barbaric, atavistic practice of torturing prisoners, because, hey, who hasn’t run a stop light before. And you can’t say American Idol is contributing to the painful death of American culture, because, hey, you’ve never tried to sing a Bon Jovi song in front of a live studio audience.

   If Jack were torturing prisoners or contributing to the death of culture then it would be perfectly reasonable to criticize him. You’re using extreme instances to try to get your point across. I was talking about people who are so angered over this ad because Jack is supporting Coke and was wondering how many of these people who seem to hate Coke so much are Coke drinkers or supporters themselves. If Coke makes more money and gets more customers because of this ad that will only be aired a handful of times, then I will gladly pay you whatever amount Jack made for doing this ad. Coke would’ve continued doing what they were doing and making money with or without Jack. Yes it sucks that Jack is endorsing a company with such an awful human rights record, but Jack’s involvement will most likely have no effect on that situation. People are acting like Jack is killing babies and torturing puppies. The level of demonization against Jack for this is fucking ridiculous.

   I couldn’t agree more. I think Jack White did a great job of articulating through music things that he couldn’t through speaking in the Coke ad. Maybe he couldn’t articulate how much money he wanted to make, so he wrote a song about it.

   You’re quite a prick aren’t you? Your condescension is just dripping off the screen. You know exactly what I meant. It’s not a musician’s job to be the voice of the people or solve the world’s problems. It’s his job to write what he wants to write about. When you look at the song he wrote for Coke as a separate entity, in spite of its trite and cliched lyrics, there’s nothing wrong with the message. You don’t realize how much money Jack has turned down in the past few years. I don’t know how much Coke paid him, but I can assure you it doesn’t even come close to total the amount he has turned down. Coke is probably the only company he would say “yes” to because it is something he loves a lot. Not only does he love the drink, but he loves the image and their place in pop culture history. You have no idea what all went into his decision, but I doubt the only reason he did it was for money.
9. Meghan says:

   May 2, 2006 at 5:44 am

   Do you realize how pathetic you sound defending Jack White like he’s your brother or son or something? While the Bush Fan commenter obviously is a prick, you didn’t counter any of his arguments at all, which makes it even funnier. If Jack White did start selling his old songs, you’d be on hand with another delusional bullshit excuse, and you know it. Why can’t you just admit that making a commercial is lame, even if you still like the music? You yourself said that music is supposed to be about articulating your deepest feelings, yet you’re defending a Coke ad just because he got paid for it. Your argument that he turned down other offers is almost as stupid as the “everyone’s doing it” argument.
10. Anonymous says:

    May 2, 2006 at 6:07 am

    if a supposedly legit musician selling out to the almighty dollar of coca-cola jingles isn’t contributing to the death of our culture, then i don’t know what is
11. Landlord says:

    May 2, 2006 at 7:23 am

    Jack left the Little Room at Hotel Yorba long ago.

    There is only one with conviction:

    NEIL YOUNG

    Hey Jack, this note’s for you!
12. Grimace says:

    May 2, 2006 at 7:28 am

    Maybe you folks don’t realize that selling songs for use in a movie also requires permission from the performers, writer and publisher.

    Find me any rocker who refuses to let their songs be used in movies because of “principle”.

    Oh, but I forgot, movies are ART.

    Am I the only one who remembers Rage Against The Machine signing about Coke for the Godzilla soundtrack!

    Zach and Jack choking on Coke Cack!
13. King Hipster says:

    May 2, 2006 at 9:09 am

    I really dig the Bush Fan’s cold, cynical robot-speak - he’s so much smarter than the room! I love how defending Jack white and Coca-Cola as an “American icon” spawns an anti-Bush litany from some uptight troll. So Coke funds Death Squads? Prove it! Don’t just mouth your adolescent rhetoric, prove it! How precisely does the funding work? Does Coke withold the death squad members’ FICA and Social Security deductions? Do they make matching contributions to their 401Ks? What a crock of shit. This is an independent bottler that pays for the right to license the Coca-Cola name and probably many other names too.

    And some of you think this guy is hillarious? How so? I don’t get it. The great think tank of the left is made up of humorless clowns; Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Al Franken, Janeane Garafolo. Laugh it up guys! Keep tearing away at everything with your spiteful cynicism because the achievements of mankind can never go away!! So keep throwing stones and wring your hands and curse your fathers and mothers and the great achievements of humanity because its all sexist and racist and capitalist and wrong and besides the comfortable lifestyle we actually enjoy will never end! never! So destroy great companies and great artists and great nations because they don’t meet the requirements of your adolescent snobbery.

    Which all reminds me of a quote by the brilliant Hillaire Belloc:
    ‘”We sit by and watch the Barbarian, we tolerate him; in the long stretches of peace we are not afraid. We are tickled by his irreverence, his comic inversion of our old certitudes and our fixed creeds refreshes us; we laugh. But as we laugh,
    we are watched by large and awful faces from beyond:
    and on those faces there is no smile.’”
14. Anonymous says:

    May 2, 2006 at 12:37 pm

    Why can’t you just admit that making a commercial is lame, even if you still like the music?

    What if I don’t think what he did was lame? Is that not possible? The only thing I’m disappointed about is how Jack looks to other people now and that he ruined his clean record, but maybe that’s because I’m image conscious.

    yet you’re defending a Coke ad just because he got paid for it.

    Bullshit. I never said I was only defending it because he got paid. Show me where I said that.

    Your argument that he turned down other offers is almost as stupid as the “everyone’s doing it” argument.

    It shows he isn’t as greedy of a bastard as everyone assumes he is for doing this ad does it not? If this ad proves that Jack is avaricious then why didn’t he take up past offers? If all he wanted to do was make a lot of cash it would’ve been super easy for him to accept all those offers. I don’t think that’s a “stupid” point to make. I think it could possibly prove that money was not the only reason he decided to do this.
15. Nate says:

    May 2, 2006 at 12:46 pm

    If Jack White did start selling his old songs, you’d be on hand with another delusional bullshit excuse, and you know it.

    Who cares if he or she was? Maybe some of these White Stripes fans believe in a little something called “loyalty”. An admirable quality that has sadly fallen by the wayside. It’s not likeJack is G Dub. He’s not destroying this country. He’s not causing rising gas prices. So why don’t you just give it a rest?
16. #1 Bush Fan says:

    May 2, 2006 at 10:21 pm

    What kind of an asshole accuses someone else of trying to be “so much smarter than the room,” then ends with a quote from Hillaire Belloc?

    P.S. That quotation about the Barbarian was easily the gayest thing I’ve ever read.
17. Hopefully forcing Jack White into marrying me... says:

    May 4, 2006 at 9:47 pm

    What is the problme if someone does an ad to advertise a drink? Im mean what the fuck guys? You either like it, or not. No need to go political on it all. Geese louise. I think some people need to be in a psyciatric ward from the way that they are opposing this video.

    I think Jack White is the man.
18. Hopefully forcing Jack White into marrying me... says:

    May 4, 2006 at 9:53 pm

    I think that it is not a bad decision he made about singing along to it at all. Its not like hes doing a Britteny spears thing and making a perfume and being all skanky and such.
    I mean c’mon guys, its just a fucking song and a video. Dont appreciate it? Then go blow yourselves! If you cant do that, then just dont watch the ad. Geese louise, some peole need to go to a psyciatric ward with the way that they are behaving about this ad.
    Calm yourselves down.

    I think Jack White is THE MAN!
    ….My Man!
19. Anonymous says:

    May 5, 2006 at 10:47 pm

    Hopefully forcing Jack White into marrying me…
    ????????????????????????????????????

    That expains the psychosis-she thinks his Fugly ass is attractive-He is one of the creepiest looking fuckers to ever walk the earth-I would not screw him with someone elses snatch!!!
20. babe says:

    May 17, 2006 at 5:05 pm

    BOYCOTT JACK WHITE AND MICHEL FUCKING GONDRY!!!!!!!!SELL OUT WHORES!!INDIE culture and music just changed so much from the 90’s,,, from Kurt Cobain to jack white….that sings “lalala…in the coke ad…this so fucking sad.SHAME ON YOU.
21. anonymous says:

    July 2, 2006 at 8:30 pm

    #30.MILLION FOR A COCK COMMERCIAL
22. Dina says:

    July 30, 2006 at 5:09 pm

    Ok, The coke logo is Red and White and Jack white is a freak for the color Red, it’s only clear why he did the commercial and it was not for the money as odd as it sounds, but Jack White is odd and he does not need the money!!
23. anonymous says:

    August 3, 2006 at 9:07 pm

    hey 219 jack dont want you stinks ass only if you make 20 million and a model like is wife you ugly whore
24. Royal Crown Cola Hipster Man says:

    February 10, 2007 at 12:19 am

    The Strokes always rock Coca Cola shirts and have all these photos of them posing in front of Coca Cola bottles, Coke refrigerators full of Coke bottles, Coke vending machines in the fuckin office/apartments, Coca Cola this Coke that. Anyone think they might be getting some secret money?
25. Rock Sellout » The White Stripes do the hippy hippy shake…er, the Icky Thump says:

    March 14, 2007 at 6:57 pm

    [...] Jack White, how you entertain me with your whimsical album titles. I know everyone hates you because you drink Coke, but I drink Coke too Jack. Maybe I learned it from watching you? Oh, the ethical [...]
26. Jack White Unknowningly Gets Coca-Cola Ad Encore : The Modern Age says:

    September 17, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    [...] What do you think Jack objects to the most: 1. Not having full control over the release of his song 2. Not getting the joy of handcrafting another Coca-Cola jingle? As you probably remember, Jack wrote a widely debated tune for a Coca-Cola advert in 2006. [...]