Fell in Love with a Girl

"Fell in Love with a Girl" is a song by the American rock band the White Stripes, written and produced by Jack White for the band's third studio album, White Blood Cells (2001). Released as the album's second single in February 2002, it peaked at number 21 on both the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and the UK Singles Chart. It was also the band's first single to reach the U.S. Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number 12.

"Fell in Love with a Girl"
Single by the White Stripes
from the album White Blood Cells
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2002 (2002-02-25)[1]
RecordedFebruary 2001[2]
StudioEasley-McCain Recording (Memphis, Tennessee)
Genre
Length1:50
LabelXL
Songwriter(s)Jack White
Producer(s)Jack White
The White Stripes singles chronology
"Hotel Yorba"
(2001)		 "Fell in Love with a Girl"
(2002)		 "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
(2002)
Music video
"Fell in Love with a Girl" on YouTube
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

The song was covered in 2003 as "Fell in Love with a Boy" by Joss Stone and as a parody lounge song by Richard Cheese for their 2002 album Tuxicity. It was also included on a polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic, "Angry White Boy Polka", from his 2003 album Poodle Hat.

The single was re-released as a 7-inch vinyl record for Black Friday Record Store Day 2012 on opaque red vinyl by Third Man Records and later issued on standard black vinyl.

Composition

"Fell in Love with a Girl" is an uptempo alternative rock and garage punk song that runs for a duration of one minute and fifty seconds.[4][5] The track retains a brash rock instrumentation which consists of guitar and drums. It is built a slashing rhythm guitar groove set to a high-speed, stuttering beat with thrashing crash cymbals and skipped snare drum.[5] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, the song is written in the time signature of common time, with a fast tempo of 192 beats per minute.[4] "Fell in Love with a Girl" is composed in the key of B Major, while Jack White's vocal range spans from a low of B3 to a high of A4.[4] The song has a basic sequence of B–A–D–E during the introduction and verses and follows F♯–A–D–E–F♯–A–F♯ at the refrain as its chord progression.[4]

The song opens with Jack White singing his lines with a manic vocal delivery at loud volume. His breathless performance exudes visceral intensity and quirky, exaggerated inflections.[5] White's lyricism contains a dense slew of words laced with anxious banter and snappy humor.[5] The musical arrangement comes to an abrupt halt at the last line of each verse.[5] In substitution of a chorus, "Fell In Love with a Girl" features an infectious backing vocal line. After each verse, Jack White incessantly belts a wordless sing-along composed of "ah-ah-ah-ah" harmonizing.[5]

Critical reception

The song was met with widespread critical acclaim. Comparing it to that of the Ramones, Tom Maginnis from AllMusic called it "an attention-grabbing chunk of primal punk rock confection that flames out in a breathless one minute and 50 seconds. ... Surrendering is the only option; to fight against the infectious brutal and relentless energy of "Fell in Love With a Girl" is an exercise in futility."[5] The May 3, 2007 issue of Rolling Stone magazine listed the song as one of the forty songs that changed the world.[6] In 2011, NME placed it at number 6 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[7] The Times said that the track "mixes the blues with the Pixies."[8] The Village Voice's "Pazz & Jop critics' poll named "Fell in Love with a Girl" the sixth-best song of 2002. Paste and Stereogum ranked the song number six and number two, respectively, on their lists of the greatest White Stripes songs.[9][10]

Music video

The music video is a Lego animation directed by Michel Gondry. Gondry's son was featured at the beginning of the video, building Lego blocks. It was shot frame by frame with each frame having the Lego bricks rebuilt, sometimes in a complex manner to seem as if it were an actual shot, and then formed together to give the illusion of motion. The video mostly consists of red, white, and black color. The White Stripes couldn't strike a deal with Lego, so they had to buy a large amount of Lego boxes for the video.[11]

In an interview for The Work of Director Michel Gondry DVD, Jack stated that the White Stripes' long-time collaboration with Gondry started by accident; for "Fell in Love with a Girl", Jack stated that he wanted to work with the director who did Beck's video for "Devils Haircut", referring to Mark Romanek. Their record company mistakenly hired Gondry, thinking he was the director of "Devils Haircut". Jack didn't mind, as he did the video for Beck's "Deadweight", which Jack also liked.

In The Work of Director Michel Gondry interview, Jack also said that the White Stripes contacted the Lego Group in hopes of having a small Lego set packaged with each single of the record, with which one could build a LEGO version of Jack and Meg White. The Lego Group refused, saying: "We don't market our product to people over the age of twelve."[12] However, once the video became a hit, Lego contacted the White Stripes again and asked if they could reconstruct the deal to have Lego packaged with the single. This time, however, Jack White refused.

The Work of Director Michel Gondry DVD also reveals that one section, lasting only a few seconds, used computer animation to simulate the Lego bricks.

Entertainment Weekly said that "the images enhance the lyrics...You can take the metaphor even deeper. As with Legos, love and sex can ultimately take whatever form your imagination desires."[13] Entertainment Weekly included it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "An idea so simple it's a wonder no one thought of it before 2002: rock & roll Legos!"[14] Pitchfork deemed it the best video of the decade.[15]

The video was spoofed on the Family Guy episode "Ocean's Three and a Half".

The music video received four nominations for Video of the Year, Breakthrough Video, Best Visual Effects, Best Editing at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, winning the latter three.

Track listings
  • CD single
  1. "Fell in Love with a Girl"
  2. "Let's Shake Hands"
  3. "Lafayette Blues"
  • CD single (UK Version – Part 2)*
  1. "Fell in Love with a Girl"
  2. "Lovesick" (Live at the Forum, London December 6, 2001)
  3. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Live at BBC Radio-1 Evening Session)**

The single comes with a multimedia section featuring the "Fell in Love with a Girl" video. *Part 1 with the identical track listing as the US Version.

  • 7-inch single
  1. "Fell in Love with a Girl"
  2. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Live at BBC Radio-1 Evening Session)**

**This is the same recording of the song that would one year later be an album track on Elephant and eventually be released as a single.

Charts
Chart (2002) Peak
position
Scotland (OCC)[16] 38
UK Singles (OCC)[17] 21
UK Indie (OCC)[18] 2
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[19] 21
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] 12

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Joss Stone version
"Fell in Love with a Boy"
Single by Joss Stone
from the album The Soul Sessions
B-side
ReleasedJanuary 12, 2004 (2004-01-12)
RecordedMay 5, 2003
StudioThe Studio (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Length3:38
Label
Songwriter(s)Jack White
Producer(s)
Joss Stone singles chronology
"Fell in Love with a Boy"
(2004)		 "Super Duper Love"
(2004)

In 2003, English singer Joss Stone covered the song, retitled "Fell in Love with a Boy", for her debut studio album, The Soul Sessions (2003). It was released in the United States on January 12, 2004, as the album's lead single. In the United Kingdom, a limited-edition 7-inch single and CD single were issued on January 26, 2004. "Fell in Love with a Boy" debuted and peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also peaked at number 23 in New Zealand and number 36 in Italy.

Critical reception

The single received mostly positive reviews from critics. Dorian Lynskey of The Guardian raved that "Fell in Love with a Boy" is the best track from The Soul Sessions as well as "the freshest and most deliciously inauthentic."[22] PopMatters reviewer Jason MacNeil commented that Stone gives the song "a groove-riddled, funky hip-shaker that never loses momentum."[23] Rolling Stone said the tune sounded like "a lost Memphis-soul classic."[24] However, Jim Greer of Entertainment Weekly viewed her version as "the only misguided ploy" on the album.[25] Andrew McGregor wrote for BBC Music that it "blends so well into the funky soul landscape that those less familiar with contemporary rock might miss the ironic juxtaposition altogether."[26]

Track listings
  • UK and European CD single[27]
  1. "Fell in Love with a Boy" (radio version)
  2. "Victim of a Foolish Heart" (live at Ronnie Scott's, London, November 25, 2003)
  • UK limited-edition 7-inch single[28]
A. "Fell in Love with a Boy" (album version)
B. "Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin' on Me?) Part 1"
  • European maxi-CD single[29]
  1. "Fell in Love with a Boy" (radio version)
  2. "Victim of a Foolish Heart" (live at Ronnie Scott's, London, November 25, 2003)
  3. "Fell in Love with a Boy" (acoustic version)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Soul Sessions.[30]

Studios

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[31] 16
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[32] 17
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 46
Italy (FIMI)[34] 36
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[35] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] 80
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] 23
Scotland (OCC)[38] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 18
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[40] 5
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[41] 16

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States January 12, 2004 Triple A radio S-Curve [42]
United Kingdom January 26, 2004
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
[43][44]

Other appearances

References
  1. "New Releases – For Week Starting 25 February 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. February 23, 2002. p. 35. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  2. Maerz, Jennifer (June 5, 2001). "Sister? Lover? An Interview with The White Stripes". whitestripes.net. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  3. Stiernberg, Bonnie. "The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time". Paste. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  4. White, Jack. "The White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl" Guitar Tab in D Major - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group.
  5. Maginnis, Tom. "The White Stripes – Fell in Love With a Girl Song Review by Tom Maginnis". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  6. "Redirecting". archive.rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  7. "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". Nme.com. October 6, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  8. Connolly, Paul (December 15, 2001). "Rock", The Times.
  9. Moore, Bo (February 4, 2011). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Paste. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  10. Williott, Carl (February 26, 2014). "The 10 Best White Stripes Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  11. "Fell In Love With A Girl by The White Stripes". Songfacts.com. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzebYFxuB-A&t=10s&ab_channel=egyptiansushi
  13. Farber, Jim April 12, 2002). "FILE UNDER...VIDEOS." Entertainment Weekly (648):77
  14. Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84
  15. "Pitchfork: Staff Lists: The Top 50 Music Videos of the 2000s". pitchfork.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  16. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  17. "White Stripes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  18. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  19. "The White Stripes Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  20. "The White Stripes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  21. "British single certifications – White Stripes – Fell in Love with a Girl". British Phonographic Industry.
  22. Lynskey, Dorian (January 16, 2004). "CD: Joss Stone, The Soul Sessions – Music – The Guardian". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  23. MacNeil, Jason (January 14, 2003). "Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions – PopMatters Music Review". PopMatters. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  24. (March 18, 2004). "CHARTS", Rolling Stone. (Issue 944):84
  25. Greer, Jim (October 10, 2003). "The Soul Sessions – Music Review – Entertainment Weekly". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  26. McGregor, Andrew (February 23, 2004). "BBC – Music – Review of Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions". BBC Music. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
  27. Fell in Love with a Boy (UK & European CD single liner notes). Joss Stone. Relentless Records, Virgin Records. 2004. RELCD3, 0724355394224.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. Fell in Love with a Boy (UK limited 7-inch single sleeve). Joss Stone. Relentless Records, Virgin Records. 2004. REL 3, 0724355378576.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. Fell in Love with a Boy (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Joss Stone. Relentless Records, Virgin Records. 2004. 724354810824.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. The Soul Sessions (UK CD album liner notes). Joss Stone. Relentless Records. 2003. CDREL2, 7243 5 96835 2 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  32. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  33. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Joss Stone". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  34. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy". Top Digital Download. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  35. "Tipparade-lijst van week 11, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  36. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  37. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  38. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  39. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  40. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  41. "Joss Stone Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  42. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1537. January 9, 2004. p. 24. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  43. "Joss Stone – Fell in Love with a Boy (Relentless)". Manchester Evening News. August 13, 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  44. "Key Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 24, 2004. p. 29.
  45. "The White Stripes Add Three More Tracks To Rock Band!". March 5, 2010. Archived from the original on March 10, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  46. "Of Montreal covers The White Stripes". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  47. Video on YouTube
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