"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is a song by American garage rock band The White Stripes, featured on their 2001 third studio album White Blood Cells. Written by the band and produced by vocalist and guitarist Jack White, "Dead Leaves" was released as the third single from the album in August 2002 and charted at number nineteen on the United States Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and at number twenty-five on the UK Albums Chart.

Music video

The music video for this song, directed by Michel Gondry, depicts Jack White coming back to his trashed house and surveying reckless destruction. While he goes from room to room, sepia video of the party events that led to the decimation (and of his and Meg's relationship before he left) is superimposed over the scene, until in the final scene she leaves him.

Reception

In a review of the song for allmusic, Tom Maginnis describes "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" as a "grimy rocker", noting it as a display of the duo's "keen understanding of musical dynamics".

Track listings

All songs were written by The White Stripes, except "Stop Breaking Down" by Robert Johnson.

7" vinyl (XLS 148)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
2. "Stop Breaking Down" (Robert Johnson cover; live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

CD single (XLS 148CD)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"
2. "Suzy Lee" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)
3. "Stop Breaking Down" (live at the BBC Studios, Maida Vale)

DVD single (XLS 148DVD)

1. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (music video)
2. Interview with Arthur P. Dottweiler

Cover versions

• Mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile covered "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" on his 2006 album How to Grow a Woman from the Ground. It was different from the original, in that it was a bluegrass rendition.
• Nina Persson covered this song in the 2006 film Om Gud Vill (God Willing).
• Jack White performed this song with Jimmy Page and The Edge in the 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud.

References

• White Stripes.Net FAQ