Jack White’s “Freedom at 21” Lyrics Meaning
In “Freedom at 21”, Jack White talks about how his supposed girlfriend deliberately abuses him and easily gets away with it because of the time they find themselves in.
According to the narrator, she literally tortures and abuses him at home, yet when she reports to the police, he is the one that is detained and charged. This scenario depicts how certain laws in the 21st century are biased against men, making them the most likely perpetrators of violence even when that may not be the case.
He emphasizes on the fact that this woman is engrossed in the new era of technology, social media and all the liberties it has given her. Though there is a good side to the freedom she has attained, the narrator is concerned because this person feels no guilt for hurting him. Furthermore, she does not care about other people’s feelings and is certainly manipulating him emotionally.
All in all, “Freedom at 21” finds White being concerned about the almost unlimited freedom the 21st century has given women and how some of them are abusing it.
Facts about “Freedom at 21”
In April 2012, Jack White released “Freedom at 21” as one of the singles from his maiden solo album titled “Blunderbuss”.
The official music video was uploaded to Jack’s official YouTube channel in July of 2012. Hype Williams took charge of the video’s direction duties, and it features model Brittany Colombo who plays the role of law enforcement agent.
The filming took place over a period of five days. And the desert scenes seen in the video were shot at Lancaster in California while other scenes were shot at a studio in Burbank. The filming sessions often lasted between four to five hours each day.
During the Grammy Awards of 2013, this song along with the following were nominated in the category of the best rock music song (“Best Rock Song”):
- Bruce Springsteen’s “We Care Take Care of Our Own“
- Muse’s “Madness“
- Mumford & Sons’ “I Will Wait“
- The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy“
At the end of the day, “Lonely Boy” eventually received the honors.
Creation Credits
Writing: Jack White
Production: Jack White
Did “Freedom at 21” chart on the Hot 100?
No. However, it charted on two other Billboard charts in the United States, including the “Alternative Airplay”. On this chart, it managed to reach number 22.
