Taylor Swift may be the queen of breakup songs, but her style of songwriting prompted an honest reaction from a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
In an interview with The Guardian, Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes and a solo artist in his own right, discussed how his and Swift’s songwriting styles differ. He says that his songs are not primarily autobiographical, while the “Opalite” composer leans more into that type of creative outlet.
What Did Jack White Have to Say About Taylor Swift’s Songwriting Style?
Jack White admitted he would rather not revisit certain moments of his life by turning them into song lyrics. However, he didn’t criticize Taylor Swift’s autobiographical approach to songwriting, which has become her signature style.
White said, “It’s become very popular in the Taylor Swift way of pop singers writing about all of their publicly aired break-ups, which I don’t find interesting at all. I think it’s a little bit boring for me to write about myself.”
He added, “Even if I’ve had a really interesting day, I feel like I’ve already lived that. I don’t need to go through it every time I sing this song.”
“If it’s something really painful, I’m not going to put this important, painful thing that I went through out there for some idiot on the internet to stomp all over. So I put a percentage of that into what I do and then morph it into somebody else’s character. I can’t really learn about myself until I put it into somebody else’s shoes,” he concluded.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer added that when he writes songs, he is “usually trying to grab hold of a character who’s in some kind of situation and trying to escape from it or solve it.”
Jack White’s Songs Have Recurring Characters in Them
In contrast to Taylor Swift’s songs, which seem to be written about one person at a time, Jack White leans more into recurring characters in his songwriting.
White explained to The Guardian, “I don’t give them names or anything, but I have these imaginary folks that pop into my head while I’m doing it. You can learn by asking: what would this other person say?”
He added, “That’s a lot more interesting than preaching to people. Here’s the problem and here’s how to solve it, as if you’re so smart and so wise. Real wisdom comes from admitting you don’t know anything and other people might have an answer you’ve never thought of.”
Jack White and his ex-wife Meg White co-founded The White Stripes in 1997. The group split in 2011. The band was subsequently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. At the event, Twenty One Pilots covered the duo’s titular hit, “Seven Nation Army.”
