Writing one of the most ubiquitous songs of the 21st century (and then having to play that song for years) is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. But on the other hand, playing the same song over and over again can get stale if a band isn’t careful.
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At the star-studded “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” in February 2025, Jack White proved he’s still finding ways to make “Seven Nation Army” exciting decades after its 2003 release—this time, with the help of Neil Young.
The Jack White and Neil Young Mash-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed
It would be hard to find a musical event more star-studded and decades-spanning than “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” which took place on Valentine’s Day 2025 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. The three-hour event featured a staggering lineup of new and old artists, including Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter, DEVO, Lady Gaga, Bonnie Raitt, Wyclef Jean, Cher, Brandi Carlile, Backstreet Boys, Dave Grohl, Jelly Roll, and more. (Yes, really, more.) Jack White served as the concert headliner, closing the show with a one-two punch set that included Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In the Free World” and the White Stripes’ bona fide folk anthem, “Seven Nation Army.”
White and his band’s version of Young’s 1989 banger was not only an excellent choice for White’s signature hard rock style. The song choice also paid homage to Young’s September 1989 performance on Saturday Night Live, where he performed the same track. Backed by a wall of his eponymous Fender Pano Verb amps, White delivered a high-energy performance that honored the original song while still making it distinctly his own.
The real magic, however, happened after the band’s final chord. While the crowd cheered, White turned to his band and began counting off for their second and final song: “Seven Nation Army.” But when White approached the mic, instead of singing I’m gonna fight ‘em off, he sang another verse of Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” We got a thousand points of light for the homeless man. We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand.. The melody is distinctly Young’s, yet it flows perfectly over White’s iconic “Seven Nation” riff.
A Testament To The White Stripes Founder’s Musical Creativity
If we were ever to dub one song the official folk anthem of the 21st century, the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” would be a worthy contender. From its foreboding, minor riff to its simplistic yet driving drum beat, the song supersedes decades, genres, and even countries. And even after playing the song countless times since its 2003 release, Jack White still finds ways to make it exciting and fresh, whether that’s intertwining it with a Neil Young rocker, slowing it down, speeding it up, or otherwise.
For White, this creative freedom that comes from the song’s tremendous evolution from alt-rock hit to international anthem is an artist’s dream come true. “The more people don’t know where it came from, the happier I am,” he said during a 2022 appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. “The more it just becomes ubiquitous. I’m sure many people chanting the melody have no idea what the song is or where it came from or why or whatever. It doesn’t matter anymore, and that’s just amazing.”
Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/Peacock via Getty Images
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