"The Big Three Killed My Baby" was released in March 1999 as a 7"single and is the third track on re-releases of The White Stripes, the eponymous debut of the Detroit-based American garage rock band the White Stripes. A live recording of the song is featured on Under Blackpool Lights; the band's first official DVD release. The single is backed with "Red Bowling Ball Ruth".
"The Big Three" refers to the three major automakers in the 1950s and 1960s: Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, all of which have their headquarters in Detroit. The song is an attack on these companies, relating to the engineering technique of planned obsolescence, and a short-sighted lack of innovation. [citation needed]Jack White has stated in interviews that he does not believe music to be a viable medium for political messages and did not write another political song until the 2007 release of "Icky Thump" (which criticizes American immigration policy). The song mentions "Tucker's blood", a reference to Preston Tucker's ill-fated Tucker 48. Throughout the White Stripes later years, they performed the song live with alternate lyrics referring to the Iraq War: "Bush's hands are turning red... and I found out your baby is dead."[1]
The photo that the band is standing in front of on the single's cover has a note on it, which reads "Insert your money here", a reference to the costs of maintaining automobiles which are intentionally engineered to become prematurely obsolete.
