Steady, As She Goes

"Steady, As She Goes"
File:SteadyAsSheGoes StoreBoughtBones.jpg
Single by The Raconteurs
from the album Broken Boy Soldiers
Released	April 24, 2006 (UK) May 9, 2006 (U.S.)
Format	CD, 7"
Genre	Garage rock power pop
Length	3:36
Label	Third Man
Writer(s)	Jack White Brendan Benson
Producer(s)	Jack White Brendan Benson
The Raconteurs singles chronology
"Steady, As She Goes" (2006) "Hands" (2006)
Alternative covers 7" (C) Cover 7" (C) Cover

"Steady, As She Goes" is the debut single by the rock band The Raconteurs from their first album Broken Boy Soldiers.

A limited edition, 7-inch, 45 rpm vinyl record, was released in Europe on January 30, 2006, and in North America on March 7, 2006. It was a double A-sided single, with the relatively unpromoted "Store Bought Bones" as the flipside. A CD version of "Steady, As She Goes" was released on April 24 with the B-side "Bane Rendition". Two further vinyl releases were produced: the first (marked 'B') with "Store Bought Bones" as the B-side; the second (marked 'C') an acoustic rendition of "Steady, As She Goes" with "Call It a Day" as the B-side. In the US, the song reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It achieved top ten success in the UK, where it peaked at number four, and Canada, peaking at number three.

Background

"Steady, As She Goes" is the first song ever written by White and Benson.

Music video

There are two music videos for "Steady, As She Goes". The first music video was directed by Jim Jarmusch, and focuses on the band performing the song. It premiered on MTV2 on March 10, 2006, and was also available for streaming on the band's website. In the second music video, The Raconteurs teamed up with Paul Reubens, best known for his work as Pee-Wee Herman. In this video, each band member plays an imaginary speed-racing hero in an old-fashioned soap box race, following the heroes on their cut-throat chase for first place. Reubens plays an unscrupulous pit boss, stooping to low levels to ensure a win for his racer, Jack Lawrence. Lawrence and Reubens (wearing standard melodrama-villain handlebar moustaches) cheat many times throughout the race, to make sure that Lawrence wins. Patrick falls off a cliff, Brendan crashes, and Reubens shoots White ("the Copper Kid") with a blow gun. Lawrence wins. The latter video premiered exclusively on Yahoo! Music on June 19, 2006.

Covers

The song has also been covered by Corinne Bailey Rae for BBC Radio 1's Live lounge. It is frequently covered live by Fitz and the Tantrums and has been covered live by Adele.

Track listing

CD

1. "Steady, As She Goes"
2. "The Bane Rendition"

7" (A) & (B)

1. "Steady, As She Goes"
2. "Store Bought Bones"

7" (C)

1. "Steady, As She Goes" (acoustic)
2. "Call It a Day"

Critical response

Entertainment Weekly said the track is "less weird than what we're used to from the ghostly singer." Rolling Stone Magazine called the song the second best song of 2006, just behind "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. The bass in the song, especially in the intro, has drawn comparisons to the song "Is She Really Going Out With Him?", by Joe Jackson.".

In 2007, "Steady, As She Goes" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Other appearances

• Psych (2007) season 1 episode 11
• The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show (2007)
• Guitar Hero 5 (2009)
• Lego Rock Band (2009) (DLC)
• Rock Band 2 (2009) (DLC)
• Theme tune to BBC Radio 4 show Saturday Live.

External links

• NME Review "...wonderful..." link Feb 2006
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single July 29, 2006

Succeeded by "Miss Murder" by AFI