We often associate the color white with the idea of purity or innocence. It can also evoke goodness, cleanliness, or a sensation of fulfillment. It's a recurring color in art, architecture, and fashion, and it's no surprise to see that so many artists used this color to write memorable songs.
Here are the most well-known songs with white in the title.
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“Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues
Song year: 1967
“Nights in White Satin” is a prime example of how innovations in audio engineering were opening new possibilities for artists of the time. To this day, the track feels unique and powerful with its slow melody, evocative words, and orchestral ending.
The song experienced moderate success after its initial release but wouldn’t become a top hit until a second single was released in 1972.
“White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane
Song year: 1967
Few songs are as representative of psychedelic rock as “White Rabbit.” The song takes its inspiration from the classic children's book Alice in Wonderland, which Disney adapted in 1951.
In the story, Alice discovers a whimsical and a times scary world after following a white rabbit. The song uses drug-related imagery to create a parallel between curiosity, exploration, and substance use.
“Black or White” by Michael Jackson
Song year: 1991
With “Black or White,” Michael Jackson released a catchy pop track that stayed at the top of the U.S. charts for six weeks. The music video release featuring Macaulay Culkin broke some audience records for MTV and other channels.
The lyrics sound like a classic pop song at times, but Michael Jackson made a powerful statement by including references to the KKK and racial conflicts in this song.
“Black Tie White Noise” by David Bowie
Song year: 1993
“Black Tie White Noise” is a sophisticated tune from David Bowie with some thought-provoking lyrics. It also marks the beginning of a new era where Bowie started incorporating electronic and hip-hop influences in his work.
Like the rest of the album, this song invites the listener to reflect on racial harmony following the 1991 L.A. riots.
“White Light \ White Heat” by The Velvet Underground
Song year: 1968
The Velvet Underground was an experimental rock band featuring Loud Reed on vocals. With “White Light \ White Heat,” the band used the color white to evoke the idea of overstimulation of the senses.
The song also includes transgressive lyrics about matricide and reflects the band’s experimental style, often referencing topics considered shocking or taboo in the 60s.
“White Room” by Cream
Song year: 1968
“White Room” is a memorable song from the 60s with Eric Clapton’s unmistakable guitar playing and its unique use of the viola and wah-wah pedal.
The lyrics tell the story of a man who finds himself alone after a loved one leaves. The white room symbolizes emptiness, and the song uses other colors to create vivid imagery that contrasts with the hopeless feeling of the white room.
“White Tee” by Lil Peep
Song year: 2016
“White Tee” comes from a self-released mixtape that features rappers Lil Peep and Lil Tracy. The song belongs to the rap genre, but it borrows elements from emo music to create the sound that would make Lil Peep a unique rapper.
The song is about a painful breakup, and the white tee symbolizes peace of mind as the singer moves on.
“White Riot” by The Clash
Song year: 1977
This powerful alternative punk song from the Clash was the band’s first single and introduced the UK and the rest of the world to their rebellious stance.
The band wrote “White Riot” after witnessing a riot at the Notting Hill Carnival. They explained that the lyrics encouraged white youth to stand up against police brutality and support minorities targeted by police bias.
“White Wedding” by Billy Idol
Song year: 1982
This upbeat and catchy rock song remains one of Billy Idol’s most recognizable hits. The lyrics use the color white to evoke the idea of purity. The song tells a story about the singer's girlfriend who is leaving him and getting married in a traditional white wedding ceremony even though she is not a virgin.
“White Innocence” by Jethro Tull
Song year: 1991
White Innocence is a relatively late entry in the Jethro Tull catalog, but it proved that the band could still produce beautiful music.
This song tells the story of a young hitchhiker who causes the singer to experience temptation or possibly fall in love. Still, her white innocence creates an impression of purity throughout the song.
“White Shadows” by Coldplay
Song year: 2005
Coldplay’s song “White Shadows” creates a vivid image with its title that sounds like a contradiction. However, the lyrics are deep and meaningful.
There are possible interpretations, but most people agree that the song reminds us of how small and insignificant we are when compared to the universe or humanity as a whole.
“White Ferrari” by Frank Ocean
Song year: 2016
“White Ferrari” is a tale about a past relationship in which the singer reminisces about the precious moments he shared with his love in a white Ferrari.
The introspective lyrics paint a happy relationship before showing how the two lovers drift apart. The white Ferrari might be a symbol of the simplicity of the early days of the relationship.
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