Discover the story of the song > I Think I Smell a Rat – The White Stripes

The song talks about how the protagonist suspects someone or a group of people to be dishonest or untrustworthy ("smelling a rat"). The lyrics suggest that these people might be young and naive ("all you little kids seem to think you know just where it's at") and potentially violent ("carrying a baseball bat"). The protagonist also accuses them of taking advantage of their parents for their own benefit ("using your mother and father for a welcome mat").