If you wanna go and leave your man
Go on, I'll understand
But then the night gets dark, all is still
Pray for me, I know you will
Hard row to hoe all by yourself
You hit the city, it swallow you whole
Why'got no friends darlin', t'satisfy your soul
And then the sidewalk ends, lights all red, why'say t'yourself, why'better off dead
Hard row to hoe all by yourself
Walk out on me, walk out on him
You need no man to do you in
But if the night gets dark, all is still
I'll pray for you, you know I will
Hard row to hoe all by yourself
All by yourself x3

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Black Keys's song Hard Row tell the story of a woman who wants to leave her man and possibly pursue a new life in the city. The song begins with the singer acknowledging and accepting the woman's decision to leave, but as the night gets dark and still, he asks for her prayers. The woman is facing a difficult path ahead, as she tries to make it on her own without any friends to satisfy her soul. She finds herself in a hopeless situation as she reaches the end of the sidewalk and the lights turn red, leading her to question if she is better off dead. Yet, the singer remains faithful to her and promises to pray for her through her struggles.

The song conveys a sense of loneliness and the challenges of being all by oneself. It highlights the importance of having a support system and the difficulties that arise when one tries to navigate life without any friends or family. The lyrics also touch on themes of love, forgiveness, and hope.

Overall, Hard Row is a powerful song that speaks to the human condition and the struggles that we all face at some point in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

If you wanna go and leave your man
In case you choose to leave your partner

Go on, I'll understand
It is alright, I will not hold it against you

But then the night gets dark, all is still
Once the night falls and everything is quiet

Pray for me, I know you will
I trust that you will spiritually support me

Hard row to hoe all by yourself
It is challenging to manage everything alone

You hit the city, it swallow you whole
The city consumes you entirely

Why'got no friends darlin', t'satisfy your soul
You do not have any friends to fulfill your emotional needs

And then the sidewalk ends, lights all red, why'say t'yourself, why'better off dead
The street and traffic signal ends, and you question if you are better off dead

Hard row to hoe all by yourself
It is difficult to handle everything alone

Walk out on me, walk out on him
You could leave me or your partner anytime

You need no man to do you in
You do not need any man to harm you emotionally or physically

But if the night gets dark, all is still
However, if the night turns dark and quiet

I'll pray for you, you know I will
I would pray for you in that case

Hard row to hoe all by yourself
It is arduous to handle everything alone

All by yourself x3
Entirely on your own

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL AUERBACH, PATRICK CARNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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