Lonely Boy
Black Keys Lyrics

The Black Keys’s “Lonely Boy” is a catchy, upbeat song with a complex theme of love and heartbreak. The lyrics speak of the singer being above their lover and how evident that is, but despite that, they came to love them anyway. The relationship is tumultuous, and the lover tears out the singer’s heart, yet the singer doesn’t mind bleeding any time to keep waiting. The chorus repeats the phrase “Oh, oh-oh I got a love that keeps me waiting” three times, emphasizing the importance and impact of waiting in their relationship. The second verse introduces a dynamic where the lover’s mother kept them, but their father left, and the singer should have left as well, but they stayed and fell in love, willingly waiting any time.

The lyrics of “Lonely Boy” showcases a case of unrequited love, where the singer is waiting for his lover, who tears his heart out but loves him regardless. The song is a commentary on the power dynamics in relationships regarding who is in control and who is the subject of infatuation. The theme of waiting is teasingly emphasized throughout the chorus, suggesting the singer will wait for their lover, no matter how long. The lyrics of “Lonely Boy” create an upbeat melody with a bittersweet backstory that mimics much of the same conflicting emotions of love.