Tighten Up
Black Keys Lyrics

I wanted love, I needed love,
The singer expresses his desire and need for love.

Most of all, most of all
Above all else, he yearns for love.

Someone said true love was dead
The singer mentions that someone said true love no longer exists.

And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall
Despite this belief, he knows he will still fall in love.

For you
The subject of his affection is this person he is singing to.

Oh, what can I do?
He is unsure of what action he can take in this situation.

Take my badge but my heart remains
Even if someone takes away his authority or power, his love for this person remains.

Lovin' you, baby child
He is expressing his love for this person.

Tighten up on your reins
He suggests that this person needs to hold themselves back and control their wild behavior.

You're runnin' wild, runnin' wild
This person is living recklessly and needs to slow down.

It's true
He is emphasizing the truth of his statement.

Sick for days,
He has been feeling ill for days.

So many ways
There are many possible reasons for his illness.

I'm achin' now,
He is currently experiencing pain.

I'm achin' now
He is currently experiencing pain.

It's times like these I need relief
During difficult times like these, he needs relief.

Please show me how,
He is asking for help to ease his pain.

Oh show me how
He is pleading for assistance.

To get right,
He wants to feel better both physically and emotionally.

Yes outta sight
He wants the relief to be significant enough to make his problems disappear.

When I was young and moving fast
He is reminiscing about his youth when he was constantly moving and changing.

Nothing slowed me down,
Nothing could stop him from moving forward.

Oh slowed me down
He is now reflecting on the fact that he has been slowed down.

Now I let the others pass
He is no longer focused on passing others and has accepted his place in life.

I've come around,
He has come to realize that it is okay to slow down and enjoy life.

Oh come around
He is happier now that he has stopped rushing through life.

'Cause I've found
He has discovered something important.

Living just to keep going
He has realized that he was living just to keep moving forward.

Going just to be sane
He was always on the go to keep himself grounded.

All the while live knowing
Throughout this time he was always aware of something.

Such a shame
He is expressing disappointment with his past behavior.

I don't need to get steady
He no longer needs to constantly move forward to feel sane.

I know just how I feel
He knows what he wants and how to express himself.

Telling you to be ready
He is advising this person to be prepared for what's to come.

My dear
A term of affection used to address this person.