His music is typically labeled as power pop, though he doesn't completely agree. His major musical influences include The Cars, David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock, Paul McCartney, and Todd Rundgren.
His debut album, One Mississippi, was released in 1996 on Virgin Records. The album featured several contributions with Jason Falkner and gained many favourable reviews in the music press but failed to sell in sufficient numbers and Benson was dropped by Virgin.
It would be another six years until Benson issued the follow-up, Lapalco. Again the critical plaudits poured in but this time the record enjoyed a certain degree of commercial success.
While touring this record Benson played the Reading and Leeds Festivals and finished his Leeds set with a performance of the track "Jet Lag" featuring guest appearances from Meg White of The White Stripes along with members of The Datsuns and Soledad Brothers.
In 2003 Benson re-released his debut album along with bonus tracks including the unreleased six track extended player, Welfed Boy EP, featuring songs from a demo session with Falkner.
Also in 2003, Benson released an EP, Metarie, with his then band, The Wellfed Boys. The EP featured a cover of Paul McCartney's "Let Me Roll It". This was the first song written completely by another artist to be featured on a Benson release. Another cover, this time "Strong Boy", from Gram Parsons International Submarine Band's 1968 album, Safe at Home, was released as a b-side in 2005.
In 2005, Benson released his third album, The Alternative to Love, and toured extensively in the US, UK and Europe with his new touring band, The Stiff Tissues.
Benson is also a member of The Raconteurs, a collaboration with Jack White of The White Stripes and two members of The Greenhornes, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler. The group's debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, was released in the US on May 16th, 2006, with "Steady, As She Goes" the first single.
Brendan currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
He has also worked as a producer for The Greenhornes, The Nice Device, The Mood Elevator (a permutation of The Welfed Boys), and Stiff Tissues member Dean Fertita's former band, The Waxwings.
In 2008, his song "What I'm Looking For" was used in an Apple iPod Touch television ad, propelling sales of that particular song on iTunes and other online music retailers.
Benson's fourth full-length record, My Old, Familiar Friend, was released on August 18, 2009. This was followed by What Kind of World (2012), and You Were Right (2013).
Keep Me
Brendan Benson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep me satisfied
Keep me coming back for more
Keep me on a leash
Keep me close at heart
Keep me face down on the floor
Keep me guessing, baby
Keep me in the dark Keep me under lock and key
Keep me anyway you want
Just don't ever set me free
Keep me buzzin', baby
Keep me company
Keep me hangin' on the line
Keep me out of reach
Keep me out of site
But always keepin' me in mind
Keep me on the shelf
Keep me under glass
If only just for show
Keep me anyway you want
But don't ever let me go
All of my life
All of the time
I've been cast out
Left out
Kicked to the curb
Only to hear a discouraging word
Keep me guessing, baby
Keep me in the dark
Keep me under lock and key Keep me anyway you want
Keep me just the way you want
Keep me anyway you want
Don't set me free
In Brendan Benson's song "Keep Me", the singer is asking to be kept by someone, even if it means being kept in the dark and under lock and key. The song's title refers to the singer's desire to be kept close and attended to consistently. He wants the other person to keep him occupied, to keep him satisfied, to always be on his mind, and to prevent him from leaving. The repetition of the phrase, "keep me," emphasizes the singer's need for control and stability in their relationship.
The lyrics convey a sense of insecurity and dependency that the singer feels in their relationship. The repetition of the phrase "keep me" illustrates the singer's desperation to be wanted and needed. The line "All of my life, all of the time I've been cast out" suggests a history of rejection and possibly trauma that has caused the singer to feel this way. The line "left out, kicked to the curb, only to hear a discouraging word" emphasizes the singer's feelings of abandonment and rejection, and how they have haunted him throughout his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep me busy, baby
Please engage me in activities, my beloved
Keep me satisfied
Ensure that I am fulfilled, my dear one
Keep me coming back for more
Make me want to return repeatedly, my sweetheart
Keep me on a leash
Retain control over my actions, my love
Keep me close at heart
Please keep me in your affections, my dear
Keep me face down on the floor
Please subdue and conquer me, my darling
Keep me guessing, baby
Leave me uncertain, my love
Keep me in the dark
Withhold information from me, my dear heart
Keep me under lock and key
Confine or restrict me, my beloved
Keep me anyway you want
Control and manage me, my treasure
Just don't ever set me free
Do not relinquish me, my precious one
Keep me buzzin', baby
Please keep me energized, my love
Keep me company
Be my companion, my dear heart
Keep me hangin' on the line
Leave me indeterminate, my sweetheart
Keep me out of reach
Do not allow me to be accessible, my treasure
Keep me out of sight
Do not reveal me, my dear one
But always keepin' me in mind
However, always remember me, my love
Keep me on the shelf
Place me in a position where I can be preserved, my darling
Keep me under glass
Protect me from harm, my dear heart
If only just for show
Even if it's for appearances only, my love
Keep me just the way you want
Shape me in the way that pleases you, my heart's desire
But don't ever let me go
But do not abandon me, my true love
All of my life
Throughout my existence
All of the time
Without exception
I've been cast out
I've been ostracized
Left out
Ignored
Kicked to the curb
Rejected
Only to hear a discouraging word
And then be subjected to negative comments
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@brokenbricks5634
so fuckin good
@dasldh1
what is the name of brendan´s guitar?
@janislide945
Motorave belair
@thewindowisrusty
motor ave bel aire
@vbustamante-gg
Is that Watrous on the keys? he's really changed. or maybe is just the lack of a hat.
@iwillnevergetone5
the plaids