Auerbach grew up in a family with musical roots. His second cousin once removed was the late guitarist Robert Quine, an American guitarist known for his innovative guitar solos. Auerbach became infatuated with blues music during his childhood after being exposed to old records by his father. Auerbach often uses an index finger fingerpick along with his thumb to play chords, a technique similar to many earlier blues players.
Formerly of the three piece Akron band The Barnburners from 2000 until 2002, Auerbach formed The Black Keys with drummer Patrick Carney.
Auerbach released a solo album - Keep It Hid - in 2009. Auerbach played most of the instruments on the album, with his cousin James Quine contributing rhythm guitar on two songs and harmony vocals on two more.
When I Left The Room
Dan Auerbach Lyrics
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Like I could do no wrong
I sang a happy tune
Her name was in my song
But now her eyes foretell
Only impending doom
And I just wanna know
We had a plan
That if we sacked away
We'd go and buy that place
Down in Santa Fe
Then some kids
Oh, they would follow soon
But I just gotta know
What she said when I left the room
Paranoia, heart destroyer
I feel like I could die
My mind is gone, 'cause you moved on
Still I don't know why
Voices in my head
Ring like a sonic boom
Oh I gotta know
What she said when I left the room
She left a year ago
With my record collection
Now all I have
Is my own reflection
I reckon, if she moved
Away to the moon
I'd still wanna know
What she said when I left the room
In the song “When I Left the Room,” Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys reflects on a past relationship that seems to have turned sour. The lyrics describe how the singer used to feel invincible in her company, but now the relationship has taken a dark turn and it feels like impending doom. He is plagued by paranoia and can’t seem to let go of the past. He is haunted by the thought of what his former partner might have said about him after he left the room.
The lyrics capture the feelings of insecurity and confusion that often come after a breakup. It’s a common experience to wonder what your ex is saying about you when you’re not around. The singer seems almost helpless in the face of his emotions, unable to stop the constant questioning and self-doubt. The sadness and longing that permeate the song give it a melancholic tone, but it also provides an interesting glimpse into the human psyche and the way we deal with loss and heartbreak.
The song showcases Auerbach’s talents as both a songwriter and a vocalist. The slow, bluesy pace of the music adds to the heavy feel of the lyrics, and his soulful singing brings the emotions of the song to the forefront. The use of repetition, such as the repeated line “I just gotta know what she said when I left the room,” amplifies the sense of obsession and turmoil that the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
She used to make me feel
Like I could do no wrong
I had a girl who made me feel like everything I did was perfect
I sang a happy tune
Her name was in my song
I was so happy with her that I even included her name in the songs that I wrote
But now her eyes foretell
Only impending doom
Her eyes now suggest that something bad is going to happen
And I just wanna know
What she said when I left the room
I'm curious to know what she says about me when I'm not around
We had a plan
That if we sacked away
We'd go and buy that place
Down in Santa Fe
We had planned to save money and buy a house in Santa Fe
Then some kids
Oh, they would follow soon
But I just gotta know
What she said when I left the room
We planned to have children, but I'm still curious about what she says behind my back
Paranoia, heart destroyer
I feel like I could die
My mind is gone, 'cause you moved on
Still I don't know why
I feel intense paranoia and heartbreak, and I don't understand why she moved on
Voices in my head
Ring like a sonic boom
Oh I gotta know
What she said when I left the room
I can't stop thinking about what she says about me and it's consuming me like a loud noise
She left a year ago
With my record collection
Now all I have
Is my own reflection
She left me a year ago and took my record collection, leaving me with nothing but my own thoughts
I reckon, if she moved
Away to the moon
I'd still wanna know
What she said when I left the room
Even if she moved far away, I would still want to know what she says about me when she thinks I'm not listening
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL AUERBACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind