Tighten Up
LIVING ROOM - The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Most of all, most of all
Someone said true love was dead
And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall
For you
Oh, what can I do?
Yeah
Lovin' you, baby child
Tighten up on your reins
You're runnin' wild, runnin' wild
It's true
Sick for days, so many ways
I'm achin' now, I'm achin' now
It's times like these I need relief
Please show me how, oh, show me how
To get right
Yes, out of sight
When I was young and moving fast
Nothin' slowed me down, oh, slowed me down
Now I let the others pass
I've come around, oh, come around
'Cause I've found
Livin' just to keep goin'
Goin' just to be sane
All the while not knowin'
Such a shame
I don't need to get steady
I know just how I feel
Tellin' you to be ready
My dear
In the first verse of “Tighten Up,” the Black Keys frontman, Dan Auerbach, sings about his desire for love. But it’s not just any kind of love that he wants, he wants true love. He admits that someone once told him that true love was dead, and he’s worried that he might fall for someone who doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. In the chorus, he pleads with the person he’s singing to not run away from his love.
In the second verse, Auerbach sings about his physical and emotional pain. He’s been sick for days and is desperate for relief. He reminisces about his younger, faster years when nothing could slow him down. But now he’s content to let life pass him by and has found comfort in a steady love.
The final verse is more reflective as Auerbach muses on the concept of living life just to keep going. He acknowledges that he doesn’t always know what he’s doing, but he knows how he feels. He tells his loved one to be ready because he’s not going to slow down any time soon.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted love, I needed love
I was in search of love, I was desperate for love.
Most of all, most of all
Above all, the one thing that I desired the most was love.
Someone said true love was dead
I came across people who mentioned that true love no longer exists.
And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall
I'm likely to fall for someone despite acknowledging the outcomes of love.
For you
I'm head over heels for you.
Oh, what can I do?
I feel helpless in this situation.
Take my badge but my heart remains
I may lose my authority or badge, but my feelings for you remain intact.
Lovin' you, baby child
I'm deeply in love with you, my dear.
Tighten up on your reins
Please control your wild behavior and stay committed to our relationship.
You're runnin' wild, runnin' wild
You're acting recklessly, and that scares me.
It's true
This is indeed what's happening.
Sick for days, so many ways
I'm emotionally and physically drained, and it's affecting me in many different ways.
I'm achin' now, I'm achin' now
I'm in severe distress, and it's manifesting as physical pain.
It's times like these I need relief
During moments like these, I crave a sense of comfort.
Please show me how, oh, show me how
I'm pleading with you to demonstrate a way I can find relief from this anguish.
To get right
To find a way to recover and feel better.
Yes, out of sight
Yes, it's possible for me to get better and recover from this emotional turmoil.
When I was young and moving fast
In my youth, I was moving forward at breakneck speed.
Nothin' slowed me down, oh, slowed me down
Nothing could halt my progress, not even love.
Now I let the others pass
Nowadays, I don't mind if others get ahead of me.
I've come around, oh, come around
I've changed my ways and am more receptive to love now.
'Cause I've found
I've discovered that love is worth it, and it can slow me down in a good way.
Livin' just to keep goin'
I'm merely existing to keep going forward in life.
Goin' just to be sane
I keep moving forward to keep myself sane.
All the while not knowin'
I'm doing all this without knowing why.
Such a shame
It's lamentable that I'm living this way.
I don't need to get steady
I don't need to be grounded or stabilized in this situation.
I know just how I feel
I'm very aware of my emotions and how I feel about you.
Tellin' you to be ready
I'm letting you know to be prepared for my love and affection.
My dear
An affectionate way of addressing someone you love.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Quine Auerbach, Patrick James Carney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theblackkeys
Brothers Deluxe Remastered 10th Anniversary Edition is available in North America on December 18, 2020 & internationally on January 1, 2021.
Pre-order the 7” box set or 2-LP set or CD here: http://smarturl.it/TheBlackKeysBrothers
@Anarchy_Shark
got to love the way they combine child like inocence and girl troubles. truely a master peice.
@Badass392
Man those kids have deep voices
@haydenspears19
man buddy holly and ron weasley with a beard make some good music
@yassarout
Black Keys you're the proof that there's still some good music out there.
@MaeChristabel
I'm in love with The Black Keys. I introduced them to my boyfriend, he is now also in love with them. Our relationship has been amazing since.
@xbartndrgrl
I heard this on the radio last night while driving home super late- and I almost ran into the curb. Their sound is reminiscent of rock and old soul; something rarely heard in today's music. This song tugs at your soul. Thanks so much for making it.
@Qrocknrollfreak13
"Living just to keep going, going just to be sane" One of the best lines of the whole song
@LiamCrowley1990
I remember seeing this video when it had about 4,000 views, I'm so happy they broke through, they deserve it so much, this album is absolutely awesome.
@1luigy2
Nice Parents