It's from their album El Camino (2011).
11. Mind Eraser
The Black Keys Lyrics
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I am the mind eraser
Anything goes, yeah, anything goes
Got this sin in her brain
But she ain't gonna see me again
See me again, this I know
But oh, deep down I can't let go
Oh, don't let it be over, over oh
Oh, don't let it be over, let it be over, over
Seen me stack up my woes
Into a wall, around a rose
Now I'm the rose, now she knows
Oh, it hurts so, and I can't let go
Oh, don't let it be over, over, oh
Oh, don't let it be over, let it be over, oh oh
Oh, don't let it be over, over
Oh, don't let it be over, let it be over, oh.
In "Mind Eraser," The Black Keys explore the idea of trying to forget someone after a failed relationship. The singer is struggling to move on after a lover leaves him, and envisions himself as a "mind eraser" who can wipe away all memories of her. He confesses that he knows it's not healthy to keep dwelling on the past, but he can't help himself. The repetition of the phrase "oh, don't let it be over" reveals his desperation and fear of being alone.
The middle verse of the song reveals that the singer's former lover has hurt him deeply, but she may not have even realized it. He likens his emotions to a "sin in her brain" that she is completely unaware of. He is tormented by the fact that he can't let go of his attachment to her, even though he knows deep down that it's time to move on. The final lines of the song express his intense longing to hold onto the relationship and his reluctance to completely let it go.
Overall, "Mind Eraser" captures the feeling of being stuck in the past and struggling to move on from a failed relationship. The Black Keys use powerful language to convey the singer's emotions and the internal conflict that he is dealing with.
Line by Line Meaning
When I need to replace her
When I need to find a new love to replace the one who left me
I am the mind eraser
I try to erase all the memories and feelings of my old love
Anything goes, yeah, anything goes
I am willing to try anything to forget and move on
Got this sin in her brain
She has a lot of bad thoughts and emotions towards me
But she ain't gonna see me again
I know I've hurt her too much for her to forgive me and give me another chance
See me again, this I know
I am aware that I messed up and lost her forever
But oh, deep down I can't let go
Although I know it's over, I still have strong feelings for her that I can't shake
Oh, don't let it be over, over oh
I am desperately hoping that somehow we can start again
Seen me stack up my woes
She has witnessed all the problems and troubles I have brought into the relationship
Into a wall, around a rose
I have built a wall around my vulnerability, but she was the one rose that could break through it
Now I'm the rose, now she knows
Now I am vulnerable and exposed, and she knows exactly how much she means to me
Oh, it hurts so, and I can't let go
The pain of losing her is unbearable, and I am struggling to move on or accept it
Oh, don't let it be over, over, oh
My desperation to salvage the relationship continues
Oh, don't let it be over, let it be over, oh oh
I am torn between wanting to hold on and knowing that it's time to let go
Oh, don't let it be over, over
My plea to the universe to change the outcome of our love story
Oh, don't let it be over, let it be over, oh.
My acknowledgment that I need to accept the end and begin the process of moving on
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DANIEL AUERBACH, BRIAN JOSEPH BURTON, PATRICK CARNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind