They released their first album, The Big Come Up, in 2002, followed by Thickfreakness in 2003, and Rubber Factory in 2004. October 2005 saw the release of the DVD Live, recorded live at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia March 18, 2005. In 2006 they released Magic Potion, as well as the lesser-known Chulahoma and a single version of Your Touch.
One of their trademarks is their preference for simple, lo-fi recording techniques. They refuse to use big-name studios, and do most recording, producing, and mixing themselves. Most of Thickfreakness was recorded in about 14 hours in Carney's basement, using only an early 80's Tascam 388 8-track recorder. Often, their recordings still have background noises (such as an owl hooting).
The Black Keys have achieved increasing critical acclaim and recognition since their debut album, which itself received praise from Rolling Stone magazine. Time magazine named them one of the "10 Best Acts of 2003" (behind OutKast and The White Stripes). They have supported a number of bands: they toured with Sleater-Kinney in 2003, had a short stint opening for Beck, have recently opened for Radiohead on the American leg of their brief 2006 tour, and performed at Lollapalooza in 2005 and 2007. In addition to this, they were also well-liked by influential British radio DJ John Peel and appeared on both Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Late Show with David Letterman. Famous followers of the band include Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammet. Matt Helders, drummer for the Arctic Monkeys, can be seen in a Black Keys T-Shirt in an interview on MTV's RAW.
Their song "When the Lights Go Out" was featured in the 2007 film Black Snake Moan, and also on the soundtrack for that movie. The Black Keys were included in the soundtrack of the 2003 movie School of Rock with their song, "Set You Free". "Lies" was featured in the conclusion of the February 4, 2009 episode of Lie to Me. One of their songs, "Girl Is on My Mind", was used in a 2006 Sony Ericsson advertisement, starring the tennis players Ana Ivanović and Daniela Hantuchová, gaining the band more commercial recognition. It was also used in a 2006 Victoria's Secret commercial featuring Heidi Klum and could be heard in the movies Rest Stop and Cashback. Their song "10 am Automatic" was used in the video game MLB '06: The Show, The O.C., The Go-Getter, and was also used in a 2007 American Express commercial starring Shaun White. "Your Touch" was featured in a 2007 Lee's jeans commercial, and can be heard both in an episode of NBC's Friday Night Lights and in an episode of "Eastbound and Down". Their cover "Grown So Ugly" can be heard in the background of the going away party in the 2007 film Cloverfield. "Strange Times" is used in Grand Theft Auto IV on the in-game radio station Radio Broker. "Strange Times" can also be heard during a preview for ABC's The Mole, and the trailer for season three of the Showtime series Dexter, as well as a promo for Gossip Girl. Their song "Just Got To Be" is used on the soundtrack for the video game NHL 08, and "Hard Row" is featured in the premiere episode of the FX show Sons of Anarchy. Sons of Anarchy has gone on to use "Keep Me" in both Episodes 6 and 7, as well as "Busted" in episode 7. The song "Lies" is featured in the advertising campaign for the third season of HBO's Big Love. "The Breaks" can be heard in Guy Ritchie' film RocknRolla. "Your Touch" can also be heard in the HBO series "Entourage" in the episode "Manic Monday", during the opening scenes. The song "Psychotic Girl" is featured the episode "Messin' with the Kid" in season 6 of One Tree Hill. "I'll Be Your Man" is the opening theme song for the HBO show Hungand was also featured in an episode of the FX Network show Rescue Me. "Your Touch" can also be heard in the film Zombieland and in an episode of "Eastbound and Down" on HBO. The song "I Got Mine" has been used in HBO's sports reality series 24/7 Pacquiao-Hatton" [13] as well as background music for the 2009 American League Championship Series. The song "Next Girl" is featured in the in game radio of Saints Row the Third.
Their fourth record that Danger Mouse produced Attack & Release was out April 1st 2008. The duo's fifth album is the first one recorded in a proper studio.
The Band's fifth album, "Brothers" was released in spring 2010 and has seen increasing amounts of exposure to the "Dancing T-Rex" video for the song "Tighten Up" that went viral...until the band asked it to be removed because they felt it made light of their music. A proper video was released later in 2010, featuring Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney at a playground and was pushed on the band's official YouTube channel, as well as through the iTunes and Zune marketplaces. The track "Tighten Up" was also used as the background music for a Subaru Legacy commercial and on the FIFA 2011 Soundtrack.
The Black Keys' seventh studio album, "El Camino," was released on the 6th of December 2011. Co-produced by Danger Mouse, the album was released to critical acclaim, receiving positive reviews from The Rolling Stones, NME and more. Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly commented on "El Camino", saying that "El Camino trades the soulful stylings of Brothers for harder-driving, faster-riffing rock & roll". At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, El Camino won the award for Best Rock Album, while "Lonely Boy" received multiple honors, taking 'Best Rock Performance' and 'Best Rock Song'. The album has sold 1.4 million copies in the United States to date.
The Black Keys' eighth studio album, Turn Blue, was released on May 12, 2014 to generally favorable reviews.
It’s Up to You Now
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's okay, it's up to you now
It got so bad to where I wouldn't allow
But no more, it's up to you now
Let you go so you could go
Go to town
It's up to you now
You smoke cigarettes and you act like a clown if you want
It's up to you now
You do what you like and now you wonder why they're gone
It's up to you now
Let you go so you could go
Let you go so you could go
It's up to you now
The Black Keys' song "It's Up to You Now" is a track about the strain of a relationship and the strength it takes to move on, whether it be through the other person's ability to love or the power to let them go. The lyrics tell the story of someone who has given up on a relationship after it got so bad they couldn't bear it anymore. They had been waiting for their partner to love them in the way they deserved, but couldn't keep waiting any longer. The title serves as an empowering message to the other person that it's their turn to step up and make a change, for better or for worse. The song ends on a note of determination and decisiveness, with the singer letting go of their partner and emphasizing that it's now up to them to make the next move.
The verses are structured in a repetitive manner, with similar lyrics sung twice in a row. This repetition emphasizes the frustration and hopelessness of the situation, and perhaps highlights the singer's lack of options. However, the chorus refuses to be redundant, changing slightly to fit each new situation presented. This reflects the singer's increasing agency in the situation and their willingness to take control.
It's worth noting the repeated line "let you go so you could go," which could suggest that the singer is freeing their partner from a situation that was harming them both. Another interesting aspect of the song could be the choice of the word "clown." It could be interpreted in different ways - as someone who is entertaining and lighthearted, or as a character who is playing a role and not being true to themselves. Overall, "It's Up to You Now" is a poignant and reflective track from The Black Keys that speaks to the nuances of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
You wanted to love, but you didn't know how
You desired to love someone, but lacked knowledge on how to truly love them.
That's okay, it's up to you now
It's alright, you have the power to take control of your situation now.
It got so bad to where I wouldn't allow
Things got so bad that I could no longer tolerate the situation.
But no more, it's up to you now
But that's in the past, it's time for you to take responsibility for your actions now.
Let you go so you could go
I allowed you to leave, so you could pursue other things.
Go to town
Do what you want, without any limitations.
You smoke cigarettes and you act like a clown if you want
You can smoke or behave in any way you please, without any restrictions.
It's up to you now
You are responsible for the decisions you make from now on.
You do what you like and now you wonder why they're gone
You did things your way, and now you're wondering why the people you cared for are no longer around.
Let you go so you could go
I released you from our situation, so you could pursue other things.
Let you go so you could go
I let you go so you could be free to follow your own path.
It's up to you now
You have agency over your life and the choices you make will shape your future.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind