The single was released on March 7, 2019, making it the first new material by the band in nearly five years. The next day, the song was featured by CBS as the theme for its promotion and coverage of the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament along with a video of the Black Keys performing it in an airplane hangar. On March 14, 2019, the band announced a North American tour co-headlining with Modest Mouse.
The song written by band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney and was recorded in late 2018 at Easy Eye Sound in Nashville, Tennessee.
"Lo/Hi" was the Black Keys' first top-ten song on the Hot Rock Songs chart in nearly seven years, entering at number 34 in its first week before reaching number five the second week. The song collected 2.3 million streams and 8,000 digital downloads in its first week in the United States. The song made history by topping Billboard's Mainstream Rock, Adult Alternative Songs, Rock Airplay, and Alternative Songs charts simultaneously, making it the first time any song has reached number one on all four formats at once.
Lo/Hi
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down at the bar like a star in the howlin' rain
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
If you got
Nobody to hug you
No one to answer your prayer
You get low (low)
Like a valley
High (high)
Like a bird in the sky
You get low (low)
'Cause you're angry
Low
High
High
Low
One at a time
Get in line for the masquerade
Drink 'til you cry
And you're lying in the mess you made
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
Nobody to drug you
No one to hold back your hair
You get low (low)
Like a valley
High (high)
Like a bird in the sky
You get low (low)
'Cause you're angry
Low
High
High
Low
You get low (low)
Like a valley
High (high)
Like a bird in the sky
You get low (low)
'Cause you're angry
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
The lyrics to The Black Keys' song Lo/Hi speak of a person who is feeling stranded, lonely and disconnected from the world around them. The opening lines paint a picture of the person being lost and isolated, with no one to turn to for love or support. They are in a constant state of flux between feeling low and high. The chorus further emphasizes this by stating that they're getting low like a valley and high like a bird in the sky. The low and high points in the song can also represent the person's mental and emotional states- how they can feel both down and uplifted in different situations.
The second verse seems to suggest that the person is trying to fill this void with drinking and perhaps engaging in unhealthy behavior. They are trying to cope with their feelings of loneliness by participating in an imitation of a happy and sociable person. However, it ultimately leaves them in a worse place than before. The repetition of "low" and "high" emphasizes the cyclical nature of their emotional journey. The outro of the song shows the singer emphasizing the low and high aspects with the lyrics "low, high, high, low" repeated multiple times.
The overall interpretation of the song can be open to interpretation, but it seems to be about the complex emotions and cycles of highs and lows that people experience in life- both physically and emotionally.
Line by Line Meaning
Out on the land in the wind of a hurricane
Alone and in chaos
Down at the bar like a star in the howlin' rain
Hitting rock bottom
Nobody to love you
Feeling unloved
Nobody to care
Feeling uncared for
If you got
Nobody to hug you
Lacking affection
No one to answer your prayer
Having no one to turn to for help
You get low (low)
Sinking into despair
Like a valley
Feeling as low as the deepest valley
High (high)
Reaching a high
Like a bird in the sky
Flying high
You get low (low)
Sinking into despair
'Cause you're angry
Feeling angry and frustrated
One at a time
Taking things one step at a time
Get in line for the masquerade
Going along with society's expectations and hiding true emotions
Drink 'til you cry
Using alcohol to numb emotions
And you're lying in the mess you made
Feeling regret and shame for past actions
Nobody to drug you
Lacking support and guidance
No one to hold back your hair
Facing struggles alone
Low
Feeling down
High
Feeling hopeful
High
Reaching a high
Low
Feeling down
You get low (low)
Sinking into despair
Like a valley
Feeling as low as the deepest valley
High (high)
Reaching a high
Like a bird in the sky
Flying high
You get low (low)
Sinking into despair
'Cause you're angry
Feeling angry and frustrated
Low
Feeling down
High
Feeling hopeful
High
Reaching a high
Low
Feeling down
Low
Feeling down
High
Feeling hopeful
High
Reaching a high
Low
Feeling down
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Quine Auerbach, Patrick James Carney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jose Moya Galindo
[LYRICS]
Out on a limb
In the wind of a hurricane
Down at the bar
Like a star in the howlin’ rain
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
If you got nobody to hug you
No one to answer your prayer
You get low, like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you’re angry
Low high, high low
One at a time
Get in line for the masquerade
Drink till you cry
And you’re lying in the mess you made
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
Nobody to drug you
No one to hold back your hair
You get low, like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you’re angry
Low high, high low
You get low, Like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you’re angry
Low high, high low
Low high, high low
Low high, high low
Bruno Santos
Out on a limb
In the wind of a hurricane
Down at the bar
Like a star in the howlin' rain
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
If you got nobody to hug you
No one to answer your prayer
You get low, like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you're angry
Low high, high low
One at a time
Get in line for the masquerade
Drink till you cry
And you're lying in the mess you made
Nobody to love you
Nobody to care
Nobody to drug you
No one to hold back your hair
You get low, like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you're angry
Low high, high low
You get low, Like a valley
Then high, like a bird in the sky
You get low, cause you're angry
Low high, high low
Low high, high low
Low high, high low
Smokey McPot Productions
There’s something so familiar about The Black Keys. It’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything new, but listening to this for the first time I suddenly remember why I love this band so much. Looking forward to the new record!
Brian Miller
It's channeling the best part of Paul Rodgers' catalog
Pena.
If you like this take..chk out the one @'-www.black keys.co/much more 'up..better mix..!
Jose Arturo Mojica Correa
⁰0
ahuxley
cuz u love Home Depot
Smokey McPot Productions
Huh?
Matt Sipe
I'm convinced that these guys aren't capable of making bad music.
Michael S
Really? This song sucks lmao
Jul Kar 'Cerum
@Michael S you clearly dont have ears
TheSunKing
@Michael S - ur comment sucks but u know it right?