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.
Meet Me in the City
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And see everything's is so fine
We'll get together now, darlin'
Oh yes we will
We'll make everything alright
Now honey don't
Oh honey don't
Right now, right now
Oh no no no
You got me, baby
You got me, darlin'
You got me where you want me, baby
Girl, I know you are satisfied
Still begging you, baby
Don't leave me here
Please, please don't leave me
Right now baby, right now, right now
Oh no no no
The lyrics of The Black Keys's song "Meet Me in the City" invites the listener to join in on a bustling city adventure with a loved one, the "momma" referenced in the opening line. The upbeat tempo and slick guitar riffs create an energetic atmosphere, giving the impression that the city holds boundless opportunities for the pair. The singer sings the urgency of their presence, stating that all is "fine," but the listener gathers that they must be physically present to experience the good times. The repetition of "please, please don't leave me right now, baby," in the chorus adds an air of desperation, suggesting that the singer is afraid of being left behind or losing their companion.
The lines "You got me where you want me, baby / Girl, I know you are satisfied" explores the power dynamic between the two. The singer is willing to go along with the adventure their partner seeks, even if it's not exactly what they want. They're happy to be along for the ride as long as their partner is happy, and they're willing to beg for them to stay to maintain that happiness. The lyrics paint a picture of a dynamic couple, one that's willing to compromise for each other and pursue their desires together.
Line by Line Meaning
Meet me, oh momma, in the city
I want you to come meet me in the city, my dear
And see everything's is so fine
We'll explore the city and everything will seem wonderful
We'll get together now, darlin'
Let's unite and spend time together, my love
Oh yes we will
We'll surely do it, there's no doubt
We'll make everything alright
I'll ensure that everything is perfect
Now honey don't
Please don't do it, dear
Oh honey don't
I'm begging you, don't do it
Please, please don't leave me right now, baby
I'm pleading with you to not leave me at this moment, my dear
Right now, right now
I need you more than ever, right now
Oh no no no
It's really important that you don't leave me
You got me, baby
You have my heart, my love
You got me, darlin'
You have all of me, my dearest
You got me where you want me, baby
You have absolute control over my heart and feelings
Girl, I know you are satisfied
I know you are content with what we have
Still begging you, baby
Even though it seems you're happy, I'm still pleading with you
Don't leave me here
I don't want you to go away and leave me alone
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JUNIOR KIMBROUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kilamandzar
Meet me, oh momma, in the city
And see everything's is so fine
We'll get together now, darlin'
Oh yes we will
We'll make everything alright
Now honey don't
Oh honey don't
Please, please don't leave me right now, baby
Right now, right now
Oh no no no
You got me, baby
You got me, darlin'
You got me where you want me, baby
Girl, I know you are satisfied
Still begging you, baby
Don't leave me here
Please, please don't leave me
Right now baby, right now, right now
Oh no no no
@jaysongilsinger3529
junior kimbrough really brings out the best of the black keys
@strace67
fuckin a he does. He does that to most people
@bismuthcrystal9658
Hells yes. It's like his wife says on the album. They GET his music. They don't just ape it and they don't needlessly change it; they just put themselves into it as well.
@titobandito2884
I like the way you spun that.
@readyornothereicome5415
I'm a huge fan of both. I'd ne er have been fortunate enough to know about Kimbrough if the Black keys hadn't popularized this song in terms of views and hits. So than God for the BKeys, because Junior Kimbrough is as real as they come and a musical blessing to us all.
@desider7973
They need to do more junior covers
@davidradwick4822
This was the song. Dated my high school sweetie for 4 years, then it got rocky. We split up. She moved to the country, I was closer to the city. While trying to patch thing up, we used to meet in Ann Arbor every Saturday. Get dinner, hit a skatepark, and get stoned till the moon came up. This was the song. Things changed, she left me. Still wouldn’t take it all back for the world. That girl will always be in my heart. This is the song.
@typhans8284
Thanks for that ! I feel with you ! Timeless ... :-)
@CaptainGalli
I have a similar story. I won't get into it but after a big split she came to visit me in Toronto a few times before it was really over. That was about 8 years ago and man it took me a long time to look back and smile. Thanks for the comment
@MLHMODZ
Similar story, I will never forget those days.