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.
Modern Times
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But they don't care at all
They're going to ease your pain and sorrow
But we heard the same before
All my loving friends
Taking nothing home
And I can't be the one
All their homes are broken
And what are they going to do?
There's no magic potion
Their lying days are through
Love and lust
Go hand-in-hand
Everything turn to dust
In our promised land
Take the well-dressed man
And watch him pass you by
Work your life away
Make me want to cry
In these modern times
Oh oh oh
I'm going to scream it on a mountain
To every valley wide
It's all your money they're counting
And to your face they lie
Put on your work boots, mama
And your morning gown
Twelve men dead today
They're already in the ground
See the well-dressed man
Watch him pass you by
Work your life away
Make me want to cry
In these modern times
In these modern times
In these modern times
Oh
The opening lines of The Black Keys' song Modern Times reflect the apathy of those in power towards the concerns of the common man. The decision-makers might have well-intentioned plans of easing people's pain and sorrows, but these promises have been made before with little follow-through. The overall message of the song seems to be one of disillusionment with the system and frustration with the status quo. The song suggests that those in power are too busy counting money and advancing their own interests instead of addressing the critical issues faced by the masses. The lyrics also highlight the poignancy of a world where people take nothing home, and their homes are broken.
The song's middle section contrasts love and lust and alludes to the fleeting nature of everything, ultimately destined to turn to dust. The overall arc of the song seems to suggest that in these modern times, humanity has fundamentally lost its way. The lyrics speak to the struggles of hardworking people who labor endlessly to make ends meet while the wealthy stroll by in their well-dressed finery, indifferent to the plight of others. The imagery of the twelfth man who died and whose grave is already dug seems to highlight the harsh realities of a world where survival can be brutally challenging. The culmination of the song is a vocalized expression of the singer's exasperation with the system and his yearning for change.
Overall, The Black Keys' song Modern Times examines the disillusionment and disconnection with society prevalent in a modern, consumer-driven world. The lyrics paint a picture of people whose lives are rife with struggle, apathy from those in charge, and a feeling that things are irreparably broken. The song's somber mood and melancholy tone reflect a pervasive sense of hopelessness felt by people struggling to get ahead in an unsympathetic world.
Line by Line Meaning
They're going to get to it tomorrow
Procrastination reigns supreme - things can always wait until tomorrow
But they don't care at all
Despite promises, they have no genuine concern
They're going to ease your pain and sorrow
The solution to all problems is always just around the corner
But we heard the same before
The rhetoric is the same every time and has become tiresome
All my loving friends
The people I care for most
Taking nothing home
Despite all efforts, they have nothing to show for their labors
And I can't be the one
I cannot burden them with my troubles on top of their own
To lay troubles on
It would be unfair to add to their already heavy load
All their homes are broken
The people closest to me are struggling in their personal lives
And what are they going to do?
The future seems uncertain and fraught with challenges
There's no magic potion
There are no easy fixes or solutions
Their lying days are through
Their deceitful ways have finally been exposed and will no longer be tolerated
Love and lust
Strong emotions that often lead to trouble
Go hand-in-hand
They are closely intertwined and difficult to separate
Everything turn to dust
All things eventually come to an end
In our promised land
A reference to the American dream and the idea that hard work will lead to success
Take the well-dressed man
The appearance of success can be deceiving
And watch him pass you by
Sometimes, success is just a matter of luck or circumstance
Work your life away
The endless cycle of work and little reward
Make me want to cry
The situation is so bleak that it is emotionally overwhelming
In these modern times
A commentary on the state of society and the struggles people face
I'm going to scream it on a mountain
A desperate attempt to make the world see the truth
To every valley wide
So that everyone can hear and understand
It's all your money they're counting
People in power only care about money and profits
And to your face they lie
They are not truthful and will say whatever it takes to get what they want
Put on your work boots, mama
A call to action - it's time to get to work and make a change
And your morning gown
Even in the face of adversity, we must maintain our dignity and grace
Twelve men dead today
Referencing a tragic event - death and loss are pervasive
They're already in the ground
Their fate is sealed and there is no going back
See the well-dressed man
Reinforcing the idea that appearances can be deceiving
Watch him pass you by
The unfairness of life and how some people seem to have all the luck
In these modern times
The struggles and hardships faced in the present day are particularly challenging
In these modern times
The same line is repeated to emphasize the point
In these modern times
One final time to drive home the message
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL QUINE AUERBACH, PATRICK JAMES CARNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind