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Sinister Kid
The Black Keys Lyrics


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Well the crooks are out
And the streets are gray
You know I wouldn't have it any other way, yeah
Your mother's words, they're, they're ringing still
But your mother don't pay our bills, yeah

A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be

I got a tortured mind
And my blade is sharp
A bad combination in the dark
If I kill a man in the first degree
Baby would you, would you flee with me?

Yeah, a sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be

A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be

Overall Meaning

In "Sinister Kid," The Black Keys explore the idea of a person who is inherently troubled, a "sinister kid" who is seemingly destined for a life of darkness and misdeeds. The opening verse sets the tone, painting a picture of a world where danger lurks on every corner, and a person's survival instincts must be sharp to make it through. The singer of the song is someone who has internalized this sense of danger and developed a "tortured mind" as a result.


The chorus of the song introduces the titular concept of the "sinister kid," who the singer sees as someone who is fated to meet their maker (i.e., to die) because of their dangerous tendencies. This "drop" that spreads from the day they're born is an indication that they are inherently troubled, with a "broken halo" that suggests that they're not quite good enough to be fully pure or innocent.


Throughout the song, there's a sense of fatalistic inevitability: the singer is someone who has accepted his dark fate and sees himself as being in cahoots with the devil. The question the song raises is whether or not his love interest will join him on this path, fleeing with him even if he ends up committing murder. The song feels like a snapshot of someone who has fully embraced their dark side, simultaneously rejecting and reveling in the societal norms that have been imposed on them.


Line by Line Meaning

Well the crooks are out
The people with bad intentions are roaming around


And the streets are gray
The environment is dull and depressing


You know I wouldn't have it any other way, yeah
But personally, the singer likes this kind of atmosphere


Your mother's words, they're, they're ringing still
The memory of your mother's advice still lingers in your mind


But your mother don't pay our bills, yeah
But ultimately, practical needs and desires outweigh parental guidance


A sinister kid is a kid who
The term 'sinister kid' refers to a person who


Runs to meet his maker
Willingly and eagerly seeks death or danger


A drop that spreads from the day he's born
This trait has been present since this person's birth


Straight into his maker's arms
He is ready to meet his fate, even if it leads to death


And that's me, that's me
The singer is describing himself as a sinister kid


The boy with the broken halo
Despite being labeled sinful or evil, the singer still has some goodness within him


The devil won't let me be
The singer feels trapped or entangled in malevolent forces that won't let him go


I got a tortured mind
The singer is experiencing mental anguish and unrest


And my blade is sharp
The singer is equipped with a dangerous weapon


A bad combination in the dark
These two factors can lead to destructive behavior


If I kill a man in the first degree
The singer has the potential for deadly actions


Baby would you, would you flee with me?
The singer is asking if someone would follow him even in the midst of danger or chaos




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Auerbach, Patrick Carney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Jesus-un8ok

🅻🆈🆁🅸🅲🆂
Well the crooks are out
And the streets are gray
You know I wouldn't have it any other way, yeah
Your mother's words, they're, they're ringing still
But your mother don't pay our bills, yeah
A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be
I got a tortured mind
And my blade is sharp
A bad combination in the dark
If I kill a man in the first degree
Baby would you, would you flee with me?
Yeah, a sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be
A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his maker
A drop that spreads from the day he's born
Straight into his maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be



@willmach

Well, the crooks are out
And the streets are gray
You know I wouldn't have it
Any other way

Your mother's words
They're ringing still
But your mother don't
Pay our bills

A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his Maker
A drop dead sprint from the day he's born
Straight into his Maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be

I got a tortured mind
And my blade is sharp
A bad combination
In the dark

If I kill a man
In the first degree
Baby would you
Flee with me?

A sinister kid is a kid who
Runs to meet his Maker
A drop dead sprint from the day he's born
Straight into his Maker's arms
And that's me, that's me
The boy with the broken halo
That's me, that's me
The devil won't let me be



All comments from YouTube:

@NinaWTF

Such a banger, even 10 years after.

@neocenobyte

Yes it is! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

@jacklecallohan3964

Do they have songs that aren't bangers ?? LoL , god I love all the black keys music . Even Dan's solo stuff is dang good.

@hemulik.8117

Two guys who have never made a bad song... damn you two.. I don't complain though, I just enjoy !!!! 😎

@fortunateson8352

Tuuuuune... I first heard this on one of EA sports fight night boxing games. Absolutely fantastic and love the black keys !!!!!

@TheAlmightyClipse

Who would've thought I'd buy EA Fight Night Champion for the first time in 2021, hearing this for the first time on said game, and the 10 year anniversary of Brothers dropping.... The stars have aligned!!! Illuminati confirmed...

@AndynatorHD

This game is so great! I miss new boxing games apart from Ufc

@AndynatorHD

I came here because of Hawaii Five 0 Episode 1

@randomguy6830

I knew i had heard this song somewhere and i thought this was a hit cus it's a banger wtf!

@timothy4011

I used this song for my boxers entrance when I still played lol. How’s the online presence now? Do people still play often?

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