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.
These Days
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After all, look what we've been through
Men come in different shades
That's how we're made
The little house on Ellis Drive
Is where I felt most alive
The oak tree covered that old Ford
I miss it Lord
I miss it Lord
These blood red eyes
Don't see so good
But what's worse is if they could?
Would I change my ways?
Wasted times and broken dreams
Violent colors so obscene
It's all I see these days
These days
Watch what you say, the devil is listenin'
He's got ears that you wouldn't believe
And brother once you go to him
It's your soul you can never, never, never retrieve
These blood red eyes
Don't see so good
But what's worse is if they could?
Would I change my ways?
Wasted times and broken dreams
Violent colors so obscene
It's all I see these days
These days
The opening lines of the song “My hand to God, I didn’t mean to/After all, look what we’ve been through/Men come in different shades/ That’s how we’re made” immediately set the tone for a song that deals with regret and culpability. The singer seems to be apologizing for something that they did not intend to do but still had a negative impact on their life. The next few lines describe a sentimental attachment to a location, the little house on Ellis Drive, where the singer felt most alive. The oak tree that covered the old Ford car suggests a comforting, peaceful environment. In the following lines, the singer reveals that they have blood-red eyes, indicating that they may be struggling with alcohol or drug abuse.
The lines “Watch what you say, the devil is listenin’/ He’s got ears that you wouldn’t believe/ And brother once you go to him/ It’s your soul you can never, never, never retrieve” suggest that the singer may be grappling with feelings of guilt and regret, and that they may feel as though they have made a deal with the devil. The song ends with the singer reflecting on their wasted time and broken dreams, and the “violent colors so obscene” that characterize the singer’s present. The overall mood of the song is one of melancholy and regret, with the singer acknowledging their own culpability while also hinting at the possibility of redemption.
Overall, “These Days” by The Black Keys is a poignant reflection on regret and the consequences of one’s actions. The singer seems to be coming to terms with the negative impact of their own behavior and acknowledging the importance of accountability and regaining control. The song features hauntingly beautiful lyrics and a powerful vocal performance from singer Dan Auerbach.
Line by Line Meaning
My hand to God, I didn't mean to
I swear to God that I did not intend to do what I did
After all, look what we've been through
Considering everything we've been through together
Men come in different shades
Males come in various colors or variations
That's how we're made
It's just how we were created/constructed
The little house on Ellis Drive
That small home located on Ellis Drive
Is where I felt most alive
I experienced the greatest sense of liveliness there
The oak tree covered that old Ford
The oak tree was draped over that old Ford vehicle
I miss it Lord
I miss that, dear Lord
These blood red eyes
My eyes that are red like blood
Don't see so good
My vision is not that great
But what's worse is if they could?
However, it would be even worse if I could see clearly
Would I change my ways?
Would I do things differently?
Wasted times and broken dreams
Times that were squandered and dreams that were shattered
Violent colors so obscene
Bright colors that are extremely distasteful or distressing
It's all I see these days
It's the only thing I see these days
Watch what you say, the devil is listenin'
Be cautious about what you say, the devil is paying attention
He's got ears that you wouldn't believe
He possesses hearing abilities that are hard to comprehend
And brother once you go to him
And friend, if you go to him
It's your soul you can never, never, never retrieve
You will never, never, never be able to recover your soul
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Quine Auerbach, Patrick James Carney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carla Ann
My hand to God, I didn't mean to
After all, look what we've been through
Men come in different shades
That's how we're made
The little house on Ellis Drive
Is where I felt most alive
The oak tree covered that old Ford
I miss it Lord, I miss it Lord
These blood red eyes
Don't see so good
But what's worse is if they could
Would I change my ways?
Wasted times and broken dreams
Violent colors so obscene
It's all I see these days
These days
Watch what you say, the devil is listening
He's got ears that you wouldn't believe
And brother once you go to him
It's your soul you can never, never retrieve
These blood red eyes
Don't see so good
But what's worse is if they could
Would I change my ways?
Wasted times and broken dreams
Violent colors so obscene
It's all I see these days
These days
These days
All I see these days
All I see these days
All I see
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Auerbach Daniel / Carney Patrick
zach o'hearn
This song has gotten me through some of the toughest times in my life, right now being one of them.
Jesse James
I heard that , I just listened to it on repeat about 30 times
Thephuckmaster
U think youre the only one.. think again brotha!!
KingEdwardMMVIII
5 months have passed and I really hope things have gotten better for you, Zach.
TotalHealthConnections
Same brother
Rafael Caracheo
Hang in there man. You got it . Trust me.
Eris Norr Vandt
I will never get tired of this song.
Conor Harrigan
This song has always been and will always be the song that should have been a hit...
Travis Lewis
Reminds me of a place called laveen az.
Sidney_Rose_Wade
But in a way I love that whoever has Found their way to this hidden gem is someone who loves and appreciates good music you know?