The Black Keys is a two-man blues-rock group from Akron, Ohio, United State… Read Full Bio ↴The Black Keys is a two-man blues-rock group from Akron, Ohio, United States which formed in 2001, consisting of singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. The band name was inspired by a schizophrenic artist and friend in Akron, who used the term "black keys" to describe things he disliked or people he did not trust. The Black Keys have roots in traditional blues and psychedelic rock stylings.

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.

Things Ain't Like They Used To Be
The Black Keys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Went around the way for you
Did all the things you asked me to
I thought it was the perfect day
To see just open love to say

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see

Things ain't like they used to be

I headed out to Lester Hill
But that just made me weaker still
She's got the kind of love I need
The kind that's never good on me

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
Things ain't like they used to be

Walked into the battle blind
It happens almost all the time
The yard is kinda overgrown
And all those happy times are gone

But it doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me
And it's about time you see
That things ain't like they used to be

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It doesn't mean a thing to me

And it's about time you see
Things ain't like they used to be

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Black Keys's song Things Ain't Like They Used To Be explore the theme of change and the realization that things are not as they once were. The singer in the song expresses an effort to please someone they care about, even going out of their way to do everything they were requested to do. However, despite their efforts, they come to the realization that it doesn't matter, as things have changed and are no longer the same as they used to be. The conflict lies in the singer's struggle to come to terms with this change and to move on from what once was.

The lyrics come to this realization after many attempts to see what was once there. The singer goes to Lester Hill, hoping to find solace, but only ends up feeling weaker. They enter the battle blind, not knowing what to expect, and find that things are not the same as they used to be. They come across overgrown yards and remember happy times that are now gone. The repetitive phrase, "It doesn't mean a thing to me," emphasizes the acceptance of this new reality and the futility of going back to how things once were.

Ultimately, the song conveys the message that life is constantly changing, and it's essential to embrace the present moment rather than dwell on the past. The singer acknowledges that things change, and it's time to move on and accept the new reality they are facing.

Line by Line Meaning

Went around the way for you
I did everything in my power to help you

Did all the things you asked me to
I fulfilled all your requests

I thought it was the perfect day
I felt like everything was going well

To see just open love to say
To express my feelings honestly

It doesn't mean a thing to me
It has no value or significance for me

And it's about time you see
You need to realize

Things ain't like they used to be
Times have changed and things are not the same as before

I headed out to Lester Hill
I went to a place where I thought I could find what I needed

But that just made me weaker still
But it only made me more vulnerable

She's got the kind of love I need
She has the love that I desire

The kind that's never good on me
But it never works out for me in the end