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.
Tighten Up
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Most of all, most of all
Someone said true love was dead
And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall
For you
Oh, what can I do?
Yeah
Lovin' you, baby child
Tighten up on your reins
You're runnin' wild, runnin' wild
It's true
Sick for days, so many ways
I'm achin' now, I'm achin' now
It's times like these I need relief
Please show me how, oh, show me how
To get right
Yes, out of sight
When I was young and moving fast
Nothin' slowed me down, oh, slowed me down
Now I let the others pass
I've come around, oh, come around
'Cause I've found
Livin' just to keep goin'
Goin' just to be sane
All the while not knowin'
Such a shame
I don't need to get steady
I know just how I feel
Tellin' you to be ready
My dear
The lyrics of The Black Keys' song Tighten Up speak about the singer's desire and need for love in their life, as they feel it is the most important thing they could have. The singer's worries stem from the word on the street that true love no longer exists, which is something they struggle to come to terms with. However, they cannot help but fall for the person they're singing to. The verse "Take my badge but my heart remains, lovin' you, baby child" signifies the singer's willingness to give up anything as long as their partner remains in their life. The singer also acknowledges that their partner is wild and needs to be reigned in, hence the line "tighten up on your reins; you're runnin' wild, runnin' wild."
The singer then goes on to talk about their current state, where they have been unwell and need relief. They are in search of a way to feel better and "get right," which could be interpreted as a reference to getting back to their former self. The lyric "when I was young and moving fast, nothin' slowed me down, oh, slowed me down" highlights how the singer has gotten older and things have changed. They now see the value in slowing down and enjoying a more leisurely pace of life. The song concludes with the singer telling their partner to get ready as they make their way towards a more stable and committed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted love, I needed love
The singer desired and required love
Most of all, most of all
Above all else, it was what he needed the most
Someone said true love was dead
A person had said that genuine love is nonexistent
And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall
Despite that, the singer is destined to fall in love
For you
For the person he is addressing in the song
Oh, what can I do?
He is pondering what he can do in this love situation
Take my badge but my heart remains
The singer may lose everything, but he still loves the person he's addressing
Lovin' you, baby child
He loves the person like a child, a term of endearment
Tighten up on your reins
The singer is asking the person to control themselves and be more restrained
You're runnin' wild, runnin' wild
The person is behaving recklessly
It's true
What he is saying is factual
Sick for days, so many ways
The singer has been unwell in a variety of ways
I'm achin' now, I'm achin' now
Currently, he is in pain or discomfort
It's times like these I need relief
When he is suffering, he desires to be alleviated
Please show me how, oh, show me how
He is requesting guidance or assistance
To get right
He wants to feel better or improve his condition
Yes, out of sight
To the point where it's not noticeable anymore
When I was young and moving fast
In his younger years, he was in a rush
Nothin' slowed me down, oh, slowed me down
Nothing could impede him
Now I let the others pass
Nowadays, he lets others take the lead
I've come around, oh, come around
He has changed his perspective
'Cause I've found
Since he has found
Livin' just to keep goin'
Life being a continuous game of starting over again
Goin' just to be sane
He keeps moving to keep sane
All the while not knowin'
Despite that, he doesn't know
Such a shame
It's unfortunate
I don't need to get steady
He doesn't want to be consistent
I know just how I feel
He knows what he wants
Tellin' you to be ready
Letting the person know that he wants them to be prepared for him.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel Quine Auerbach, Patrick James Carney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theblackkeys
Brothers Deluxe Remastered 10th Anniversary Edition is available in North America on December 18, 2020 & internationally on January 1, 2021.
Pre-order the 7” box set or 2-LP set or CD here: http://smarturl.it/TheBlackKeysBrothers
@Anarchy_Shark
got to love the way they combine child like inocence and girl troubles. truely a master peice.
@Badass392
Man those kids have deep voices
@haydenspears19
man buddy holly and ron weasley with a beard make some good music
@yassarout
Black Keys you're the proof that there's still some good music out there.
@MaeChristabel
I'm in love with The Black Keys. I introduced them to my boyfriend, he is now also in love with them. Our relationship has been amazing since.
@xbartndrgrl
I heard this on the radio last night while driving home super late- and I almost ran into the curb. Their sound is reminiscent of rock and old soul; something rarely heard in today's music. This song tugs at your soul. Thanks so much for making it.
@Qrocknrollfreak13
"Living just to keep going, going just to be sane" One of the best lines of the whole song
@LiamCrowley1990
I remember seeing this video when it had about 4,000 views, I'm so happy they broke through, they deserve it so much, this album is absolutely awesome.
@1luigy2
Nice Parents