It's from their album El Camino (2011).
sister
The Black Keys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're gonna wake up to nothing
Break up
The break up is coming
And when you're heart is hollow
Another pill to swallow
Shake up
Make up
I'm gonna make up my reasons
I used to say I need you
But now I gotta leave you
Sister, sister what did they do to you?
Sister, sister what did they do to you?
Did they take they try to break
A heart that long?
It's so wrong
Hung up
Got me hung up in draft
Rung up
Got me rung up in bed
You took advantage of
The one who showed you love
Sister, sister what did they do to you?
Sister, sister what did they do to you?
Did they take and try to break
A heart that long?
It's so wrong
So long
So long
The Black Keys' song Sister is a reflective and emotional ballad about heartbreak and moving on from a relationship. The lyrics suggest a struggle to come to terms with the breakdown of a romantic partnership, with the singer waking up to nothing and feeling hollow inside. The reference to pills to swallow suggests a sense of desperation or hopelessness in dealing with this pain. The singer resolves to shake things up and make up reasons to leave their ex-partner, acknowledging that they used to need them but no longer feel that way.
The chorus focuses on the sister of the person being addressed in the song, suggesting that she has been hurt by someone who tried to break her heart. The lyrics express a deep sense of empathy for this sister and the pain she is feeling. The repetition of "it's so wrong" emphasizes the injustice of this hurtful behavior and the sense that it is something that should not happen.
Overall, Sister is a powerful and emotionally resonant song that captures the pain of heartbreak and the struggle to come to terms with it. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, expressing a sense of loss and confusion that many people may feel in similar circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up
Get ready to face reality.
You're gonna wake up to nothing
Don't expect anything to be waiting for you when you wake up.
Break up
The ending of a relationship.
The break up is coming
It's inevitable that the relationship is going to end.
And when your heart is hollow
When you feel empty inside.
Another pill to swallow
Another difficult truth to accept.
Shake up
Make a change or move to get out of a difficult situation.
Gotta shake up you're freezin'
You need to take action to warm yourself up from the coldness of the situation.
Make up
Create reasons or excuses to explain your actions.
I'm gonna make up my reasons
I'm going to justify why I'm leaving.
I used to say I need you
I was once dependent on you.
But now I gotta leave you
But now I have to go.
Sister, sister what did they do to you?
Sister, what caused you to be so hurt?
Did they take they try to break a heart that long?
Did they intentionally try to hurt you, even though you were invested in the relationship?
It's so wrong
It's unfair and unjustified.
Hung up
Unable to move on from something.
Got me hung up in draft
Stuck in a state of uncertainty.
Rung up
Affected negatively by something.
Got me rung up in bed
It's taking a toll on my physical and emotional state, possibly causing insomnia and anxiety.
You took advantage of the one who showed you love
You hurt the person who cared for and loved you the most.
So long
It's been enough, and now it's time to move on.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Auerbach, Brian Joseph Burton, Patrick Carney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JADE-qy5xm
Wake up
I’m gonna wake up to nothing
Break up
The break up is coming
When you’re heart is hollow
Another pill to swallow
Shake up
Gotta shake up you’re freezin’
Make up
I’m gonna make up my reasons
I used to say I need you
But now I gotta leave you
Sister, sister what did they do to you
Sister, sister what did they do to you
Did they take, they tried to break
Very hard, very long
It’s so wrong
Hung up
Got me hung up in draft
Rung up
Got me rung up in bed
They took advantage of
The one who showed you love
Sister, sister what did they do to you
Sister, sister what did they do to you
Did they take, they tried to break
Very hard, very long
It’s so wrong
So wrong
So long
@timsmith3621
Their best song in my opinion. That riff that blasts through the song is captivating.
@aliG2500
Dunno if I think it's their absolute best, but definitely up there.
@paulfreed6394
Have to agree with you. My all time favourite of theirs
@ajrv813
It is hard to tell, considering how many gems they have, but definitely a great song.
@icyfrost101
Most definitely amazing song
@slumped_luna6713
Album dropped 9 years ago but it's still a banger
@xXxPAYCHECKOxXx
100
@thomasfilpipiak9296
@@xXxPAYCHECKOxXxppp😊
@gusloth
💯
@jimshoe9519
i'm an old rocker but just stumbled on these guys recently and wow, what I've been missing!