She is also a former child actress.
Music
In 1995, she formed the indie rock band Rilo Kiley along with her friends Pierre De Reeder, Blake Sennett and Dave Rock (later replaced by Jason Boesel). Beginning with a country sound, Rilo Kiley gravitated toward a downbeat indie rock sound, and with their 2004 album More Adventurous found widespread success. Critics such as Pitchforkmedia attributed this to the "wise" decision to front Lewis on most of the songs (on earlier albums, Sennett contributed about half the vocals). The song "Portions for Foxes" was a hit, and in 2005 the band was picked up by Warner Bros., putting them on a major label for the first time. They opened for Coldplay on their U.S. tour in 2005.
In 2002, Lewis was asked to contribute some female vocals for The Postal Service, whose album Give Up was an international success. Lewis performed in the video for the hit "We Will Become Silhouettes", and toured with the band in 2003. Lewis also contributed vocals to several tracks on the 2004 Cursive album The Ugly Organ.
In 2004, Conor Oberst invited Lewis to record a solo record for record label Team Love. Described by Lewis as "a kind of soul record," Rabbit Fur Coat, released in January 2006, features contributions from musicians Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine, and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie on a cover of The Traveling Wilburys song "Handle With Care". The Watson Twins provide accompaniment and the album is billed as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. Lewis toured with the Watson Twins in support of the album in early 2006.
September 2008 sees the relase of a second solo album, titled Acid Tongue.
She has also provided vocals on tracks for The Elected and Johnathan Rice.
Infamous for her quirky clothing and ever constant red hairstyle, Lewis has become a fashion icon in the indie music world.
Lewis was given an "Esky" for Best Temperature Raiser in Esquire's 2006 Esky Music Awards in the April issue.
Influences
In the April 2006 issue of Spin Magazine, Lewis lists the "Music That Changed My Life" in a full page article, noting predominately late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop as an important influences on her musical development. Albums such as N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising and Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique are listed in the article, as well music by Too Short, Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep, Souls of Mischief and Freestyle Fellowship. In the same article, she is quoted as saying "I'm an Easy-E girl" showing her adoration for the deceased hip-hop producer and former member of the group N.W.A.. She remembers an encounter with Freestyle Fellowship member Aceyalone, "I actually saw them in the early '90s at a Hollywood Club. I went by myself, and Aceyalone picked me out and freestyled about me. Maybe it was part of his shtick - to dis the enthusiastic but lonely white girl. I must've looked like such a poser."
Acting
She made her debut in a Jell-O commercial, then starred as a child in a number of films during the 1980s. Jenny was featured in the 1996 made-for-TV movie Talk To Me with Yasmine Bleeth. Three of her more notable screen credits were Troop Beverly Hills, The Wizard, and Pleasantville. She also had small roles on such TV shows as Baywatch, Golden Girls, Growing Pains, Roseanne, Mr. Belvedere, and Brooklyn Bridge. She continued acting until 2001.
Must visit links:
Official Site
Best Fan Site
Best Rilo Kiley Site
Trying My Best to Love You
Jenny Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our love is thicker than angel wings
But still sometimes I can't believe you're real
It's just that I've got diamonds in my eyes for you
Our love is simple
Our love is crystal
But still sometimes you cannot help yourself
You step outside and hear bells ringing
For you, for you
[Chorus]
Trying my best to love you
Trying my best to love you
Trying my best to love you
They make it so hard on us baby
It's so hard on us baby
I want you back my baby
I want you back in my arms
I want you back right now
They make it so hard on us baby
It's so hard on us baby
[Chorus]
It's so hard on us baby
It's so hard on us baby
In the lyrics to Jenny Lewis's song "Trying My Best to Love You," she describes the depth and intensity of her love for her partner. She portrays their love as being sweeter than strings and thicker than angel wings, highlighting the pure and divine nature of their connection. However, she also admits to struggling with believing that their love is real, saying that she has "diamonds in her eyes" for her partner. This imagery suggests that she may be seeing them through a distorted or idealized lens, making it difficult for her to trust in the reality of their love.
Lewis goes on to describe their love as simple and crystal, indicating that it is clear and straightforward. However, she also acknowledges that there are external forces that make it hard for them as a couple. She hears bells ringing outside, which could represent the pressures of society or the opinions of others regarding their relationship. Despite these challenges, Lewis reiterates that she is trying her best to love her partner and wants to be reunited with them. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the struggle that they face as a couple and the effort that is required to maintain their love.
Overall, "Trying My Best to Love You" is a poignant and honest portrayal of a relationship that is both sweet and challenging. Lewis captures the complexities of love and the difficulties that arise when external factors come into play.
Line by Line Meaning
Our love is sweeter than strings
Our love is pure and beautiful, it's like the sounds made by the strings of a musical instrument
Our love is thicker than angel wings
Our love is strong and protective, like the feathers on an angel's wings
But still sometimes I can't believe you're real
Despite how amazing our relationship is, I find it hard to believe that someone like you could actually be with me
It's just that I've got diamonds in my eyes for you
I am so infatuated with you that everything seems to sparkle and shine, like diamonds in my eyes
Our love is simple
Our love is uncomplicated and easy
Our love is crystal
Our love is clear and transparent
But still sometimes you cannot help yourself
Despite our love being straightforward, there are times when you can't resist acting on your impulses
You step outside and hear bells ringing
You get caught up in the thrill of something exciting outside of our relationship, like hearing bells ringing in celebration
For you, for you
This excitement is all for you and not for me or our relationship
Trying my best to love you
I am putting in a lot of effort to love you and make our relationship work
They make it so hard on us baby
Other people or external factors are making it difficult for us to be together
I want you back my baby
I miss you and want you to come back to me
I want you back in my arms
I desire physical closeness with you and to hold you once again
I want you back right now
I am feeling impatient and cannot wait any longer to have you back with me
It's so hard on us baby
Our situation is challenging and it's taking a toll on both of us
It's so hard on us baby
Our situation is challenging and it's taking a toll on both of us
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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