Kelly was born in Lawton, Oklahoma on October 2, 1968, Willis was the youngest of three children. While her father was a U.S. Army colonel, Willis’ mother had a strong interest in music and sang and acted in amateur musicals. Willis began singing when she was nine as a way to comfort herself after her parents divorced.
==Career==
Willis joined her first band in high school. Her boyfriend, drummer Mas Palermo, introduced Willis to his rockabilly band. The band took her on as the lead vocalist and soon rechristened the band Kelly Willis & the Fireballs. After Willis’ high school graduation, the band decided to move to Austin, Texas, to participate in the vibrant Austin music scene. After a few months in Austin, however, the band broke up. Willis and Palermo, married in 1989, formed a new band called Radio Ranch. In Austin, Willis attracted the notice of several influential Texas singer-songwriters including Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett. Griffith introduced MCA producer Tony Brown to Willis. Brown was very impressed with Willis’ vocal abilities and signed her to the MCA label in 1989.
MCA embarked on a big marketing campaign to tout Willis after she recorded her first album on the label, the 1990 album ''Well Travelled Love''. MCA ensured that Willis was interviewed by several national magazines including unusual venues like ''Vogue'' and ''Mademoiselle''. Her voice appeared in the 1991 Ridley Scott-produced movie ''Thelma and Louise'', singing "Little Honey." Willis also had a small part in Tim Robbins’ 1992 film ''Bob Roberts''. Despite of all the publicity and positive reviews from most reviewers, ''Well Travelled Love'' and Willis’ subsequent albums for MCA (''Bang Bang'' in 1991 and ''Kelly Willis'' in 1993) sold modestly and received very little radio play. During this time, Willis felt uncomfortable with the way she was marketed by MCA. In 1994, MCA released Willis from her contract.
Willis continued to pursue her music career after leaving MCA. In 1996, she recorded an EP for A&M Records entitled ''Fading Fast''. However, her relationship with A&M was short-lived; after working with two major labels, Willis decided to record her next album on her own. Her efforts resulted in the 1999 album ''What I Deserve'', which Willis sold to Rykodisc after finishing the album. ''What I Deserve'' received quite a bit of press after the album’s release. It was commonly seen as Willis’ response to her history with MCA, and was uniformly praised by critics, becoming a hit for Willis.
In 2003, Willis and Bruce Robison, her husband and fellow country musician, released the record ''Happy Holidays'', a cover album of Christmas songs.
In Fall 2007, Willis released ''Translated From Love''. It was recorded at Robison's studio, Premium Recording Services, in Austin, TX. and produced by Chuck Prophet, formerly of the band Green On Red. The album is co-written by Willis, Prophet and notable songwriter Jules Shear, and includes a cover version of Iggy Pop's "Success."
In early 2008, Willis announced she would take an indefinite hiatus from live performances due to family obligations. Said Willis in a website announcement, "Being a traveling musician with four kids may not make an extremely compelling reality TV show but it is kicking my butt. I plan to continue making records. And I may do the occasional holiday show/song swap/benefit here and there.... Happy trails...until we meet again." Her winter/spring 2008 scheduled dates continued as planned until the final show May 2, 2008.
Willis has recently begun to tour outside of Texas again; first she headlined the Northern Rockies Folk Festival in Hailey, Idaho on August 7, 2010. Next up, she is scheduled to perform at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco on October 2, 2010.
==Personal life==
She is married to country singer-songwriter Bruce Robison.
Official website: http://www.kellywillis.me
Facebook fan site: http://www.facebook.com/KellyWillisRobison
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KellyWRobison
Shadows Of Love
Kelly Willis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't you see their faces read our sin
I'm startin' to get weak in the knee
I'm starting to think they're all after me
Did you hear them whispering our names
Did you hear them say that I'm to blame
My ears are burning as word hits the street
Shadows of love shadows of love
All we ever do kiss and run
Push comes to shove I want no part of
A love we can't bring into the sun
Listen don't you stand so close to me
Seeing us together's all they need
Our reputation seems to be in doubt
I'm starting to go down for the count
[ guitar ]
Shadows of love shadows of love...
Feels like they're all breathing down my neck
I feel like I could drown here in my sweat
I sure could use some help from above
Oh all I got are shadows of love
Shadows of love shadows of love
Shadows of love shadows of love
In Kelly Willis's song Shadows Of Love, the singer laments about the consequences of the secret love affair she's having with someone. The lyrics convey a sense of paranoia and panic as she feels like everyone she comes across is aware of their relationship and is judging them. She fears the gossip and the rumors that are beginning to spread in the community, indicating their sin has become public knowledge. She seems to be falling under the weight of this mounting pressure as the fever of their secret passion starts to consume her.
The phrase "shadows of love" describes the fleeting and temporary nature of their relationship that only emerges in the shadows, in secret. The chorus "All we ever do kiss and run, Push comes to shove I want no part of, A love we can't bring into the sun" reinforces this notion of secrecy and highlights the tactics the lovers have employed to keep their affair under wraps. The singer acknowledges her role in the affair and accepts the blame, but she is frustrated by the fear she feels and the impact their relationship is having on their reputations.
Ultimately, the song Shadows Of Love reveals the consequences that arise when two people engage in a secret love affair. The lyrics depict the weight of anxiety, fear, and shame that ensues as a result of keeping the relationship in the shadows.
Line by Line Meaning
The fever of our secret has set in
Our clandestine love affair has become known and is causing a heated reaction
Can't you see their faces read our sin
The people around us are judging us based on appearances, and see our love as a sin
I'm startin' to get weak in the knee
As the pressure mounts, I'm starting to physically feel the effects of the emotional strain
I'm starting to think they're all after me
Paranoia is setting in as the artist becomes increasingly aware of the negative attention her and her lover receive
Did you hear them whispering our names
The whispers of others about our love affair have become louder and more distinct over time
Did you hear them say that I'm to blame
The blame for the affair has been put mostly on the singer, who is being singled out
My ears are burning as word hits the street
The news of the affair is spreading quickly and putting the singer on edge
I'm starting to get dizzy from the heat
The situation is becoming too intense for the artist to bear
Shadows of love shadows of love
The affair exists only in the shadows, kept hidden from the scrutiny of the public eye
All we ever do kiss and run
As much as they try to keep their love hidden, they can't resist the temptation to be together, even if only for a fleeting moment
Push comes to shove I want no part of
When faced with a difficult decision, the singer wants no part of this affair, but feels trapped by her feelings
A love we can't bring into the sun
Their love is too scandalous to be brought into the light of day, and must remain in the shadows
Listen don't you stand so close to me
As the pressure mounts, the singer is becoming increasingly paranoid and is particularly nervous when someone is standing too close
Seeing us together's all they need
Merely seeing the two of them together is enough to stir up rumors and judgmental comments
Our reputation seems to be in doubt
The scandalous affair is causing their reputations to be called into question by the public
I'm starting to go down for the count
The artist feels defeated by the negative attention and social backlash surrounding her love affair
Feels like they're all breathing down my neck
The artist feels suffocated and like she is constantly being watched and followed
I feel like I could drown here in my sweat
The anxiety and fear surrounding the affair is becoming overwhelming and debilitating
I sure could use some help from above
The singer is looking to a higher power for help to get through this difficult situation
Oh all I got are shadows of love
The love affair feels lacking and incomplete, as it is kept hidden and can only exist in the shadows
Shadows of love shadows of love
The affair exists only in the shadows, kept hidden from the scrutiny of the public eye
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN LEVENTHAL, KELLY WILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind