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
Take Me Down
Kelly Willis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know the game you're playing
So it's only just for now
That I will let you take me down
You always manage to be low
So I don't have a chance to go
And it's just temporary now
Pick me up on your way down
Don't your feet ever touch the ground?
You know they never make a sound
And if I should turn out right
Say my prayers 'most every night
Now wouldn't that just be a sight? Yeah
I'm aware I should know better
But I don't when we're together
I'll forgive myself somehow
And I will let you take me down
I can't hold on to myself
And hold on to somebody else
So if I hold on to you now
Then I will let you take me down
Pick me up on your way down
Don't your feet ever touch the ground?
You know they never make a sound
And if I should turn out right
Say my prayers 'most every night
Now wouldn't that just be a sight? Yeah
Oh, yeah, oh
Pick me up on your way down
Don't your feet ever touch the ground?
You know they never make a sound
And if I should turn out right
Say my prayers 'most every night
Now wouldn't that just be a sight? Yeah
Oh, yeah, oh
In the song "Take Me Down" by Kelly Willis, the singer is conflicted about a romantic relationship that she knows is not good for her. She does not believe what her lover is saying and recognizes the manipulative games that they play. Despite this knowledge, she allows herself to be taken down by them, but only temporarily. She is aware that she should do better for herself and not hold on to someone else at the expense of losing herself.
The lyrics of the song represent the struggle that many people face when dealing with toxic relationships. The singer is aware that she is not being treated well, yet she allows herself to be consumed by the love that she has for her partner. She is realistic, knowing that it is only temporary, but her emotions are so powerful that it is difficult for her to let go. The lyrics "Pick me up on your way down, Don't your feet ever touch the ground? You know they never make a sound" suggest that the singer is aware that her partner will be back to pick her up again and this pattern will continue.
Overall, "Take Me Down" is a song about love and heartache, about making choices that you know are not the best for you, but that your heart desires. It is a reminder that sometimes, even with the knowledge that a relationship is not good for us, it can still be difficult to let go, and that's okay.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't believe a word you're saying
I know you're lying to me
And I know the game you're playing
I understand your deceitful behavior
So it's only just for now
I'm only letting this happen temporarily
That I will let you take me down
I'm allowing you to manipulate me
You always manage to be low
You always find a way to bring me down
So I don't have a chance to go
I feel trapped in this situation
And it's just temporary now
This situation won't last forever
That I will let you take me down
I'm still allowing you to manipulate me
Pick me up on your way down
Use me when it's convenient for you
Don't your feet ever touch the ground?
You never take responsibility for your actions
You know they never make a sound
You never admit your mistakes
And if I should turn out right
If I end up making the right decision
Say my prayers 'most every night
I hope for guidance and strength
Now wouldn't that just be a sight? Yeah
It would be surprising
I'm aware I should know better
I'm aware that I'm making a mistake
But I don't when we're together
I can't resist you
I'll forgive myself somehow
I'll have to forgive myself later
And I will let you take me down
I'm still letting you manipulate me
I can't hold on to myself
I'm losing control of my own life
And hold on to somebody else
And simultaneously trying to hold onto you
So if I hold on to you now
If I put my trust in you
Then I will let you take me down
You will still have control over me
Oh, yeah, oh
(repeated chorus)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LOURIS, KELLY WILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind