Lilys, led by singer/songwriter Kurt Heasley, are a notoriously difficult b… Read Full Bio ↴Lilys, led by singer/songwriter Kurt Heasley, are a notoriously difficult band to categorize. With an ever-evolving lineup, home base, and a sound that swings pendulum-like between My Bloody Valentine-influenced shoegazer and indie guitar pop, the answer to the question, "Who are the Lilys?" depends of the qualifiers of "when" and "where."
Along with Apples In Stereo, Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal and other bands, Lilys set much of the tone for the American East Coast rock scene in the 1990s
"A Nanny In Manhattan" became a #16 hit in the UK after being used in a 1998 ad campaign for Levi's jeans.
In winter of 2000 K. began recording Precollection in Philadelphia. Three producers and three years later enter Guru of Soul, producer MIchael Musmanno, combining his affections for pop and esoteric rock to deliver all subsequent Lilys recordings.

Can`t Make Your Life Better
Lilys Lyrics

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And now living as a nanny in manhattan

Hear this from me
Some folks are telling jokes about the
Secrets she writes about all
Words for each and every one of those
Songs about people that you know

From the train to the car
And as we drove I kept calling
Leaving cute one liners there on your machine
I'm looking in your window
And there's some guy looking back at me

Please tell me what the hell is happening
Well your ex, the film critic
Is now living as a nanny in Manhattan
Hear this from me
Some folks are telling jokes about the things that she wrote
Words for each and every one of those
Songs about people that you know

This is what I mean
So it should sound mean
It's just because you ain't actin' like a friend
Like our last phone call

Forget to chill

You need to know
And don't ever talk to me that way again

Overall Meaning

In Lily's song "Can't Make Your Life Better", the lyrics tell a story of a man who is leaving his apartment to catch his train, but before he leaves, he decides to check up on his ex-girlfriend. He believes she has been doing things without him, so he wants to see what's been happening in her life. He is shocked to find out that she has become a nanny in Manhattan after being a film critic. The man then receives news that some people are making jokes about the things she has written in songs about people they know; this news upsets the man, and he tries to confront his ex-girlfriend. In the end, he tells her to forget about talking to him in a certain way again.

The lyrics in this song can be interpreted in a few ways. One interpretation is that the man is not over his ex-girlfriend and is checking up on her to see if he still has a chance with her. Another interpretation is that he is simply curious about what she has been up to and wants closure from their past relationship. The line "Some folks are telling jokes about the things that she wrote," suggests that the ex-girlfriend has written songs about their relationship or people they both know, and now others are talking about it.

Overall, the lyrics in "Can't Make Your Life Better" tell a story of jealousy, curiosity, and closure. It's a relatable song for anyone who has gone through a breakup and still holds onto the past.

Line by Line Meaning

Here I go out the door of my Apartment before I miss my train And there's no way that is happening Coz my girl you see Has been doing things without me So I'm going to see What's been going on without me Is my ex a film critic? And now living as a nanny in manhattan
I'm leaving my apartment in a hurry to catch my train because my girlfriend has been doing things without me, and I want to see what's been happening. I heard that my ex is now a film critic and living as a nanny in Manhattan.

Hear this from me Some folks are telling jokes about the Secrets she writes about all Words for each and every one of those Songs about people that you know
I heard people making jokes about the secrets my girlfriend wrote about in her songs that are about people we know.

From the train to the car And as we drove I kept calling Leaving cute one liners there on your machine I'm looking in your window And there's some guy looking back at me Please tell me what the hell is happening Well your ex, the film critic Is now living as a nanny in Manhattan
As I left on the train, I called you multiple times and left cute messages on your voicemail. But when I arrived at your place, I saw a guy looking back at me through your window. I need you to tell me what's going on. I heard again that your ex is now living as a nanny in Manhattan.

This is what I mean So it should sound mean It's just because you ain't actin' like a friend Like our last phone call Forget to chill You need to know And don't ever talk to me that way again
I need to tell you something, which may sound mean, but it's only because you're not acting like a friend, like our last phone call. You need to chill and know that you can't talk to me that way again.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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