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.
Day Of The Monkey
Lilys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heave every cup of tea
For throwing back at me
The fact I take too long
When all my good is gone
I'll be on my way
Rewind and erase
I could always look a hypocrite, baby
Pay no mind, you might call me
Oh, you really got it good
Disaster follows me
You and your family tree
You all are very wrong
When all my good is gone
I'll be on my way
Rewind and erase
When they're riding, non-deciding
I could always look a hypocrite, baby
Play your mind, you might call me
Simon said enough for years to come
Now I'm done for a while
Until I feel that I
Would like to try again
Don't think I'll try again
In this song, Lily sings about a difficult relationship that has left her feeling unappreciated and misunderstood. The first verse sees her reflecting on how she is constantly being criticized for taking too long to do things, even when she just wants to savor the moment. She feels like everything she does is being thrown back at her and this makes her question whether she should continue with the relationship.
The second verse sees Lily taking a more assertive stance, calling out her partner's family tree for being wrong about her. She feels like she is constantly followed by disaster and her partner doesn't understand her at all. She concludes that when all her good is gone, she will leave and start anew. The chorus repeats the phrase "Oh, you really got it good" which can be interpreted as both sarcasm and jealousy towards her partner's seemingly effortless life.
The bridge of the song sees Lily referencing Simon, which could be a nod to Simon Cowell who had criticized her music in the past. She says that she's done for a while and won't try again until she feels like it.
Overall, the song is a raw and emotional expression of a troubled relationship and Lily's struggles with feeling misunderstood and undervalued.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, you really got it good
You have quite an advantage in this situation
Heave every cup of tea
You are prepared to throw anything at me
For throwing back at me
To cause me harm in return
The fact I take too long
The truth is that I tend to extend things for too long
When all my good is gone
Once I've exhausted all my positive attributes
I'll be on my way
I'll leave the situation behind
Rewind and erase
To go back and eliminate what was done or said
When we're riding on, deciding
When we are moving forward and making choices
I could always look a hypocrite, baby
It's possible that I may seem like a hypocrite
Pay no mind, you might call me
I might be labeled in a negative way, but please ignore that
Disaster follows me
I seem to attract chaos and misfortune
You and your family tree
Your entire lineage is involved in this situation
You all are very wrong
Your collective beliefs and actions are incorrect
When they're riding, non-deciding
When others are unsure and indecisive
Simon said enough for years to come
Simon made a lasting impact on me and our situation
Now I'm done for a while
I need to step away from this for some time
Until I feel that I
I need to wait until I am ready
Would like to try again
Before I attempt this again
Don't think I'll try again
I am unsure if I will pursue this any further
Contributed by Carson N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tranceguide9752
Oh, you really got it good
Heave every cup of tea
For throwing back at me
The fact I take too long
When all my good is gone
I'll be on my way
Rewind and erase
When we're riding on, deciding
I could always look a hypocrite, baby
Pay no mind, you might call me
Oh, you really got it good
Disaster follows me
You and your family tree
You all are very wrong
When all my good is gone
I'll be on my way
Rewind and erase
When they're riding, non-deciding
I could always look a hypocrite, baby
Play your mind, you might call me
Simon said enough for years to come
Now I'm done for a while
Until I feel that I
Would like to try again
Don't think I'll try again...
@creekandseminole
I got the vinyl re-release of this album. it's fantastic. I can't wait for the re-release of in the presence of nothing!
@tranceguide9752
Great song from a superlative album.
@leetintary2074
Thank you Brant for introducing me to this song 25 years ago.