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.

Shovel Into Spade Kit
Lilys Lyrics

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Hello, hello all here today
Down in my bag with me are gifts that you will call pure pleasure
You may if you see fit take a bit they're free
Why thank you very much sir
The gifts that you have there though lovely do look a bit silly
You couldn't give them away around here
You couldn't give them away around here

All persons of the people
Who are in the know
Know that where action goes
Unlike your shovel into spade kit

You read too much into things
Which clearly means all in nothing

It just keeps you from following
All the wrong things

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lily's song "Shovel Into Spade Kit" has a strong message about not indulging in overthinking and following the wrong things. The opening lines of the song include a salutation to the audience and a reference to a bag of gifts that the singer possesses. The singer offers these gifts to the listeners and assures them that they are free to take as much as they desire. However, a sarcastic exchange ensues between the singer and the listeners, with the latter rejecting the gifts as being silly and not valuable enough.

The song takes a turn where the singer addresses the people who are in the know, saying that these people differ from those who follow the wrong things. The song then ends with a message about reading too much into things, which could be a reference to overthinking and not being able to move on from things.

Overall, the song has a theme about not worrying about people who don't appreciate what you have to offer and not reading too much into insignificant things.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello, hello all here today
Greeting to everyone present

Down in my bag with me are gifts that you will call pure pleasure
I have gifts in my bag that you will find very pleasing

You may if you see fit take a bit they're free
You can take some if you want, they're free

Why thank you very much sir
Thank you for your kind response

The gifts that you have there though lovely do look a bit silly
Although the gifts are nice, they do look a bit silly

You couldn't give them away around here
Nobody around here would want them

All persons of the people
Everyone in the community

Who are in the know
Those who have understanding or knowledge

Know that where action goes
They understand the direction of movement

Unlike your shovel into spade kit
Unlike your tools which are not useful

You read too much into things
You overanalyze things unnecessarily