Lewis and Sennett are former child actors and were introduced to each other by Tara Subkoff, a mutual friend, in 1993. In 2001, original drummer Dave Rock left the band and was replaced by Boesel.
They began their career on Barsuk Records, releasing Take Offs And Landings in 2001. They moved to Omaha-based indie label Saddle Creek for their second album, 2002's The Execution of All Things. But come time for their third release, More Adventurous in 2004, the band left Saddle Creek for Brute/Beaute, a Warner Bros. imprint.
2004 saw a great increase in recognition for the band, as Sennett and Boesel released an album with their band The Elected and Lewis sang backup on Ben Gibbard's (Death Cab For Cutie) indie electronic side project The Postal Service. Lewis toured with The Postal Service before heading out on two tours in support of Rilo Kiley's More Adventurous in the summer and fall of 2004. The album spent late 2004 high on Billboard Magazine's Heatseekers Chart, success only furthered by appearances on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The band opened for Bright Eyes on the international leg of Conor Oberst's tour for 2005's i'm wide awake, it's morning. In Fall 2005, Rilo Kiley were the opening act for the North American dates of Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour.
Lewis released her first solo album in January of 2006, with Leigh and Chandra Watson as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. The album, entitled Rabbit Fur Coat, was co-produced by Clifford M Ward and Mike Mogis. Furthermore, The Elected released their second album, sun, sun, sun on the same day as Lewis' album.
The 4th Rilo Kiley LP, Under the Blacklight, was released in August 2007. This has a more pop-influenced sound and received mixed reviews.
The band broke up in 2011 after vague statements made by Blake Sennett comparing the band to a "corpse" and referring to disagreements among members.
15
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
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Three sheets to the wind like a close line rope
He's a spider on the web
She was a tiny woman, he could sense
Her developing body was just the beginning
She said, "Is anybody out there?"
Ripe as a peach
How could he have known that she was only 15
And she came to him like a tick on the noose
Little blue eyed soul for his black and blues
This too much a move for the likes of me
Our skin is like grass let's smoke it real fast
Is anybody out there?
He was deep like a graveyard
Wired like TV
And how could he have known that she'd be down for almost anything
But she was only only only 15
My oh my you pretty thing
It's about that time for us to meet
Does your Daddy have a shotgun?
He was deep like a graveyard
She was ripe as a peach
And how could he have known she was only 15
She was only only only 15
She was only only only 15
The lyrics to Rilo Kiley's song "15" tell a story of a young girl who meets an older man when she is only 15 years old. The man is described as being "wired like TV" and "deep like a graveyard". The girl's developing body catches the man's attention and they begin a sexual relationship. The lyrics convey a sense of danger and a lack of concern for the girl's wellbeing, as the man questions if her father has a shotgun and seems unaware of her young age.
The opening lines of the song set a dark tone, with the mention of the "season dark" and the man being "three sheets to the wind". The imagery of the man as a spider on the web is also unsettling, suggesting that he is predatory and manipulative. The girl is characterized as being "bruised like a cherry" and "ripe as a peach", indicating both her vulnerability and her sexual desirability. The chorus repeats the refrain that she was "only only only 15", emphasizing the age difference between the two and the inappropriate nature of their relationship.
Overall, the lyrics to "15" paint a disturbing picture of an underage girl being taken advantage of by an older man. The song highlights the dangers and consequences of ignoring the power dynamics at play in sexual relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty five the season dark
The darkness of the season at 25
Three sheets to the wind like a close line rope
Extremely drunk and unstable, like a clothesline in high winds
He's a spider on the web
He's like a spider weaving a web of deceit
She was a tiny woman, he could sense
She was small in stature, but he could sense something about her
Her developing body was just the beginning
Her physical development was just the start of her journey into adulthood
She said, "Is anybody out there?"
She was reaching out for help or connection
She was bruised like a cherry
She had bruises like a dark cherry, indicating that she had been physically abused
Ripe as a peach
She was sexually mature and desirable
How could he have known that she was only 15
He couldn't have known her age, but it was still wrong for him to engage with her sexually
And she came to him like a tick on the noose
She attached herself to him like a parasite, and he was the one who would suffer the consequences
Little blue eyed soul for his black and blues
She was like a pure, innocent soul being used to soothe his own emotional pain and trauma
This too much a move for the likes of me
This was a risky and uncomfortable situation for him
Our skin is like grass let's smoke it real fast
Our young and fresh bodies are like a commodity to be used for pleasure, and we should enjoy it before it's gone
He was deep like a graveyard
He was dark and mysterious like a cemetery
Wired like TV
He was highly stimulated and electrified, like a television signal
And how could he have known that she'd be down for almost anything
He couldn't have predicted her willingness to be sexually active, but that doesn't make it okay
But she was only only only 15
Her age is a critical piece of information that makes their relationship inappropriate and illegal
My oh my you pretty thing
He's objectifying her by referring to her as an attractive object
It's about that time for us to meet
It's time for them to engage in sexual activity
Does your Daddy have a shotgun?
Fear of physical retaliation or legal consequences for engaging with her
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind