Rilo Kiley was an American indie rock band which formed in 1998 in Los Ange… Read Full Bio ↴Rilo Kiley was an American indie rock band which formed in 1998 in Los Angeles, California. The band consisted of Jenny Lewis (vocals, guitar), Blake Sennett (vocals, guitar), Pierre de Reeder (bass, keyboards) and Jason Boesel (drums).

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.

Gravity
Rilo Kiley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Then they came along in their giant truck
And they knocked you, they knocked you down
You shoulda seen yourself lyin' there all broken
Woah, gravity it got you good

I walked away pretendin' not to know you
And I hoped that you were still out cold
And I thought of the time you said I was your favorite

And that I looked like just like a holiday

Woah, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee

I was younger then, barely in high school
When you found me, you took me in
And then one day, you put me on the highway
You said that gravity was gonna do me in

Woah, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee

Oh, gravity-hee
Oh, gravity-hee

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Gravity" by Rilo Kiley depict a jarring hit-and-run accident in which the singer watches someone they used to be close with get knocked down by a truck. The imagery of the wounded person lying on the ground is especially vivid and adds to the overall unsettling tone of the song. The chorus repeats the proclamation that gravity has 'got you good' which seems at times to reference the physical force of the fall, as well as the metaphorical weight of life's challenges.

The second verse takes a personal turn as the singer describes how they walked away from the scene, pretending not to know the injured party. This abandonment of a friend, coupled with the singer's callousness towards their wellbeing, is a stark contrast to the nostalgia of the previous lines where they reminisce about being deemed someone's 'favorite.' The final verse talks about the singer being taken in as a teenager by the same person they later watch being hit. This detail drives home the sense of betrayal embodied by the opening lines, and creates a complex web of emotions around the power dynamic of friendship. The song ultimately asks the question of whether or not we can truly escape the pull of gravity- both physical and emotional.

Line by Line Meaning

Then they came along in their giant truck
A group of people or an individual made their way into the singer's life, causing destruction similar to that of a giant truck.

And they knocked you, they knocked you down
The aforementioned group or individual physically or emotionally hurt the singer.

You shoulda seen yourself lyin' there all broken
The singer observes their own vulnerability in the aftermath of this event.

Woah, gravity it got you good
A metaphor for the force of the situation hitting hard, like the force of gravity.

I walked away pretendin' not to know you
The artist tries to distance themselves from the situation and move on.

And I hoped that you were still out cold
In the aftermath, the singer is relieved to not have to face the negative consequences with the other person involved.

And I thought of the time you said I was your favorite
Despite the distance the singer now feels towards the other person, they still hold onto the fact that they were important to them at one point.

And that I looked like just like a holiday
The other person saw the artist as a bright and joyful part of their life.

I was younger then, barely in high school
The artist reflects on being naive and not fully understanding the world around them at the time of the event.

When you found me, you took me in
Before the situation that caused harm, the other person was kind and supportive to the artist.

And then one day, you put me on the highway
The kindness and support eventually came to a halt and the other person did something that affected the singer negatively.

You said that gravity was gonna do me in
The other person warned the artist of negative consequences that would come their way in the future.

Woah, gravity-hee
Repeating the metaphor of gravity as a force that brings people down, despite their efforts.

Oh, gravity-hee
Continued repetition of the metaphor, emphasizing its significance to the theme of the song.

Oh, gravity-hee
Further emphasizing the weight of the situation and its hold on the singer.

Oh, gravity-hee
Final repetition of the metaphor, driving home the song's overarching message.

Contributed by Ella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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