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.
Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pray for those who have gone from the sunlight that surrounds you
Hail to those who have come from the sunlight that surrounds you
Pray for those who have gone from the sunlight that surrounds you
Pretend all the good things are for you
Hail to those who have come from the sunlight that surrounds you
Hail to whatever you've found in the sunlight that surrounds you
And the weather changes not halfway between your house and mine
Pretend all the good things are for you, pretend all the good things are for me too
And the weather changes not halfway between your house and mine
And all of the good things are for me, and all of the good things are for you too
And the weather changes not halfway between your house and mine
The lyrics to Rilo Kiley’s “Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You” are open to interpretation, but it seems to be a song about hope and wishing the best for others. The repeated lines of “Hail to those who have come from the sunlight that surrounds you” and “Pray for those who have gone from the sunlight that surrounds you” suggest an acknowledgement and respect for the journeys that people take. The line “Pretend all the good things are for you” could be seen as a way to encourage oneself or others to focus on positive things, even when things are tough. The repetition of this line, and the addition of “Pretend all the good things are for me too,” seems to emphasize the desire for good things for all.
Line by Line Meaning
Hail to those who have come from the sunlight that surrounds you
Praise those who have entered your life from the positive environment around you.
Pray for those who have gone from the sunlight that surrounds you
Hope for the best for those who used to be a part of your glowing surroundings but are not any longer.
Hail to whatever you've found in the sunlight that surrounds you
Appreciate whatever it is that you have discovered from the bright atmosphere surrounding you.
Pretend all the good things are for you, pretend all the good things are for me too
Imagine that all the joys in life are meant for both you and me to share equally.
And the weather changes not halfway between your house and mine
The atmosphere around us doesn't shift just because we're apart, we're both still under the same encompassing environment.
And all of the good things are for me, and all of the good things are for you too
Every positive occurrence in our lives is meant for both of us to enjoy and benefit from.
Pretend all the good things are for you
Imagine that all of the great circumstances in life are yours to experience and cherish.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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