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.

Smoke Detector
Rilo Kiley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My eyes burn
Everybody smokes
My eyes burn
Everybody smokes
I smoke too
But not as much as you
I do the smoke detector

There is a girl in a tank top
She is not wearing a bra
She looks so hot on the dance floor
She does the smoke detector

[Chorus]
She says danger
Do the smoke detector
She says danger
I'm a smoke detector

I took a man back to my room
I was smoking him in bed
Yeah, I was smoking in bed
This is what he said

I took a man back to my room
Yeah, I was smoking in bed
Yeah, I was smoking in bed
This is what he said

[Chorus]
I said danger
Do the smoke detector
[x4]

I said danger
Do the smoke detector
Danger

Do the smoke detector
[x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rilo Kiley's "Smoke Detector" paint a picture of a smoky and potentially dangerous environment. The repetition of "My eyes burn, everybody smokes" sets the scene and creates the feeling of claustrophobia and discomfort. The singer admits to smoking, but not as much as those around them. The line "I do the smoke detector" can be interpreted in a few different ways; it could be taken literally, as though the singer is taking on the role of a smoke detector, or it could be a metaphor for trying to warn others of the dangerous situation.

The song then shifts focus to a girl on the dance floor who is described in sensual terms. She becomes the embodiment of the danger, urging others to "do the smoke detector." The chorus repeats the warnings of danger and the suggestion to do the smoke detector, until the final verse brings the singer back to a personal experience with smoking in bed. The repetition of "Yeah, I was smoking in bed" reinforces the theme of danger and a lack of concern for one's own safety.

Line by Line Meaning

My eyes burn
I am experiencing discomfort in my eyes

Everybody smokes
Many people partake in smoking

My eyes burn
I am still experiencing discomfort in my eyes

Everybody smokes
Many people continue to partake in smoking

I smoke too
I also smoke

But not as much as you
I smoke less than someone else

I do the smoke detector
I am the alert system for detecting smoke

There is a girl in a tank top
A woman is wearing a specific type of shirt

She is not wearing a bra
She is not wearing a specific undergarment

She looks so hot on the dance floor
The woman appears attractive while dancing

She does the smoke detector
The woman is also the alert system for detecting smoke