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.
So Long
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the night sky yeah
Now that all you touched
Has finally turned gray
And roads can't hold us down
Winds will move us around
With no need to return
Want to bet I can tell
You've been in bed for too long
So let's just say so long
And I watched you at the cove
You read on rocks below
And I turned home
Without so much as hello
Want to know where I go
I've been away for too long
And it's hard to leave
When I haven't seen
You in so long
And if we had just
Held out for tomorrow
We might have seen
What seemed so far away
We didn't even bother to stay
There it goes I can tell
You're gonna to keep
Your eyes to the ground
Waiting for something
To finally come around
Tell you that you knew
That you weren't wrong
And it's finally time for so long
The lyrics to Rilo Kiley’s “So Long” primarily delve into themes of change, growth, and leaving the past behind. The first verse “Watch me fly away/Through the night sky yeah/Now that all you touched/Has finally turned gray” suggests a newfound freedom or release from negative experiences or situations. The next verse suggests a willingness to explore and embrace new experiences, “And roads can’t hold us down/Winds will move us around/With no need to return/To this gray town”.
The chorus, “Want to bet I can tell/You’ve been in bed for too long/So let’s just say so long” appears to be a message to someone who has been stagnant and perhaps stuck in the same negative patterns, and an encouragement to break free and move forward. The bridge reflects on missed opportunities while looking forward to what is to come, “And if we had just/Held out for tomorrow/We might have seen/What seemed so far away/We didn’t even bother to stay/There it goes I can tell/You’re gonna keep/Your eyes to the ground/Waiting for something/To finally come around”.
Overall, the song “So Long” captures the complexities of leaving the familiar behind, embarking on a new journey, and acknowledging the bittersweet feelings that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch me fly away
I am leaving and moving on from this place.
Through the night sky yeah
I am leaving under the cover of darkness.
Now that all you touched
Everything you have influenced has turned dark and negative.
Has finally turned gray
The once vibrant and bright things have lost their color and life.
And roads can't hold us down
We are free to leave and explore without being held back by familiar places.
Winds will move us around
We will go wherever the wind takes us, with no set destination in mind.
With no need to return
There is nothing pulling us back to this place, no reason to stay.
To this gray town
We are leaving this dull and depressing place behind.
Want to bet I can tell
I can see that you have been in bed for too long, wallowing in sadness.
You've been in bed for too long
You have been stuck in this state of sadness for too long.
So let's just say so long
We should just say our goodbyes and move on with our lives.
And I watched you at the cove
I saw you from afar, but did not approach you.
You read on rocks below
You are searching for answers and meaning in the world around you.
And I turned home
I left without interacting with you further, keeping my distance.
Without so much as hello
I did not want to disrupt your thoughts or bring up any painful conversations.
Want to know where I go
You may be curious about where I am going or why I am leaving.
I've been away for too long
I have been gone for a while now, exploring and living my life.
And it's hard to leave
It is difficult to say goodbye and let go of the past.
When I haven't seen
It is difficult when I have not seen you in a long time.
You in so long
I miss you and our interactions, but I know it is time to move on.
And if we had just
If we had only done things differently...
Held out for tomorrow
If we had waited and hoped for a better future...
We might have seen
We could have possibly seen a better outcome.
What seemed so far away
Our dreams and goals that seemed unattainable or distant.
We didn't even bother to stay
We did not stick around long enough to see if things could have been different.
There it goes I can tell
I can see that you are giving up hope and sinking deeper into sadness.
You're gonna keep
You will continue to dwell on your problems.
Your eyes to the ground
You will not look up and see the bigger picture or a brighter future.
Waiting for something
You are waiting for a sign or something to change your situation.
To finally come around
You hope that eventually, things will get better on their own.
Tell you that you knew
Deep down, you are aware that things need to change.
That you weren't wrong
You were not to blame for the negative situations around you.
And it's finally time for so long
It is time for us to say goodbye and move on with our separate lives.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDERSON, BOTKIN, SKAGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind