The original lineup consisting of Kody Templeman, Zack Rawhauser, Cory Laurence, and Tim (Timmy V) O'Hara as a four-piece only recorded the first 7",I Lost My Marbles, produced by Joe King of The Queers for his More Bounce to the Ounce compilation. The band continued as a three-piece after Zack quit.
Their first full-length album, titled Shit Out of Luck, was released on Clearview Records in 1996. Following the release of their first album the band changed their lyrical focus. In 1999 they went into the studio with producer-engineer Mass Giorgini to record a new LP. This was done with the band's own money, and without the benefit of a record label. The result was Death By Television, an album that took sci-fi movie-themed songs such as War Of The Worlds and Invasion Of The Saucermen and combined them with tracks that made references to other retro themes, such as X-Ray Specs. The recordings instantly created a buzz. Successful label Fat Wreck Chords offered to release the album, but the band had already accepted an offer of Panic Button Records, an imprint of influential punk label Lookout! Records that was overseen by Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel fame.
The band spent the next two years touring heavily within the punk scene and disbanded after teaming with Giorgini for their final Panic Button/Lookout! release, the spy-themed LP The Backchannel Broadcast, which was released in February, 2001. The album included the song Wait It Out, written by Ben Weasel and later re-recorded by The Riverdales for their record Phase Three.
John Jughead (of Screeching Weasel and Even in Blackouts) filled in as second guitar on many tour stops on the Death by Television and Backchannel tours. Other notable appearances on these tours include Ben Weasel (at The Fireside in Chicago, his first stage appearance since 1995), and Lurch Nobody. Timmy V left the band after Death by Television and was replaced by Austin, Texas drummer Scott.
Red Scare Industries reissued Death By Television (remastered) and Backchannel Broadcast in 2005.
The band split for a few years before reuniting with all original members to release an album, [album artist=the lillingtonsThe Too Late Show in 2006, with no plans on reuniting for a tour to support due to the members' other commitments.
In 2017 they released an album [album artist=the lillingtons]Stella Sapiente.
Frontman Templeman is currently a member of Laramie, Wyoming pop punk band Teenage Bottlerocket.
Drummer Timmy V is currently playing as a hired hand with Albuquerque, New Mexico all girl three-piece The Eyeliners, and plays drums in his own project Stabbed in Back, with a hardcore/punk album entitled A Portrait of Noise.
Dynomite
The Lillingtons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm in the KGB
Well I've been selling secrets to the USA
And now the reds are after me
Gotta make it down to Turkey
Maybe in into Pakistan
And then the Soviets will find me
They call me dynomite
D-d-d-dynomite
(x2)
Watched by the...
Gotta make it...
They call me dynomite
Yeah OH!
The lyrics of the song Dynomite by The Lillingtons, tell the story of a spy who has been caught betraying his country, but has been able to flee to another country before being caught for selling secrets to the USA. The secret service is watching him closely as he tries to evade capture by the KGB, and he plans to get to Turkey, then potentially into Pakistan so he can be safe. The Soviet Union wants to capture him, and he is left running loose in the sand trying to outrun them.
The song is full of action, tension, and suspense. The singer of the song has put himself in a precarious situation where he is constantly on the run for his life, and the listener can feel the urgency in the music as the singer conveys these emotions through his lyrics.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was recorded in 1998 and was released on The Lillingtons' album Death by Television. However, it didn't become a hit song until around 2015-2016 when it was used as the opening theme of the popular Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. This brought new attention to the song and increased its popularity.
Line by Line Meaning
Watched by the secret service
I am being monitored by the American government's secret service
Now I'm in the KGB
I have joined the Russian secret service agency, KGB
Well I've been selling secrets to the USA
I have been betraying my own country by leaking classified information to the United States
And now the reds are after me
The Russians have found out that I've been selling secrets and they are now after me
Gotta make it down to Turkey
I have to travel to Turkey to escape the Russian authorities
Maybe in into Pakistan
I might have to flee to Pakistan after escaping from Turkey
And then the Soviets will find me
The Russian government will eventually track me down even if I escape to other countries
I'll be runnin loose in the sand
I'll be wandering aimlessly in a desert, trying to avoid getting caught by the Russians
They call me dynomite
I am known for my explosive and dangerous behavior
D-d-d-dynomite
A playful repetition of the previous line
They call me dynomite
Yeah OH!
A celebratory affirmation of the singer's explosive identity
Contributed by Savannah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.