Tilly and the Wall sprang out of Omaha in 2001 - a Midwestern band of like-minded friends with pockets full of melodies, and a lot of pockets. The serendipitous result of five Omaha residents with a penchant for the same classic '60s pop, boy/girl harmonies and Americana folk records, Tilly and the Wall celebrates the petulant, determined, feisty nature of youth. They rejoice in tales of dreams followed, mistakes made, and hearts broken.
Tilly and the Wall released their debut album, Wild Like Children, in June 2004 on Conor Oberst's label, Team Love. Neely and Jamie were once in a band with Conor before he became known worldwide as Bright Eyes. Derek and Nick moved to Omaha from Atlanta, Georgia. Upon meeting, it was as if long-lost friends had found each other: without a doubt, the Tillys were born. Once the songs were written, Conor agreed to helm the production duties, and hence, Wild Like Children was unleashed on the world. As one of the first albums released on Team Love, Tilly and the Wall set a precedent for the label's identity: original, smart, exciting and, above all, easy to sing along to. The record consisted of 11 perfectly formed songs bursting with enthusiastic hyperactivity, while emanating a bitter sweet melancholy of long lost summers and misguided first loves. In front of a backdrop of sunshine, rain and snow, Tilly and the Wall sang songs about loving and kissing, dancing and drinking, staying and leaving, driving and talking, sleeping and dreaming, all set to the tap-tap-tapping of Jamie's toes. The press from sea to shining sea fell in love instantly.
And so, the Tillys went to meet their adoring fans, playing shows throughout America with the likes of Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, The Go! Team, Pedro the Lion, Of Montreal and more. When not on the road, the band began working on the follow-up to Wild Like Children, simply titled Bottoms of Barrels. Recorded over three weeks in October and November 2005, the album was recorded by AJ Mogis, brother and mixed by studio co-hort to Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis. Bottoms of Barrels sees the Tillys taking their signature sound to the next level. The choruses are more rousing, the tapping more intense, the instrumentation fuller, each sound painting broad brush strokes across your speakers. Longtime friend Nate Walcott contributes a bit of trumpet, while other friends have added drums, accordion and cello. A couple of tracks even feature the vocal styling of University of Nebraska's own choir Trip the Light Fantastic, bolstering Neely and Kianna's dulcet harmonies. Bottoms of Barrels fully demonstrated the importance of Tilly’s “we” perspective – with a gang full of voices, the band made strong declarations about love, freedom and their own place in the world. The album took the band on travels they had only dreamt about, resulting in extensive tours throughout Europe, Australia, Japan and even Iceland. They also played their first-ever sets at major music festivals, including the Reading/Leeds Festival, Coachella and Japan’s Summer Sonic. By the middle of 2007, they returned home to Omaha to begin work on their next long-playing record, having amassed legions of fans, as well as frequent flyer miles, across the entire globe.
Their 2008 record, which has no title but is represented by the shape o (the cut-out shape framing the handmade cover artwork for the record), was produced by acclaimed producer Mike Mogis through the harsh Nebraska winter of 2007. o sees Tilly and the Wall redefining their sound, taking bigger, bolder steps towards experimentation while maintaining the elements that have always made them who they are. o draws on everything from nature to magic, from sex to astrology, with a larger focus on percussion, rhythm, harmonies and kaleidoscopic melodies, yet ultimately still sounds like our five musical friends from Omaha.
Their album Heavy Mood was released in 2012. They broke up soon after that. Vocalist Kianna Alarid joined the Kansas City band Yes You Are. A retrospective album I Want to F*ck It Up (Tilly and the Wall 2002-2013) is planned for 2020 on the Team Love label.
I Found You
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics
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The sky was bright
Red flowers blooming
The sky was bright (so bright!)
And I could hear that rock 'n' roll coming out your radio (that's right!)
I, I went down walking
The streets were melt, melt, melting
The sun was hot (so hot!)
And I could hear the rock 'n' roll coming out your front window
Yeah, I was look, look, looking for you
I, I went down walking
The wind's so cold
The leaves build my path
The wind grew cold
I was taken by the light that had fell on such a sight
(Uh huh, yeah, that's right)
Over and over and over and over again
I, I went down walking
The snow made angels on the ground
Icicles hang, hang, hanging
The snow made angels all around
And I stumbled through the snow on the way to your front door
I felt the earth beneath my feet push, push, push, pushing me
And all that I could see were lights falling all around me
I was look, look, looking for you
I was look, look, looking for you
I was look, look, looking for you
I was look, look, looking for you
This song depicts the journey of the singer as they search for someone they have lost or are yearning for. The song's theme revolves around perseverance and determination, which is also reflected in the continuous use of the phrase "look, look, looking for you." The first paragraph describes the singer walking on a bright day with red flowers blooming, accompanied by rock 'n' roll music from the radio of the person they are looking for. In the second paragraph, the location changes to a hot day where they hear the rock 'n' roll coming out of the front window and the streets are melting. In the third paragraph, the singer describes their journey through the cold wind, leaves, and snow, where the snow gives them warmth, and they walk towards the front door still searching for the person they want to find.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of nostalgia and longing for connection, which is evident in lines such as "the earth beneath my feet push, push, push, pushing me," and "And all that I could see were lights falling all around me." The repetition of "look, look, looking for you" enhances the sense of yearning and the relentless search for the person they are looking for. The use of sensory imagery such as colors, temperature, and weather adds depth to the song and conveys a sense of the journey the singer goes through to fulfill their quest.
Line by Line Meaning
I, I went down walking
The singer went walking.
The sky was bright
The sky was sunny.
Red flowers blooming
There were red flowers in bloom.
And I could hear that rock 'n' roll coming out your radio (that's right!)
The artist heard rock music playing from someone's radio.
The sun was hot (so hot!)
The sun was very hot.
The streets were melt, melt, melting
The streets were melting from the heat.
And I could hear the rock 'n' roll coming out your front window
The singer heard rock music playing from someone's window.
Yeah, I was look, look, looking for you
The artist was searching for someone.
The wind's so cold
The wind was very cold.
The leaves build my path
There were leaves on the ground.
I was taken by the light that had fell on such a sight (Uh huh, yeah, that's right) Over and over and over and over again
The singer was captivated by the sight.
The snow made angels on the ground
The snow was deep enough to make impressions of angels.
Icicles hang, hang, hanging
There were icicles hanging.
And I stumbled through the snow on the way to your front door
The singer walked through the snow to reach someone's front door.
I felt the earth beneath my feet push, push, push, pushing me
The singer felt the ground beneath them moving.
And all that I could see were lights falling all around me
The artist saw falling lights.
I was look, look, looking for you
The artist was still searching for someone.
Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.