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.
Love Song
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And woke the caveman from his endless slumber
And with the quickness of your arm
You pulled out a paint brush
And you painted the sky back to blue
And now I'm standing on top of dirty clothes
There's a tornado spinning in the corner
And electricity flows from your hands into my bones
Oh pretty love
Don't worry
With me you don't need a place to hide
So just sit real still
And the light will flood in over the hills
And now I'm walking around outside
In the springtime every thing is sprouting green
And I watched this fight occur
But only thought about lovers
Oh it's strange how this world becomes pure
And you were standing on top of tip toes
In the kitchen as the water starts to boil
And as we removed each others clothes
I thought I would sing some notes
So that maybe you would slow dance with me
Oh pretty love
Don't worry
With me you don't need a place to hide
So just sit real still
And the light will flood in over the window seal
Oh yeah just sit real still
And you and me will bloom
Oh you and me will bloom
Oh you and me will bloom
On the window seal
The lyrics of Tilly and the Wall's Love Song are filled with symbolism and vivid imagery. The song starts with the singer describing the way their lover entered the room, like the sun waking up a caveman from a deep slumber. The lover's quick action of painting the sky blue leads to the singer standing in the middle of a messy room with a tornado in the corner. It's clear that the lover has brought brightness and a feeling of renewal to the singer's life.
The chorus of the song is the singer reassuring the lover that they don't need to hide, that they can just sit still and let the light shine in. The second part of the song describes the singer walking outside during springtime, feeling the beauty of the world around them. The description of a fight that goes ignored because the singer is only thinking about love speaks to the transformative power of love.
As the song progresses, the singer and their lover start to physically connect, removing clothes as they sing together. The final lines of the song talk about blooming on a window sill, which could be interpreted as blooming into fullness in the moment, or as a metaphor for thriving in seemingly difficult conditions.
Overall, Love Song is a song about the transformative power of love, and how it can bring light to even the darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you walked into the room just like the sun
You entered the room with such radiance and warmth that it caused even the most primitive parts of me to come alive.
And woke the caveman from his endless slumber
Your presence has stirred emotions within me that have been dormant for so long, making me feel fully alive.
And with the quickness of your arm
You acted with such swift decisiveness that I was in awe of your efficiency.
You pulled out a paint brush
You had the power to create and transform things around you with ease.
And you painted the sky back to blue
You turned what was once dreary and gloomy into something bright and cheerful.
And now I'm standing on top of dirty clothes
I'm standing on something unpleasant and lowly, but it's a small discomfort compared to the happiness I feel with you.
There's a tornado spinning in the corner
There's chaos and turmoil around us, but it doesn't matter as long as we're together.
And electricity flows from your hands into my bones
Your touch electrifies me in a way that brings me to life.
And my flesh turns pink with its warmth
The sensation of being close to you makes my skin flush with a rosy hue.
Oh pretty love
My darling, my beloved
Don't worry
There's no need to fret or be anxious when we're together.
With me you don't need a place to hide
You can be your true, honest self with me, and there's no need for any pretense or hiding.
So just sit real still
Relax and be calm, let's just be in this moment together.
And the light will flood in over the hills
Just sit and watch as the beauty of the world unfolds around us.
And now I'm walking around outside
I'm experiencing the world in a new way, seeing things that were always there but never noticed before.
In the springtime every thing is sprouting green
I'm seeing the world around me come alive, bursting with new life and blossoming beauty.
And I watched this fight occur
I saw something unfold before me but I was only focused on us, on our connection.
But only thought about lovers
When we're together, everything else fades away and it's just us in our bubble of love.
Oh it's strange how this world becomes pure
When we're together, the world becomes a more beautiful, pure place.
And you were standing on top of tip toes
You were reaching and straining to accomplish something, but it was nothing compared to the great leaps we've taken together.
In the kitchen as the water starts to boil
Even in the mundane moments of everyday life, we find beauty and happiness together.
And as we removed each others clothes
We felt comfortable enough with each other to be ourselves, and to be physically close.
I thought I would sing some notes
I wanted to express my feelings for you in a way that was meaningful and special to us.
So that maybe you would slow dance with me
I wanted to share a moment of intimacy and closeness with you, to dance together in a way that would deepen our connection.
And you and me will bloom on the window seal
Together, we will continue to grow and blossom, even in the small, seemingly insignificant moments.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW DOAN WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind