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.
Reckless
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, you're standing there, look tired as your singing
And you're on fire, they're throwing punches
So backwards the landscape you thought you knew, it starts unwinding
Now you're jumping through their hoops
You're just trying to dodge all their questions
They're shooting bullets
And we all want to see but you don't, you don't
You are amazing
Oh the horses, suits and ties, they will not hesitate to trample
You keep moving, stop moving, it's the same
You know if it is broken they'll try to fix it
It's a shame that, did they get you? they got you
Yeah they might have
You keep covering their mouths, they keep on talking
The parade it is coming, I hear them marching
Case we all want to hear but you can't, you can't
And we all want to see but you don't, you don't
You are amazing
Yeah we all think we're right but we're wrong, we're wrong
And we all want to talk and we do, we do
They have convinced you
It's so shocking
You cheated your fate now, we can't read your face
You are gone
The song "Reckless" by Tilly and the Wall seems to be about someone who is being mistreated and misunderstood by others. They are described as a "reckless, boy wonder" with a broken nose, standing tired and on fire as people throw punches at them. The landscape that they thought they knew starts unwinding and they find themselves jumping through hoops and trying to dodge questions. They seem to be silenced and unable to speak up, and others want to hear and see from them but they can't. The lyrics express admiration for this person and their resilience, despite being trampled by suits and ties, being convinced by others and having their fate cheated.
The song may be a commentary on the pressures of conformity and the difficulty of being oneself in a world that demands conformity. It may also be a message of support to those who feel silenced or misunderstood, encouraging them to keep going even when the parade of voices seems too strong. In many ways, the song can be interpreted as a call for empathy and understanding towards those who are different or who struggle to conform.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh reckless, a boy wonder, so quiet, nose broken
You're a boy who is impetuous and fearless, yet seemingly reserved and physically hurt
Oh, you're standing there, look tired as your singing
You appear exhausted as you sing
And you're on fire, they're throwing punches
You're passionate, but they're attacking you
So backwards the landscape you thought you knew, it starts unwinding
Everything you thought was familiar is now falling apart
Now you're jumping through their hoops
You're trying to play by their rules
You're just trying to dodge all their questions
You're avoiding answering their inquiries
They're shooting bullets
They're being aggressive towards you
'Cause we all want to hear but you can't, you can't
Everyone wants to listen to you, but you can't speak
And we all want to see but you don't, you don't
Everyone wants to see your face, but you're hiding
You are amazing
You possess remarkable qualities
Oh the horses, suits and ties, they will not hesitate to trample
The people in positions of power will stop at nothing to crush you
You keep moving, stop moving, it's the same
Whether you keep going or stop, it won't change anything
You know if it is broken they'll try to fix it
If something isn't working, they'll try to repair it
It's a shame that, did they get you? they got you
It's unfortunate that they captured you
Yeah they might have
It's possible that they caught you
You keep covering their mouths, they keep on talking
You try to silence them, but they won't stop talking
The parade it is coming, I hear them marching
A group is approaching, and you can hear their footsteps
Case we all want to hear but you can't, you can't
Everyone wants to listen to you, but you're unable to speak
And we all want to see but you don't, you don't
Everyone wants to see you, but you're hiding
You are amazing
You have incredible attributes
Yeah we all think we're right but we're wrong, we're wrong
We all believe we're correct, but we're mistaken
And we all want to talk and we do, we do
Everyone desires to speak and they are doing so
They have convinced you
They have successfully persuaded you of something
It's so shocking
It's incredibly surprising and unexpected
You cheated your fate now, we can't read your face
You have tricked destiny, and now your expression is unreadable
You are gone
You've disappeared
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TONINO SPECIALE, LESTER WILLIAMS, TIMOFEY REZINKOV, MARTA SNITKINA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Katholeen Love it
I love them so much. I'm almost 30 now and found them back in 2009. I am now introducing my daughters to them. Pass along the good feels
Thisgirlrightheresaid
Also almost 30 and I found them in middle school. I graduated high school in 2010... so like.. 2004ish??? And I haven’t thought about them since probably 2009 and then today... it popped in my head. And here I am
Vinya
this was the first song of theirs I ever heard...and still my favorite Tilly and the Wall song :)
Naimah Holmes
good times! i LOVE this band!
maxichic
i love this video and the band :]
Vico Ventura
Neely Jenkins was my 4th grade teacher! The best teacher ever ❤️
Carolyn Bradshaw
oh hooray! I love them sooooooooooooo!
Jared Ong
name came from a children's book named Tillie and The Wall i believe. <3 tilly
Chris Thomson
You can't really have "Reminds me of" and "original" in the same post, but I'll agree with the "love".
chillinwithmycat
OMG! my nickname is Tilly!!!! this is soooo weird!!!