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.
You and I Misbehaving
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't let the daytime get you down
Because we will be wild like children once the black has veiled this sky
No pushing buttons, no telling lies
No pointed fingers trying to keep you quiet
Just you and I misbehaving
Oh trying our best to feel alive
We won't ever let them win
The pressure is not as great
We floated weightless through the tops of trees
But as we get older oh our vision becomes blurred
And then the fog it slips right in
Now you're wondering how oh yeah, you're wondering how you ended up here
How you end up here
The hateful, hateful tough little boys
That move their lips whenever you're around
So smart just shouting answers (shouting answers)
I guess their fathers taught them well
So sit real still they've got to size you up
Don't move your mouth
They don't like when you talk
They're trying their best to define you (to define you)
They're trying their best to keep you down
We won't ever let them win
Because this world you know it can get so crazy
All these people talk a lot
They know this, they know it all
What a drag
But you know there will always be some oddball singing
Just remember to sing along, yeah you better start singing a long
This place could be so beautiful
You just can't let them pull that cloth over your eyes
Just keep on screaming
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
In "You and I Misbehaving," Tilly and the Wall encourage us to let go of our inhibitions and behave like children, to be present and rebellious, free from the pressures of conformity and fitting in. The song urges us to reject the limitations of growing older and the constraints placed upon us by others. The lyrics emphasize that life can be challenging and upsetting, but we should not allow others to define us or prevent us from living fully. The song reminds us to scream, to sing along, and to remain true to ourselves in a world that can be overwhelming.
The song's melody and rhythm amplify these themes, with energetic hand-claps and foot-stomping beats, which are characteristic of Tilly and the Wall's signature approach to music. The song's whimsical and playful sound conveys a sense of freedom and being carefree, which is in keeping with its underlying message.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Darci, Darci don't look so sad
Don't be upset, Darci.
Don't let the daytime get you down
Don't let the daily struggles bring you down.
Because we will be wild like children once the black has veiled this sky
We will be carefree and let loose when night falls.
No pushing buttons, no telling lies
No need for deception or petty conflicts.
No pointed fingers trying to keep you quiet
No one trying to silence you with accusations.
Just you and I misbehaving
Just us having fun, breaking a few rules.
Oh trying our best to feel alive
We're doing everything we can to feel alive and free.
We won't ever let them win
We won't let anyone bring us down or hold us back.
When we are younger oh our hearts are so much bolder
When we're young, we're more daring and adventurous.
The pressure is not as great
We don't feel the burden of expectations as heavily.
We floated weightless through the tops of trees
We felt carefree and unencumbered by our surroundings.
But as we get older oh our vision becomes blurred
As we age, we become more unsure and uncertain about life.
And then the fog it slips right in
Doubts and uncertainties begin to cloud our minds.
Now you're wondering how oh yeah, you're wondering how you ended up here
You're questioning how you got to this point in your life.
The hateful, hateful tough little boys
The mean-spirited, aggressive boys.
That move their lips whenever you're around
The boys who talk behind your back whenever you're near.
So smart just shouting answers (shouting answers)
They're trying to show off how intelligent they are by shouting out answers.
I guess their fathers taught them well
Their behavior is likely learned from their parents.
So sit real still they've got to size you up
They're trying to assess or judge you.
Don't move your mouth
Don't give them any reason to antagonize you.
They don't like when you talk
They want to silence you and prevent you from expressing yourself.
They're trying their best to define you (to define you)
They're attempting to pigeonhole you into their own preconceptions and biases.
They're trying their best to keep you down
They're deliberately trying to impede your progress and growth.
We won't ever let them win
We won't allow them to control or limit us.
Because this world you know it can get so crazy
The world can be chaotic and unpredictable.
All these people talk a lot
Many people talk endlessly without acting upon their words.
They know this, they know it all
They are convinced that they have all the answers.
What a drag
It's frustrating and tiresome to deal with those types of people.
But you know there will always be some oddball singing
There will always be someone who is different and unafraid to express themselves.
Just remember to sing along, yeah you better start singing a long
Don't be afraid to join in and embrace your quirks and unique traits.
This place could be so beautiful
The world has so much potential to be wonderful.
You just can't let them pull that cloth over your eyes
Don't let yourself be blinded by the negativity and hate of others.
Just keep on screaming
Keep shouting and making noise, don't let anyone silence you.
Bop bop ba, bop bop ba
Just keep on singing and having fun.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Derek Pressnall, Jamie L Williams, Kianna Alarid, Neely Jenkins, Nicholas White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
OHJLM
I really miss this band. I saw them live at the Grog Shop in Cleveland, Ohio way back in 2008. Yes, they had a tap dancer instead of a drummer. They were fantastic live.
ButterMilkJesus
I went to a Cansei de Ser Sexy and these guys where opening for them. I was just bopping normally, waiting for CSS to play then this song came on. It had so much emotion to it, it was like I was dreaming. Next thing you know they start singing 'Pa pa paa' and tears started to flow down. I'll never forget that moment. 💙
jj montes
Underated
Matt Layne
This place could be so beautiful
Deshi
Yeah you better start singing Along !!!
k Maz
Gunnar be good popar mo at.Rhodes scholarship.1999 mother.econo.y popularized 70 house sd rabinowirx bed vrzne.