Tommy and the High Pilots is a group of friends who have known each other for years and finally formed a band. Tommy Cantillon and his brother Michael (keys) have been playing and singing together their whole lives. Steve Libby (bass) has been a friend for over a decade. And Tommy met Matt Palermo (drums) when their previous bands crossed paths on the road years ago.
When singer/songwriter Tommy started writing the songs he decided to use your life instead of his own. “I’m influenced by and very interested in people and their stories,” Tommy said. “I feel badly, in a way, because every time I talk to people I start getting song ideas. Not that there’s some ulterior motive there. It’s just the way my brain works.”
It is born partly of necessity. The band spends so much time on the road that writing and traveling have to go hand-in-hand. It’s no easy place to find inspiration but among the tour stops with Allen Stone, the Hush Sound and Ludo the guys have been able to create their sound. “The stories come from other people’s lives, but there’s plenty of us in there too. Being a way from home, the sacrifices that come with this life. Lyrically and musically, I think that stuff shows up a lot on this record.”
“I could give you a list that never ended,” Tommy says about his influences. And then he does, running across decades to mention artists including Tom Petty, Radiohead and R.E.M. To create Only Human, the band worked with producers Matt Wallace (The Replacements, Maroon 5), Marc McClusky (Weezer) and Jason McEntire (Son Volt). Recorded in multiple studios all across the country, the songs reflect a feeling central to Tommy and the High Pilots: that restless dissatisfaction that comes before you settle into life. The songs strike a chord as power pop, with clear influences from the jangle pop of the ‘80s and anthemic sounds suited for an arena. The experiences other people bring to your life can run the gamut, like the songs on Only Human do: uplifting, exciting, dark, and hungry.
The album’s first single, “Outta My Head” may be the most SoCal song on the album, in the sense that it came together in Tommy’s head while he was walking on a beach in Santa Barbara, but it’s got an edge to it that stops it from quite fitting into the super laid back SoCal tradition. It’s infectious enough to make audiences pogo and, even when they’ve never heard it before, start singing along to the chorus. It’s followed by, “Devil To Pay,” which Tommy describes as a track he sees in red. It started in a hotel in St. Louis, as an exercise in chord progression inspired by Tom Petty. It turned into an exploration of the desperation and suffocation that comes with the end of a relationship. A few tracks later is “Young and Hungry” which is simultaneously an aggressive battle cry and a heartfelt apology with a nod to Springsteen’s “Born To Run.”
“The songs can be lighthearted but there’s always this thing underneath,” Tommy says. “Only Human means that you’re making mistakes, that it’s okay to be fallible. There’s a darkness under there.”
Innocent
Tommy & The High Pilots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She acting so innocent
I'm not doing no pretending
Ahh here we is
She acting so innocent
Let me just get my ideas down I don't need a sheet of paper
All this shit off the top baby off the dome need no fables
All this shit off the top baby off the dome baby no fables
She used to going out of state
I'm tryna' hit another country
Remember it was nothing on my plate
Remember shit was looking ugly
I was down bad still hustling
I was down bad nigga thugging
Talking mask off nigga thugging
Ramen noodle diet nigga struggling
Now it's chains on and that bussing and
Middle fingers up screaming fuck this shit
Middle fingers up
Middle fingers up screaming fuck this bitch
She want be seen with me out in public
Want my love baby I ain't trusting it
You see in my eyes ain't discussing it
You see in my eyes ain't discussing it
Don't you start this again
She acting too innocent
I'm not doing no pretending
Ahh here we is
She acting so innocent
She the type like to play hard to get but ain't that hard to get
Acting all innocent but be the main one that starting this shit
I don't know what you thinking
Tell she lying how she blinking
First time I met the hoe I fingered the bit' with my pinky
She freaky
She feisty
And I like it though
Like a Crawfish Etoufee from Pappadeauxs
And listen if we both grown why you talk so reckless for
Keep these hoes in check like Nike Pro's
Cause I'm a pro
Ya
Breeze
T Stoner
Ahh here we is
She acting so innocent
I'm not doing no pretending
Ahh here we is
She acting so innocent
The lyrics to Tommy & The High Pilots's song "Innocent" seem to be about a complicated relationship dynamic. The singer is expressing frustration with someone who is acting innocent, but they can see through the facade. They are tired of pretending and just want to be honest and genuine. The singer also mentions their own creative process, emphasizing that they don't need a sheet of paper to express their ideas.
The lyrics then shift to a description of the past struggles and hardships the singer has faced. They recall a time when they had nothing on their plate and things were looking ugly. Despite those difficult times, they kept hustling and eventually found success. The mention of a Ramen noodle diet and a transformation into someone with chains on suggests an improvement in their circumstances.
However, despite this personal growth, the singer seems to be facing other challenges in their relationship. The person they are involved with wants their love but they are hesitant to trust it. The singer also mentions that this person likes to play hard to get, but it's not as difficult to get them as they make it seem. The singer finds their actions contradictory, as they act innocent but are often the one starting problems.
Overall, the lyrics depict a relationship where there may be a lack of trust, communication, and authenticity. The singer is frustrated with the other person's behavior and wants them to stop acting innocent and confront the issues at hand.
Line by Line Meaning
Ahh here we is
This is the situation we are in
She acting so innocent
She is portraying herself as innocent
I'm not doing no pretending
I am not pretending or faking anything
Let me just get my ideas down I don't need a sheet of paper
I can express my ideas without needing a physical paper
All this shit off the top baby off the dome need no fables
I am improvising all of this without relying on fabricated stories
Don't you tell me you don't appreciate my time baby that's ungrateful
It is unappreciative to claim that you don't value the time I give you
She used to going out of state
She is accustomed to traveling outside of the state
I'm tryna' hit another country
I want to travel to another country
Remember it was nothing on my plate
I had nothing to eat
Remember shit was looking ugly
The situation was unpleasant and unfavorable
I was down bad still hustling
Despite being in a difficult situation, I continued to work hard
I was down bad nigga thugging
I was struggling and dealing with tough circumstances
Talking mask off nigga thugging
Being honest and real while still dealing with difficult situations
Ramen noodle diet nigga struggling
I was struggling financially and could only afford to eat cheap ramen noodles
Now it's chains on and that bussing and
Now I have chains on and things are going well
Middle fingers up screaming fuck this shit
Expressing frustration and disdain towards the current situation
Middle fingers up
Raising the middle fingers as a sign of defiance
Middle fingers up screaming fuck this bitch
Expressing frustration and anger towards a specific person
She want be seen with me out in public
She desires to be seen with me in public
Want my love baby I ain't trusting it
She wants my love, but I don't trust her intentions
You see in my eyes ain't discussing it
You can see from my eyes that I am not willing to discuss it
Don't you start this again
Do not initiate this behavior again
She acting too innocent
She is pretending to be too innocent
She the type like to play hard to get but ain't that hard to get
She enjoys playing hard to get, but it's not actually difficult to win her over
Acting all innocent but be the main one that starting this shit
She acts innocent, but she is actually the one initiating the problematic situation
I don't know what you thinking
I am unaware of what you are thinking
Tell she lying how she blinking
I can tell she is lying based on her eye movements
First time I met the hoe I fingered the bit' with my pinky
The first time I met her, I used my pinky finger to touch her
She freaky
She is sexually adventurous and open
She feisty
She has a spirited and assertive personality
And I like it though
I am attracted to those qualities in her
Like a Crawfish Etoufee from Pappadeauxs
Likening her to a flavorful dish from a specific restaurant
And listen if we both grown why you talk so reckless for
If we are both adults, why do you speak in such a disrespectful manner?
Keep these hoes in check like Nike Pro's
I make sure to manage and control these women like professional athletes wear Nike Pro sportswear
Cause I'm a pro
I am experienced and skilled at handling these situations
Ya
An expression of agreement or understanding
Breeze
A way of signing off or indicating one's presence
T Stoner
A way of identifying oneself or indicating one's participation
Ahh here we is
This is the situation we are in
She acting so innocent
She is portraying herself as innocent
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Jody Breeze, Titus Sims
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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