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.”
Lonely Place
Tommy & The High Pilots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I found a friend with grace
Who squeezes me till my face
Is turning blue
Yes she do
Oh, and just like me
She wants a family
Out of the blue
That will do
Maybe she's someone I've made up
Maybe she's somebody true
But I won't rest till I know you
In my dreams I found
I'll never come back down
And harden my heart again
That'd be the end
And I can't bend
Well, maybe I'm easy and strange, and
Maybe I don't have a clue
Well, I won't rest till I know you
I can hear her call my name
Out of rejoice
Down at the banks
And if this feeling has a name
It must be rejoice
Down at the banks
Sent out of my hive
Out of my lonely place
Well, maybe I'm hooked to my neck and
Maybe it's under my shoe
But I won't rest till I know you, Oh
Maybe I'm as crazy as I sound
Since there's something no one's ever found
Pick me up, I've to get my head up off the ground
And I won't rest till I know you
And I'm out of my lonely place
The song "Lonely Place" by Tommy & The High Pilots is a ballad about finding someone to share life with, to have a family with, and to feel a sense of belonging. The singer of the song finds himself in a lonely place but discovers a friend who can "squeeze" him until his "face is blue". This may refer to a romantic interest who makes him feel alive and passionate, or it could indicate a person who supports and comforts him when he is feeling down.
The lyrics suggest that the singer is uncertain about whether this person is real or a figment of his imagination. He dreams of never coming back down and hardening his heart again because he fears losing the connection he has found. The chorus repeats that he won't rest until he knows her, indicating his strong desire to deepen the relationship.
The bridge of the song adds a hopeful note, with the singer hearing his name being called by his friend and feeling a sense of "rejoice" and possibility. He wants to be picked up and get his head up off the ground, suggesting that he has been feeling low or depressed. The song ends on a positive note with the singer leaving his lonely place and being determined to find this person, no matter how crazy he may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
In my lonely place
I am alone and isolated in my current situation
I found a friend with grace
I have found someone who is kind and compassionate
Who squeezes me till my face Is turning blue
This friend is so caring that they wrap me in a tight embrace until I feel overwhelmed and suffocated
Yes she do
This friend's actions are true and genuine
Oh, and just like me
This friend and I share something in common
She wants a family
Like me, she desires to build a family of her own
Create us some energy Out of the blue
Together, we hope to create something meaningful and powerful spontaneously
That will do
This will satisfy us
Maybe she's someone I've made up
I wonder if this friend is just a figment of my imagination
Maybe she's somebody true
Or perhaps this friend is a real person
But I won't rest till I know you
Regardless, I am driven to find out the truth about this friend
In my dreams I found
In my subconscious, I discovered
I'll never come back down
I never want to leave this state of mind
And harden my heart again
I don't want to close myself off emotionally again
That'd be the end
If I become closed off again, it would mean the end of something important
And I can't bend
I cannot be flexible or compromise on this issue
Well, maybe I'm easy and strange, and
It's possible that I am a bit naive or unconventional
Maybe I don't have a clue
I may not understand everything about my situation
I can hear her call my name
I feel as though this friend is trying to get my attention
Out of rejoice Down at the banks
She seems to be calling out to me joyfully from the riverbank
And if this feeling has a name It must be rejoice Down at the banks
If this emotion could be identified, it would be one of joy and happiness
Sent out of my hive Out of my lonely place
I feel like this friend is pulling me out of my solitary existence and giving me a new perspective
Well, maybe I'm hooked to my neck and
It's possible that I am obsessing over this situation
Maybe it's under my shoe
Or perhaps the answer is right in front of me and I haven't noticed it yet
But I won't rest till I know you, Oh
Regardless, I will not give up until I have the answer
Maybe I'm as crazy as I sound
Perhaps I am as unstable as I am portraying myself
Since there's something no one's ever found
However, there is something unique about this situation that no one has experienced before
Pick me up, I've to get my head up off the ground
I need some assistance getting back on my feet and clearing my head
And I won't rest till I know you
Until I can understand the nature of this relationship, I will not be satisfied
And I'm out of my lonely place
Once I have solved this riddle, I will no longer feel alone and isolated
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thomas Wells
This song just sounds so pure. Truly fantastic!
catiedoesit
This song and video are so beautiful. I have tears in my eyes and a big grin on my face. You guys are amazing!
Klaus Roger
this song is just perfect! damn voice and soul, I can feel all the feelings
SM
<3 This is one of my favorite songs. Best Valentine's Day present ^_^ I love yall
Taylor Maatman
beautiful! Can't wait for your show at the Bowery Electric tonight !!
MrKevinm60
Magnifique ! ♥
Thefancyhippie
I saw him in concert a few days ago c: We got in an arm petting war hes awesome!(:
Emilee Betz
Amazing, guys!
thisbechrisable
Beautiful!!!!!
Hannah Schutte
I was there too! They were great! :)