The Initial Friend E.P. was the first release put out by Los Angeles based rock bank Rilo Kiley. It was initially a self titled release that was put out by the band independently in 1999. They re-pressed it with altered artwork and track-listing in 2000, and then did the same thing again for a third pressing in 2001. All three releases commonly sell on Ebay for between $75-100 and are fairly rare. Unlike their later releases which would be thematic lyrically, "Initial Friend" had songs all over the board both in topic and in style. "Frug" and "85" were included in the soundtrack to the Christina Ricci film "Desert Blue", which led to the band's hightened popularity and eventual signing to a record label.
Track Listing (Notated for Release Variation)
First Pressing (Self-Titled)
- 1. Frug
- 2. 85
- 3. Glendora
- 4. Papillon
- 5. Teenage Love Song
- 6. Asshole
- 7. Sword
- 8. Steve
- Hidden Track (Untitled)
- The Hidden Track on this release is perhaps Rilo Kiley's most sought after song. It is often referred to by fans as "Keep It Together" (see lyric samples) The song "Steve" was also not included on subsequent recordings. It is a very quiet song about singer Blake Sennett's desire to kill his mother's boyfriend.
- 1. Frug
- 2. Papillon
- 3. Always
- 4. 85
- 5. Glendora
- 6. Teenage Love Song
- 7. Sword
- 8. Asshole
- 9. Gravity
- Hidden Tracks: Troubadors/Annoying Noise of Death
- On this release a keyboard solo has been added to "Teenage Love Song". The final hidden track clocks in at almost 22 minutes. At around 3 minutes and 12 seconds the song "Troubadors" starts and upon it's completion there is a slow beeping sound that might be likened to a heart monitor. This ends at 19 minutes and thirty-four seconds and then an answering machine message plays. A conversation ensues with lead singer Jenny Lewis telling someone named Deborah to pick her up and take her to some sort of event she seemingly doesn't want to attend. The beeping starts again, continues for approximately a minute, and then Blake Sennett thanks the listener for "making it through the annoying noise of death." He then announces a special treat from someone named Daniel. (Presumably) Daniel comes on and strums a short acoustic guitar ditty wherein the only lyric is "Ginger." He stops and asks if the shirt he is wearing makes him "look gay". There are giggles, and the CD ends.
- 1. Frug
- 2. Papillon
- 3. Always
- 4. 85
- 5. Sword
- 6. Asshole
- 7. Gravity
- 8. Troubadours
"The Frug"
- I can do the frug/I can do the robocop/I can do the Freddy/I cannot do the smurf/I can hate your girl/I can tell you that she's real pretty/I can take my clothes off/I cannot fall in love
- Papillion busted free/thought it took him 'til he was 63/and nobody cared about the god damned inquiry/and Degas stayed on the farm/though he found no cause for alarm/it was a hell of a swim but he still had two good arms
- I should've known with a boy like you/Your middle name is always/I'd always want you/The phantom is disguised/It's horrifying right before your eyes
- You wanna fool around, I ask/I get a sour reply/From the other wheel that always/rises to the occasion/so I take it with a grain of salt/for the other means I/wonder why it doesn't keep her up at night
- He fell on a sword not two years ago/and in case you hadn't noticed I've been waiting for you to give me away/It's all in the movies I've seen
- You woke up an asshole/I couldn't believe my eyes/I really hate my bad eye/and I thought you knew
- Then they came along in their giant truck/And the knocked you down/You shoulda seen yourself lyin' there all broken/Whoa, gravity, it got you good
- It was an 8 minute ceremony/Everyone was there/the groom wore a black cape/the bride with diamonds in her hair/They disappeared like the troubadors/they're not coming back/We really knew how to have some fun/they're not alive, not one of 'em
- My mom has this boyfriend, his name is Steve/I want him so very much to die/But he won't, he stands strong, he stays all day long/and he fucks my mom
- We were teenagers the first time we met/YOu were so famous, I couldn't resist/I was your girl then, that's what you said/When you kissed me, kissed me, kissed me
- It's New Years Eve/I'm in Glendora/I'm the only living person in Glendora/Heading East/on the freeway/I left my prom dress in the bus stop in Duarte
- Keep it together, don't even start with me/'Cause I'm much smarter than you/and you know better/All those nights between us could make for a swell parade/You're a little bit jaded, but that's okay
