New song turns hotel experience into melodic jam

Julia Fabrizio Staff Writer

Father John Misty’s newest single, “Mr. Tillman,” is a mystical, relaxing tune that makes your head spin in a good way. It was released on Feb. 20.

The song begins in a dream-like manner, with Misty’s soothing “ah’s” accompanied by acoustic guitar, quirky piano and blissful bells played on the glockenspiel. The melody is constant throughout the entire song, while the lyrics tell a story of his stay at a hotel. The song seems carefree, even ending with a few bars of happy whistling, but the lyrics in the verse deal with nothing but issues that have arisen by the hotel staff.

In an article from Uncut in November 2017, Father John Misty—whose real name is Joshua Tillman—revealed that his upcoming album was written during a two-month period where he was living in a hotel. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has listened to the new single.

Some lyrics from the verse include, “You left your passport in the mini fridge,” “Just a reminder about our policy: Don’t leave your mattress in the rain if you sleep on the balcony” and “Is there someone we can call? Perhaps you shouldn’t drink alone.”

The lyrics insinuate that Tillman may have been a bit under the influence, being a nuisance and possibly causing a scene; classic rock star stuff. Interestingly, while the verses are a seemingly one-sided conversation by the hotel employee, the chorus is from Tillman’s point of view.

Tillman’s intoxication may be an issue to everyone else, but he is completely at ease. By the end of the song, you are put into a hazy, careless trance. His melodic voice, accompanied by mellow but happy folk music, places you in a temporary high. Suddenly, you are in Mr. Tillman’s shoes, listening to the hotel employee go on and on, and yet not listening at all.

The new single teases Tillman’ s forthcoming album, using his absurd sense of humor that his fans are all too familiar with. The last minute of the audio clip released on YouTube even includes footage of Tillman dancing and pretending to argue with hotel staff, in front of a green screen that is featuring stock photos of hotels from the internet.

Instead of creating a quality music video, Tillman decided to put together cheaply-produced footage because it was funny. He also showcases his comedy with the lyrics that feature the hotel employee expressing some seemingly ridiculous requests due to Tillman’s behavior.

The constant melody of “Mr. Tillman” may seem boring to some, but I believe the music is intentionally simplistic.  Also, his lyrics are often the more complex and thought-provoking aspect of his songs.

The single is an admittedly unusual song and may be difficult for some to come to terms with, but I think that is what makes it so interesting. The new single makes me more excited to hear what other ways Tillman’s upcoming album will go about sensationalizing life in a hotel.