Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst is an American singer-songwriter born February 15, 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska. He began his recording career in 1993 at the age of 13 and has since produced an enormous amount of material. Conor was deeply influenced early on by singer-songwriters David Dondero and Simon Joyner. His first two albums "Water" and "Here's to Special Treatment" were both released in 1994. Rolling Stone referred to him as "rock's boy genius." His project Bright Eyes, with Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, produced several critically-acclaimed records. Read Full BioConor Oberst is an American singer-songwriter born February 15, 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska. He began his recording career in 1993 at the age of 13 and has since produced an enormous amount of material. Conor was deeply influenced early on by singer-songwriters David Dondero and Simon Joyner. His first two albums "Water" and "Here's to Special Treatment" were both released in 1994. Rolling Stone referred to him as "rock's boy genius." His project Bright Eyes, with Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, produced several critically-acclaimed records. Oberst also serves as the frontman to Desaparecidos (a punk-oriented side project). In August 2008, Oberst released his eponymous solo album, recorded with the Mystic Valley Band (Taylor Hollingsworth, Macey Taylor, Jason Boesel, Nik Freitas, and Nate Walcott), on Merge Records. Together, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band went on to release 2009's Outer South. Oberst remains a prolific songwriter, releasing Upside Down Mountain in 2014, Ruminations in 2016, and Salutations in 2017. In 2019, Oberst collaborated with Phoebe Bridgers to release a record under the name Better Oblivion Community Center.
At fourteen years of age, Oberst became singer and guitarist of Commander Venus, an indie rock band. The former members of Commander Venus, Tim Kasher of Cursive, Robb Nansel (who now runs Saddle Creek), and Todd Fink of The Faint, would later go on to feature in many Saddle Creek recording groups. Conor was also a member of the band Park Ave, which he joined after terminating the difficult relationship he had with Megan Saienni, due to an affair with Maria Pantin.
Oberst was also guitarist and singer for the band Desaparecidos. The music and lyrics of Desaparecidos differ greatly from Bright Eyes, having more in common with punk rock than folk. The lyrics are generally social and political commentary on the state of affairs in America, the pitfalls of the suburban lifestyle, and America's love of capitalism as opposed to the more introspective lyrics of Bright Eyes.
Oberst is one of the founding members of the independent record label Saddle Creek Records, which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Faint, Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes, Son Ambulance, Azure Ray, The Good Life, and Sorry About Dresden, among others.
Oberst is currently involved in a boycott of Clear Channel Communications. His broadcast television performances include a spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in March 2005, which sparked controversy with his performance of the incendiary "When the President Talks to God", The Late Show with David Letterman, on which he performed "The Trees Get Wheeled Away", and his guitar-smashing performance of "Road to Joy" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Oberst was a member of the Vote for Change tour in 2004 with Bruce Springsteen and REM. He has recently started his own label, Team Love, which is currently hosting bands such as Tilly and the Wall, M. Ward, Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins, A Weather, Capgun Coup, and David Dondero.
Bands:
Commander Venus from 1995-97
The Magnetas in 1996
Park Ave. from 1996-98
Desaparecidos from 2001-2
Bright Eyes since 1995
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band since New Year's Weekend 2007
Monsters of Folk since 2009
Better Oblivion Community Center since 2019
At fourteen years of age, Oberst became singer and guitarist of Commander Venus, an indie rock band. The former members of Commander Venus, Tim Kasher of Cursive, Robb Nansel (who now runs Saddle Creek), and Todd Fink of The Faint, would later go on to feature in many Saddle Creek recording groups. Conor was also a member of the band Park Ave, which he joined after terminating the difficult relationship he had with Megan Saienni, due to an affair with Maria Pantin.
Oberst was also guitarist and singer for the band Desaparecidos. The music and lyrics of Desaparecidos differ greatly from Bright Eyes, having more in common with punk rock than folk. The lyrics are generally social and political commentary on the state of affairs in America, the pitfalls of the suburban lifestyle, and America's love of capitalism as opposed to the more introspective lyrics of Bright Eyes.
Oberst is one of the founding members of the independent record label Saddle Creek Records, which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Faint, Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes, Son Ambulance, Azure Ray, The Good Life, and Sorry About Dresden, among others.
Oberst is currently involved in a boycott of Clear Channel Communications. His broadcast television performances include a spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in March 2005, which sparked controversy with his performance of the incendiary "When the President Talks to God", The Late Show with David Letterman, on which he performed "The Trees Get Wheeled Away", and his guitar-smashing performance of "Road to Joy" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Oberst was a member of the Vote for Change tour in 2004 with Bruce Springsteen and REM. He has recently started his own label, Team Love, which is currently hosting bands such as Tilly and the Wall, M. Ward, Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins, A Weather, Capgun Coup, and David Dondero.
Bands:
Commander Venus from 1995-97
The Magnetas in 1996
Park Ave. from 1996-98
Desaparecidos from 2001-2
Bright Eyes since 1995
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band since New Year's Weekend 2007
Monsters of Folk since 2009
Better Oblivion Community Center since 2019
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Lenders In The Temple
Conor Oberst Lyrics
A short delay,
The parrot blues
Little voices mimic you
It's not so hard to make that sound
So watch your back,
The Ides of March
Cut your hair like Joan of Arc
Disguise your will
They'll find you out
And when they do,
Look out
There's money lenders inside the temple
That circus tiger's gonna break your heart
Something so wild turned into paper
If I loved you, well that's my fault
A bitch in heat,
The alpha male
Not something she'd ever tell
Except when she got deathly high
And out it came,
Like summer rain
Washed the cars and everything
Felt clean for just a little while
A telethon,
We drove down
The starving children they ain't got no mother
There's pink flamingos living in the mall
I'd give a fortune to your infomercial
If somebody would just take my call
Take my call
Take my call
Hello,
Patterns in my mind now moving slow
Sorrow all across the surface roads
Smoothing out the edges of the stone
The lights are out, where'd everybody go?
Alone
Erase yourself and you'll be free
Mendula destroyed by the sea
All we are is colored sand
So pay to ride the ferris wheel
Smile, all that you can feel
Is gratitude for what has been
Cause it did not,
Happen
There's money lenders inside the temple
That circus tiger's gonna break my heart
Something so wild turned into paper
If you loved me, then that's your fault
There's money lenders inside the temple
This crystal city's gonna fall apart
When all their power turns into vapor
If I miss you well that's my fault
That's my fault
That's my fault
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CONOR OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
village joke
Sorry i had to be the one to do this.
A short delay,
The parrot blues
Little voices mimic you
It's not so hard to make that sound
So watch your back,
The Ides of March
Cut your hair like Joan of Arc
Disguise your will
They'll find you out
And when they do,
Look out
There's money lenders inside the temple
That circus tiger's gonna break your heart
Something so wild turned into paper
If I loved you, well that's my fault
A bitch in heat,
The alpha male
Not something she'd ever tell
Except when she got deathly high
And out it came,
Like summer rain
Washed the cars and everything
Felt clean for just a little while
A telethon,
We drove down
The starving children they ain't got no mother
There's pink flamingos living in the mall
I'd give a fortune to your infomercial
If somebody would just take my call
Take my call
Take my call
Hello,
Patterns in my mind now moving slow
Sorrow all across the surface roads
Smoothing out the edges of the stone
The lights are out, where'd everybody go?
Alone
Erase yourself and you'll be free
Mendula destroyed by the sea
All we are is colored sand
So pay to ride the ferris wheel
Smile, all that you can feel
Is gratitude for what has been
Cause it did not,
Happen
There's money lenders inside the temple
That circus tiger's gonna break my heart
Something so wild turned into paper
If you loved me, then that's your fault
There's money lenders inside the temple
This crystal city's gonna fall apart
When all their power turns into vapor
If I miss you well that's my fault
That's my fault
That's my fault
Jo March
"A telethon we drunk dialed."
One of the only lyricists around worth paying a lot of attention to.
Tommy Coyle
ah i never heard that lyric before. makes the "take my call" line make more sense now
Ray Anders
Songwriting prowess right here. These lyrics just refuse to shrink in to my subconscious, they grow more haunting and enriching as time goes on. Conor Oberst in all his incarnations, is still an incredibly consistent storyteller and musician.
kinetic blues
well said and nothing but truth....🙅♂️
el rancho
Greatest songwriter of all time
Jasmine G
every single song is a jewel. wow. forever
Sabine Carey
I love Conor Obrest. I sing along with his songs in the shower. He is my secreat obbsession
Faffin About
This has got to be one of the best god damned songs ever written.
Tommy Coyle
i see this comment on most of his songs lol :)
James Keith
I think the lyric is: sorrow all across the surface roads.
It takes a truly deep thinker to realize that the gospel writers were hinting at similar pain he had as a nonbeliever when they were motivated to craft the scene with Jesus in the temple. Conor takes that very real pain he shared with the author(s) and comes to a more sensible conclusion.
Unfortunately, as Conor understands, flipping tables isn't going to get rid of the money lenders. The trained animals (people) will always break a sensitive animal's heart. So, the problem is ultimately faced inwardly. This song is so incredible with how it handles that battle and the imagery it uses to elucidate the struggle. It's moving me deeply. I just keep keep hitting replay.