Saddle Creek also released Letting Off the Happiness in November 1998, a ten-track record that boasted a much more focused and clear sound than the previous album. According to the Saddle Creek press release, it features members of Lullaby for the Working Class, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Of Montreal. It was predominantly recorded in the Oberst family basement in Omaha on an analog eight track reel to reel; with some work also done at keyboardist Andy Lemaster's Athens, GA studio. Although almost all of the tracks feature a full band, June on the West Coast is performed with only acoustic guitar and vocals. Padraic My Prince gives a dramatic fictional account of the death of Oberst's imagined baby brother.
In 2000 Bright Eyes released Fevers and Mirrors, a demonstration of the immense improvement in production quality and musical vision of the band. New instruments such as flute, piano, and accordion were introduced into the song arrangements. After An Attempt to Tip the Scales, a mock radio interview takes place. The mock radio interview features Todd Fink of The Faint doing an impression of Conor Oberst while reading a script that Oberst wrote. The man interviewing is Matt Silcock, a former member of Lullaby for the Working Class. In this interview, the fake Oberst intentionally presents a strange, contradictory explanation of his attitude towards his music. The interview acknowledges criticisms of his lyrics as overblown and insincere, which had begun to appear as the popularity of the band increased, but responds by stating that the lyrics are meant for personal interpretation. In a 'real' interview with KittyMagik.com, Oberst stated about the mock one: "It was a way to make fun of ourselves because the record is such a downer. I mean, that's one part of who I am, but I also like laughing and fucking around."
2002 saw the release of Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground, and since then Oberst has released an almost constant stream of new material on collaborative EPs, split singles, tribute albums, and charity records. He ventured into the studio with Nebraska folk-pop outfit Tilly And The Wall, co-producing their debut album Wild Like Children and released it on his newly established record label, Team Love.
January 2005 saw the release of two albums: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, which is a country-tinged mélange of Conor’s finest acoustic songs, featuring guest vocal appearances from Emmylou Harris and Jim James of My Morning Jacket; and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, which is a more produced, electronic album featuring cameo appearances by Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
One single from each album, Take It Easy (Love Nothing) from Digital Ash and Lua from I'm Wide Awake took the top two slots on Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, the first time for any artist since 1997.
As had become expected of Bright Eyes recordings, the albums feature an array of talented comrades including members of Rilo Kiley, Tilly And The Wall, Cursive, Now Its Overhead, The Good Life, Azure Ray, The Faint, The Bruces, Neva Dinova, The Postal Service and Audrye Sessions.
In October 2006, Bright Eyes released a compilation of rare tracks called Noise Floor: Rarities 1998-2005.
Bright Eyes released their sixth studio album called Cassadaga on April 9, 2007, preceded by an EP entitled Four Winds on March 6, 2007.
A further 25-30 tracks have been recorded in Portland, Oregon and New York City, with another session planned in Omaha, Nebraska. Some of these tracks had already been performed at live shows.
On February 15, 2011, the band released their seventh studio album, The People's Key.
On June 22, 2020, they released Down In The Weeds Where The World Once Was, their first album on Dead Oceans after a long history with Saddle Creek.
02 We Are Nowhere And It's Now 1
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why do you drink it 'til you're blind?
And if you swear that there's no truth and who cares
How come you say it like you're right?
Why are you scared to dream of God
When it's salvation that you want?
You see stars that clear have been dead for years
But the idea just lives on
As we move over the ground
And all day it seems we've been in between
The past and future town
We are nowhere, and it's now
We are nowhere, and it's now
And like a ten minute dream in the passenger seat
While the world was flying by
I haven't been gone very long
But it feels like a lifetime
I've been sleeping so strange at night
Side effects they don't advertise
I've been sleeping so strange
With a head full of pesticide
I've got no plans and too much time
I feel too restless to unwind
I'm always lost in thought as I walk a block
To my favorite neon sign
Where the waitress looks concerned
But she never says a word
Just turns the jukebox on and we hum along
And I smile back at her
And my friend comes after work
When the features start to blur
She says these bars are filled with things that kill
By now you probably should have learned
Did you forget that yellow bird?
How could you forget your yellow bird?
She took a small silver wreath and pinned it on to me
She said, "This one will bring you love"
And I don't know if it's true
But I keep it for good luck
The lyrics of Bright Eyes' song We Are Nowhere and It's Now present a series of questions that portray the existential doubts and struggles of the human condition. The first stanza exposes the contradictions that afflict the singer's (and society's) thinking: why do we engage in activities that provide no pleasure or fulfillment? Why do we deny the existence of God, but talk with such certainty about it? The second stanza describes the fleeting nature of life, the feeling of being suspended in time, neither in the past nor in the future; it also expresses the singer's alienation and isolation, living in a reality that sometimes feels like a dream, and plagued by insomnia and anxiety.
Overall, the song seems to be a meditation on the meaning of life, the absurdity of existence, and the elusive quest for happiness and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
If you hate the taste of wine
Why do you continue drinking it even if you dislike it?
Why are you scared to dream of God
Why do you fear the notion of a higher power?
You see stars that clear have been dead for years
You are aware that observing stars does not equate to their current existence.
And all day it seems we've been in between
We find ourselves in a constant state of limbo between the past and future.
We are nowhere, and it's now
We are stuck in a place that is seemingly inconsequential and momentary.
And like a ten minute dream in the passenger seat
Similar to a brief, fleeting dream during a car ride.
But it feels like a lifetime
The experience is immense and long-lasting despite its brevity.
I've been sleeping so strange at night
I am experiencing unconventional sleep patterns.
I've got no plans and too much time
My schedule is open and uneventful.
Where the waitress looks concerned
The server appears to have emotional reservations.
By now you probably should have learned
You should be aware of the potential dangers within this environment.
How could you forget your yellow bird?
The artist questions how one could forget something so important and sentimental.
She took a small silver wreath and pinned it on to me
The woman bestowed a piece of decorative jewelry upon the singer as a symbol of love.
And I don't know if it's true
The validity of the charm is uncertain.
But I keep it for good luck
The singer keeps the item as a reminder of the person who gave it to them and as a source of positive energy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CONOR OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind