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.
Arc of Time
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Carve it into stone
Like a feather falling
It is still unknown
Until the clock speaks up
Says it's time to go
You could choose the high
Or the lower road
You might fork your tongue
As you curse or praise
All the things you've done
And the faders move
And the music dies
As we pass over
On the arc of time
So you nurse your love
Like a wounded dove
In the covered cage of night
Every star is crossed
By phrenetic thoughts
That separate and then collide
And they twist like sheets
Till you fall asleep
And they finally unwind
It's a black balloon
It's a dream you'll soon deny
I hear if you make friends
With Jesus Christ
You will get right up
From that chalk outline
And then you'll get dolled up
And you'll dress in white
All to take your place
In his chorus line
And then in you'll come
With those marching drums
In a saintly compromise
No more whiskey slurs
No more blonde haired girls
For your whole eternal life
And you'll do the dance
That was choreographed
At the very dawn of time
Saying, I told you son
The day would come
You would die, you'd die, you'd die, you'd die
You would die, you'd die, you'd die, you'd die
You would die, you'd die, you'd die, you'd die
You would die, you'd die, you'd die
To the deepest part
Of the human heart
The fear of death expands
Till we crack the code
We have always known
But could never understand
On a circuit board
We will soon be born
Again, again, again, again
And again, again, again, again
And again, again, again, again
And again, again, again
The lyrics to Bright Eyes’ song, “Arc of Time,” delve into the complexities and uncertainties of life and death. The first verse acknowledges the fleeting nature of time and the decisions we make, which can lead us down different paths. The clock in this verse serves as a metaphor for the inevitability of change and the passing of time. The chorus then emphasizes the importance of cherishing the present moment since time waits for no one. The second verse focuses on the fear of death, using the metaphor of a wounded dove in a cage to symbolize our vulnerability in the face of mortality. The black balloon and the dream we will soon deny represent the futility of trying to deny or escape death.
The bridge of the song offers a different perspective on death, introducing the idea of an afterlife with Jesus Christ. The lyrics suggest that if we “make friends” with Christ, we will be able to transcend our mortality and join a heavenly chorus. The repetition of the phrase “you would die” underscores the inevitability of our mortality and the necessity of making peace with it.
Overall, “Arc of Time” is a contemplative and introspective song that grapples with existential questions. The lyrics touch on various themes, including the nature of time, the fear of death, and the possibility of an afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
You can make a plan
One has the ability to make a plan or set goals.
Carve it into stone
One can make their plan concrete and permanent.
Like a feather falling
Despite the effort put into creating a plan, the outcome is uncertain.
It is still unknown
The end result of a plan is unknown until time passes.
Until the clock speaks up
Time ultimately determines the success of a plan.
Says it's time to go
When it's time to move on, time will tell.
You could choose the high
There are options to consider when making decisions about the future.
Or the lower road
The options for the future may not always be easy, and there are struggles present on each path.
You might clinch your fist
Emotions can run high when reflecting on past actions.
You might fork your tongue
Words can be a powerful tool for expressing one's feelings and emotions.
As you curse or praise
When looking back on past events, emotions can change and vary from negative to positive.
All the things you've done
Reflecting on past actions and decisions.
And the faders move
The sound of music fades out and changes.
And the music dies
The music stops, along with time and life.
As we pass over
As we move on, we leave behind our past actions.
On the arc of time
We move through time and are left with memories of our past decisions.
You nurse your love
Taking care and nurturing one's love and emotions.
Like a wounded dove
One's love and emotions can be fragile and vulnerable.
In the covered cage of night
Emotions and thoughts can be suppressed and hidden away, especially at night.
Every star is crossed
Every positive outcome has struggles and obstacles to overcome.
By phrenetic thoughts
Thoughts can be overwhelming and chaotic.
That separate and then collide
One's thoughts can be conflicting and separated from one another, causing tension.
And they twist like sheets
One's thoughts can twist and turn, entangled with emotion.
Till you fall asleep
These thoughts can persist, even as one falls asleep.
And they finally unwind
Eventually, these thoughts become untangled and resolved.
It's a black balloon
The idea is a metaphor for something negative or unpleasant.
It's a dream you'll soon deny
Denial of reality or a negative situation is common, even in dreams.
I hear if you make friends
A reference to a saying or belief.
With Jesus Christ
Refers to the possibility of salvation and eternal life.
You will get right up
The idea of being resurrected or given new life.
From that chalk outline
Resurrected from the dead or brought back from a traumatic experience.
And then you'll get dolled up
Referring to a glamorous appearance or afterlife.
And you'll dress in white
The idea of purity and innocence.
All to take your place
The idea of being accepted into heaven.
In his chorus line
The idea of being part of God's choir or his people.
And then in you'll come
The person enters the afterlife as a new existence.
With those marching drums
The idea of celebration in the afterlife.
In a saintly compromise
A metaphor for the peace one achieves in religion.
No more whiskey slurs
The idea of avoiding temptation or vice in the afterlife.
No more blonde haired girls
The idea of avoiding temptation or vice in the afterlife.
For your whole eternal life
The idea of an afterlife that lasts forever.
And you'll do the dance
A metaphor for going through the motions in life, or in the afterlife.
That was choreographed
A reference to the afterlife being predetermined, or the idea of fate.
At the very dawn of time
Emphasizes that the afterlife is a long-standing idea and has existed for a long time.
Saying, I told you son
A fatherly tone of voice or paternal advice.
The day would come
The idea of death is inevitable.
You would die, you'd die, you'd die, you'd die
Repetition of this phrase emphasizes the finality of death.
To the deepest part
The idea of plumbing the depths of human existence.
Of the human heart
The emotional center or core of being human.
The fear of death expands
The closer one comes to death, the more fearful they become.
Till we crack the code
The idea of resolving the mystery or unknown of death.
We have always known
Death is an inevitable part of life and we have always been aware of its existence.
But could never understand
A common human limitation is that we can never truly understand death.
On a circuit board
A technological idea of the human mind or body.
We will soon be born
The idea of rebirth or coming back to life after death.
Again, again, again, again
Repetition of this phrase emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and death.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MOGIS, OBERST, Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind