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.
Celebration Upon Completion
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because his eyes were bright and round
And no amount of time or liquor could dull them
My grandmother's name was joy
Because it spilled out of her heart
And bathed her precious children in its warmth
And there was happiness in life beyond the sorrow
But how they ever found it I cannot explain
I guess time has a way of making everything alright
It's just there is not enough of it
And so we drink and we sing and we celebrate
This lie and hope that it will last
Morning is here night has passed
My grandfather was a doctor
He cured the sick with his kind hands
And he taught me how to sail and how to feel this way
My grandmother was all sweetness
And when she spoke we all heard bells and
They ran in such a way that we were comforted
And they held on to each other with all the strength they had
And they loved with devotion beyond what I understand
But I guess fear has a way of making sleep unbearable
And the days seem dark and long
But we cry and we dance
And we stumble into love with perfect, awkward grace
The moon is gone and the sun has took its place
The lyrics of Bright Eyes' "A Celebration Upon Completion" paint a beautiful portrait of the singer's grandparents. The song sets off on a touching note as the singer introduces their grandfather, Moon. He is described as a man with bright round eyes that retain their shine regardless of the ups and downs of life. The explanation that alcohol and the passage of time have failed to dull these eyes is a powerful metaphor for Moon's strength and resilience. The singer then moves on to the description of their grandmother, Joy. Joy is appropriately named as she is an effervescent person whose love overflows and permeates the lives of those around her. She raises her children with warmth and affection, ensuring that they never lack happiness, despite the inherent trials of life. The song goes on to state that even though life sometimes throws sorrow and pain our way, there is happiness to be found beyond them. It's unclear how these two individuals found it, but the song credits time as having the power to make everything alright.
The song uses the grandparents' love story as a metaphor for the human condition. The song speaks of fear, sleeplessness, and sadness as common aspects of every person's life. We all endure trials and tribulations with strength and grace. The song ends with the words, "The moon is gone, and the sun has taken its place." This line sums up the cyclical nature of human existence, with one chapter of life passing to another.
Line by Line Meaning
My grandfather's name was moon
My grandfather had bright and round eyes that shone like the moon
Because his eyes were bright and round
His eyes had a special quality that shone brightly and looked very round
And no amount of time or liquor could dull them
His eyes always shone very brightly, no matter how much time passed, or how much he drank
My grandmother's name was joy
My grandmother was full of happiness and positivity, and this showed in her interactions with others
Because it spilled out of her heart
Her happiness came from deep within her, and was always present in her interactions with others
And bathed her precious children in its warmth
She shared her happiness with her children, and they felt loved and comforted because of it
And there was happiness in life beyond the sorrow
Even though life can be difficult and sad, there is still happiness to be found
And the pain
And even though there is also pain and sadness, there is still happiness to be found
But how they ever found it I cannot explain
I don't know how my grandparents were able to find happiness despite the difficulties of life
I guess time has a way of making everything alright
Perhaps with time, people are able to come to terms with the difficulties of life and find happiness anyway
It's just there is not enough of it
Unfortunately, time is limited, and there is never enough of it to fully address all of life's difficulties
And so we drink and we sing and we celebrate
One way we cope with life's difficulties is to celebrate life and find joy in its moments
This lie and hope that it will last
We celebrate life even though we know it can't last forever
Morning is here night has passed
A new day has arrived, and with it comes renewed hope and possibility
My grandfather was a doctor
My grandfather was a healer who helped others when they were sick
He cured the sick with his kind hands
He helped heal others through his gentle and compassionate touch
And he taught me how to sail and how to feel this way
He taught me not only practical skills, but also how to feel calm and happy
My grandmother was all sweetness
My grandmother was a very sweet and kind person
And when she spoke we all heard bells and
Her voice was very pleasant to listen to, like the sound of bells ringing
They ran in such a way that we were comforted
Their love for one another was very strong, and this gave us a sense of comfort and security
And they held on to each other with all the strength they had
Despite the difficulties of life, my grandparents held on to each other and their love with great strength
And they loved with devotion beyond what I understand
Their love for each other was so strong that I can't fully comprehend it
But I guess fear has a way of making sleep unbearable
Perhaps fear can keep people awake at night, making it difficult to get a good night's rest
And the days seem dark and long
When you're feeling fearful, the days can seem longer and more difficult to get through
But we cry and we dance
When we're feeling fearful or sad, sometimes we cry, but also sometimes we dance and find joy anyway
And we stumble into love with perfect, awkward grace
Sometimes we fall in love in unexpected ways, but this can still be beautiful and meaningful in its own way
The moon is gone and the sun has took its place
As time passes, things change and the old gives way to the new
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST, Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind