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.
Firewall
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I do my best to sleep through the caterwaul
The classicist, the posturing avant-garde
I bought a grey macaw, named him Jules Verne
He'll probably outlive me, he's a bright bird
Keeps me company, I teach him new words
She looked as real as me through the white fog
Then she melted down to her ankles
Turned into a million-watt candle
If I knew where she went, I would follow
Walking through the land of tomorrow
Martian trinkets, plastic Apollos
In the sunshine, try to act normal
My veins are full of flat cherry cola
Slept on the bench by the rollercoaster
Dreamt I was riding on a motorbike
Lion of Judah, painted on the side
I'm doing fine, I'm back in the Palisades
Life's a wash, a pastoral school play
China shops and cold ivory towers
I and I, make toasts to the Caesars
Forcing down the dregs of Decembers
Madeline, she spins in a slow bang
All through the house, the strong smell of burnt sage
Let's make it clean and run out the spirits
I know a diving bell when I hear it
We're going down now under the surface
Light to dark can shift in an instant
Feeling close but keeping my distance
On all fours she's just so insistent
Fills my mind with jump ropes and slit wrists
Bust through the firewall into heaven
And then I'm standing in that blinding light
Crooked crosses falling from the sky
Seen, yeah, seen by I and I
Seen, yeah, seen by I and I
Seen, yeah, seen by I and I
Seen, yeah, seen by I and I
The lyrics to Bright Eyes's "Firewall" are enigmatic and surreal, weaving together themes of time, mythology, and spirituality. The singer seemingly contemplates the nature of time and reality, questioning if time is even real and if they are controlling the cyclical nature of existence. They go on to delve into mythology and the idea of beings from another dimension who came to Earth, interbred with humans, and perpetuated negative forces. The singer then moves on to describe mundane experiences, such as buying a pet bird and dreaming of riding a motorcycle, before delving back into the surreal with images of a hologram at a theme park, burnt sage, and blinding light with crooked crosses falling from the sky. Ultimately, the message seems to be one of trying to make sense of the chaos of existence and looking for hope and spirituality amidst it all.
One interesting fact about "Firewall" is that it originally appeared on the album "Cassadaga," which was heavily influenced by frontman Conor Oberst's interest in spirituality and psychic experiences, particularly those associated with the town of Cassadaga, Florida. Another fact is that the song features guest vocals from Gillian Welch, adding another layer of surrealism to the already ethereal track. Additionally, the song's music video features animation by John Cameron Mitchell, who is best known for creating the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Another interesting tidbit is that the song's title has been interpreted by some fans as a reference to the concept of a "firewall" in computer technology, suggesting the idea of protecting oneself from negative forces.
As for the chords, the song is in the key of A and features relatively simple fingerpicking patterns on the guitar. The chords are:
Verse: A, Em, D, A (repeat)
Chorus: F#m, Em, D, A (repeat)
The song's instrumental break features a variation on the verse chords with a descending bass line: A, G, F#m, Em, D.
Line by Line Meaning
If there is no such thing as time, you're already there, and you're controlling this cycle.
Time is a human invention, and it's possible to exist outside of it. You have control over your fate and everything that happens in this never-ending cycle of existence.
Problems of the future can be solved by mankind because you create them.
Humans have the power to create problems, but they also have the ability to solve them through progress and belief in a better future.
And these beings got out of them, and they walked like a man but they had reptilian features.
According to Sumerian tablets and Genesis, ancient beings with reptilian features landed on Earth and enslaved humans, trying to mate with them to produce offspring. This was the origin of Satan in their stories.
It's a negative force, coming in on a positive force, because it's a third dimension, right?
The existence of negative forces like Satan is necessary to balance the positive forces in our world. It's all part of a third-dimensional reality.
Walking through the land of tomorrow, Martian trinkets, plastic Apollos...
The future is now, and technology is advancing rapidly. We have access to amazing things like souvenirs from Mars and artificial deities.
I and I, make toasts to the Caesars, forcing down the dregs of Decembers...
We toast to those in power and deal with the leftover unpleasantness at the end of each year. Life is a mixed bag of celebration and tribulation.
Fills my mind with jump ropes and slit wrists, bust through the firewall into heaven...
A powerful force inspires thoughts of both childhood innocence and self-harm, but breaking through internal barriers can lead to enlightenment and transcendence.
And then I'm standing in that blinding light, crooked crosses falling from the sky...
The journey through life ends in a dazzling, overwhelming light, but there are still symbols of past misdeeds that must be dealt with.
Seen, yeah, seen by I and I...
I am witness to all of this, and I understand it on a deep level.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CONOR M OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Blokin' Smunts
I know this isn’t their best reviewed release, but I’ve never felt more personally connected to an album before or since.
Yelnick McWawa
Dude fuck the critics. This album hit me hard too brother.
Kim Little
Still dig this in 2020. Got to watch them play after this album was released in a "homecoming" show in Council Bluffs when I was still in school.
devin351981
This album is amazing
devin351981
😬
devin351981
Yep I’m glade they wrote this song , it changed the way I thought about shit.
Domitilla Argentieri Federzoni
i love how much conor is eclectic, he can play and compose every kind of music so well... i think that "firewall" sounds almost like a grunge song, especially at the beginning. (: i can't wait to see them live!
Mike West
i like how every time i listen to this song, it reminds me that i'm going to see Bright Eyes in less than a month. the anticipation mounts with every visit.
Ján Kučera
i love the ambience at the start of this song
Spencer Harn
Amazing. I cannot explain what this music has done for me. Love you all.