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.
Get Back
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tried my hardest to keep it all in,
But I ain't keeping it in no more.
Made mistakes every day,
And I learned from two,
Keep those that you love,
The furthest from you,
It's just a feeling I had,
And it ain't what I think I should do,
Pluck out my heard and I'll give it to you,
And you'll get more use from yours too.
Get back, I'm too tired to go home and I'm too lost and alone.
I looked in the mirror on the back of your door,
All my weaknesses show.
There's a bomb going off,
Out in the yard of the house,
When we worked so hard to pull all the weeds out,
What were we talking about. Get back.
In the first few lines of Bright Eyes's 'Get Back', the singer acknowledges that they have made mistakes in the past that they have attempted to keep hidden. The main character implies that they have learned from their mistakes and vows to no longer suppress their emotions. The lyrics suggest that the singer has hurt those closest to them, and they have learned to keep their loved ones even closer as a result. The line, "keep those that you love, the furthest from you" indicates that the character wants to protect the ones they care about by keeping distance.
The lyrics go on to describe the singer's current state of mind; tired, lost, and alone. The lines "pluck out my heart and I'll give it to you, and you'll get more use from yours too" suggest a willingness to be vulnerable, to let someone in, and feel again. The singer implies that they are tired of holding everything in and keeping others at a distance, but they still question whether this is the right thing to do.
The final lines of the song talk about a bomb going off in the yard, which could symbolize the singer's internal struggle. The mention of pulling weeds suggests that the character has previously worked hard to combat their issues, but the current bomb that is going off, perhaps refers to the challenges they face in moving forward. The lyrics are open-ended and leave the listener to interpret their meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
As if I hadn't learned it before.
Despite knowing this lesson, I acted foolishly or failed to apply it in the past.
I tried my hardest to keep it all in,
I attempted to control or suppress my emotions, thoughts, or actions.
But I ain't keeping it in no more.
I am no longer willing or able to restrain myself.
Made mistakes every day,
I am flawed and have made numerous errors in judgment or behavior.
And I learned from two,
I gained knowledge or insight from specific experiences.
Keep those that you love,
Hold close the people important to you.
The furthest from you,
Distance or detachment can be necessary for emotional well-being or safety.
And try to take care of them too.
Put effort into supporting those you care about.
It's just a feeling I had,
I experienced an emotion, but it may not be rational or justified.
And it ain't what I think I should do,
Despite my intuition or beliefs, I am not acting in the way that aligns with them.
Pluck out my heard and I'll give it to you,
Metaphorically, I am offering my heart or vulnerability to another person.
And you'll get more use from yours too.
This exchange may be mutually beneficial, as both parties can gain something meaningful.
Get back, I'm too tired to go home and I'm too lost and alone.
I am experiencing emotional and physical exhaustion, and feel disconnected or adrift from my regular surroundings and support system.
I looked in the mirror on the back of your door,
I examined myself or reflected on my identity using a mirror that I found in a place that is not mine.
All my weaknesses show.
Upon reflection, I see my flaws and vulnerabilities clearly.
There's a bomb going off,
There is an intense and potentially destructive situation unfolding around me.
Out in the yard of the house,
This chaos or danger is occurring in a familiar or domestic space.
When we worked so hard to pull all the weeds out,
Despite previous efforts to create a peaceful or orderly environment, the current situation is out of control.
What were we talking about. Get back.
I am overwhelmed or distracted, and need to distance myself from the situation to regain clarity or perspective.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: LACHLAN ANDERSON, MICHAEL JAMES PRAIN, ANDREW MICHAEL WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind