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.
Haile Selassie
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are the same, brother
Hitchhiking back to Zion
Holding our tears as we flip the album
What if this leads to ruin?
You got a soul, use it
All this despair forgiven
Rolling away on a wheel of sevens
Voice through a blown speaker
One drop and bubbling Leslie
Calling me home like Haile Selassie
Pilgrim beside the fire
Its been a long winter
We got a lot in common
Cover our heads as they split the atom
All of our days are numbered
I take in some comfort in knowing the wave has crested
Knowing I don't have to be an exception
Children they fill the bleachers
One is the next Caesar
Keep all their minds collected
Until it comes
Until it comes
Hide the Omega day
In plain sight
Too good to be true
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
Pilgrim upon the mountain
Bare foot and still climbing
Filling the book of hours
Day after day in the filth and squalor
We are the chosen people
Safe from the next evil
One Love! Magnetic memory
Reel after reel, spinning within me
I had the wildest dream last night
I was swimming with you in that Cenote the Heavens made with black fire
Just woke up too soon
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
The lyrics to Bright Eyes' song "Haile Selassie" are a contemplative reflection on the human experience and the shared struggles that connect us all. The song opens with a reference to a "pilgrim across the water," suggesting a spiritual journey and a sense of displacement. The singer speaks of holding back tears while listening to an album, perhaps evoking a feeling of nostalgia or melancholy. The fear of ruin hangs in the air, but there is a call to use one's soul in the face of despair.
The second verse introduces a motif of fire, drawing a connection between warmth and community. The line "all of our days are numbered" evokes the idea of mortality and the need to live fully in the present. There is a sense of hope for the future, with the mention of children in the bleachers and the suggestion that they may be the next leaders. The song ends with a vision of the singer as a pilgrim climbing a mountain and filling a book of hours, a symbol of the passage of time and the importance of charting one's journey.
Overall, "Haile Selassie" is a meditative song about the human experience, and the power of shared struggle and community to connect us.
Line by Line Meaning
Pilgrim across the water
Starting a journey to find something meaningful
We are the same, brother
Realizing we are all connected as humans
Hitchhiking back to Zion
Returning to a place of happiness and peace
Holding our tears as we flip the album
Feeling emotional while listening to music
What if this leads to ruin?
Worrying about the consequences of our actions
You got a soul, use it
Encouraging the listener to live authentically
All this despair forgiven
Letting go of negative emotions
Rolling away on a wheel of sevens
Going through life's ups and downs
Seems like the Queen of Sheba
A reference to an influential leader
Voice through a blown speaker
Hearing messages through unexpected means
One drop and bubbling Leslie
Musical references to reggae
Calling me home like Haile Selassie
Finding a sense of belonging and connection
Pilgrim beside the fire
Finding comfort and warmth
Its been a long winter
Enduring tough times
We got a lot in common
Finding shared experiences with others
Cover our heads as they split the atom
Feeling overwhelmed by technological advancements
All of our days are numbered
Realizing our mortality
I take in some comfort in knowing the wave has crested
Feeling relief as a difficult era ends
Knowing I don't have to be an exception
Feeling that one does not have to be exceptional
Children they fill the bleachers
Young people have high hopes for the future
One is the next Caesar
Believing in the potential of a powerful individual
Keep all their minds collected
Encouraging young people to stay focused
Until it comes
Anticipating something important
Hide the Omega day
Concealing the end of the world
In plain sight
Being hidden in plain view
Too good to be true
Skepticism about something that seems perfect
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
Acknowledging unusual experiences
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
Seeing something that is incomprehensible
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Experiencing peculiar events
Happen before
Seeing similar events occur in the past
Pilgrim upon the mountain
Climbing to a higher place
Bare foot and still climbing
Enduring physical hardship to achieve something great
Filling the book of hours
Documenting one's life and experiences
Day after day in the filth and squalor
Living in difficult conditions
We are the chosen people
Feeling special and blessed
Safe from the next evil
Protected from future harm
One Love! Magnetic memory
Emphasizing love and connection between people
Reel after reel, spinning within me
Experiencing a range of emotions
I had the wildest dream last night
Experiencing vivid dreams
I was swimming with you in that Cenote the Heavens made with black fire
Experiencing surreal and beautiful imagery
Just woke up too soon
Feeling disappointed that a beautiful moment ended too soon
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CONOR M OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind