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.
Hit the Switch
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the back porch of my mind.
The only thing that's alive.
I'm all there is.
I start attacking my vodka.
Stab the ice with my straw.
My eyes have turned red as stop-lights.
You seem ready to walk.
When I want to talk.
Until then you're invisible.
There's this switch that gets hit,
And it all stops making sense.
In the middle of drinks maybe the fifth or the sixth.
I'm completely alone at a table of friends.
I feel nothing for them.
I feel nothing.
Nothing.
I need a break from the city again.
I think I'll ship myself back west.
I got a friend there she says, hey anytime.
Unless the offer's expired.
I have been less than frequent.
She's under no obligation to indulge every whim.
And I'm so ungrateful.
I take.
She gives and forgives.
And I keep forgetting it.
Each morning she wakes with a dream to describe.
Something lovely that bloomed in her beautiful mind.
I say, I'll trade you one for two nightmares of mine.
I've got somewhere I die.
I've got somewhere we all die.
I'm thinking of quitting drinking again.
I know I've said that a couple of times.
I'm always changing my mind.
I guess I am.
But there's this burn in my stomach,
And there's this pain in my side.
When I kneel at the toilet,
And the morning's clean light pores in through the window.
Sometimes I pray I don't die.
I'm a goddamn hypocrite.
Then night rolls around,
And it all starts making sense.
There is no right way or wrong way.
You just have to live.
So I do what I do and at least I exist.
What would mean more than this?
What would mean more?
Mean more.
In "Hit The Switch" by Bright Eyes, the singer is feeling disconnected from the world around him and is struggling with alcohol addiction. The opening lines, "I'm staring out into the vacuum again/From the back porch of my mind/The only thing that's alive/I'm all there is," set the tone for the song. The singer is isolated and feeling like he's the only one who exists. He turns to vodka to numb his feelings and becomes aggressive in his behavior, exemplified by him stabbing the ice with his straw.
The singer recognizes the strain this behavior is placing on his relationships, but he's not sure he's ready to stop. He acknowledges that his friend will eventually hear from him when he's ready to talk, but “Until then you're invisible." The switch in the song's title represents the moment when it all becomes too much for the singer, and he can't make sense of anything anymore.
The latter half of the song finds the singer reflecting on his life and his addiction. He acknowledges that he needs a break from the city, and he's considering moving back west. But he's also aware that he takes his friend for granted and is always asking for more than he deserves. He's also grappling with the desire to quit drinking and the fear of dying before he has the chance to turn his life around.
Overall, "Hit The Switch" is a song about isolation, addiction, and the human condition. By painting a bleak picture of the singer's inner life, Conor Oberst invites the listener to reflect on their own experiences with isolation and addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm staring out into the vacuum again,
I feel empty inside and disconnected from the world around me.
From the back porch of my mind.
I'm observing my thoughts and emotions from afar, as if from a distance.
The only thing that's alive.
My inner turmoil is the only thing that seems real and tangible at the moment.
I'm all there is.
I feel isolated and alone in my struggles.
I start attacking my vodka.
I'm trying to find relief from my emotional pain by drinking alcohol.
Stab the ice with my straw.
I'm taking out my frustration on the inanimate objects around me.
My eyes have turned red as stop-lights.
My eyes are bloodshot from the effects of alcohol and the intensity of my emotions.
You seem ready to walk.
I sense that the person I'm with is about to leave the situation.
You know I'll call you eventually.
I expect the person to be there for me when I'm ready to reach out.
When I want to talk.
I only reach out when I need something from them.
Until then you're invisible.
I don't value their presence in my life until I need them.
There's this switch that gets hit,
Something inside of me changes suddenly.
And it all stops making sense.
I become lost in my emotions and can't understand why I feel this way.
In the middle of drinks maybe the fifth or the sixth.
I'm in the midst of drinking and losing track of time.
I'm completely alone at a table of friends.
I feel disconnected from my community and like I don't belong.
I feel nothing for them.
I can't connect with my friends or feel any positive emotions towards them.
I feel nothing.
I'm numb to the world around me and can't feel anything.
I need a break from the city again.
I feel overwhelmed by my surroundings and need to escape.
I think I'll ship myself back west.
I'm considering traveling to the West coast for a change of scenery.
I got a friend there she says, hey anytime.
I have a friend on the West coast who is willing to support me.
Unless the offer's expired.
I'm worried that I've been too selfish with their time and they may no longer want to help me.
I have been less than frequent.
I've neglected to stay in touch with my friend and haven't been a good friend in return.
She's under no obligation to indulge every whim.
I realize that my friend has their own life and isn't obligated to be there for me all the time.
And I'm so ungrateful.
I feel guilty for taking my friend for granted and not appreciating their support.
I take.
I've been selfish in my relationship with my friend and haven't given back as much as I've taken.
She gives and forgives.
Despite my shortcomings, my friend is generous and forgiving towards me.
And I keep forgetting it.
I lose sight of the fact that I'm lucky to have such a supportive friend.
Each morning she wakes with a dream to describe.
My friend is full of life and positivity, and shares her dreams and experiences with me.
Something lovely that bloomed in her beautiful mind.
My friend sees the beauty in life and reminds me to do the same.
I say, I'll trade you one for two nightmares of mine.
I'm acknowledging my struggles with negative emotions and seeking empathy from my friend.
I've got somewhere I die.
I'm struggling with the idea of my own mortality and the inevitability of death.
I've got somewhere we all die.
I'm also grappling with the existential question of life and death for all of humanity.
I'm thinking of quitting drinking again.
I'm reflecting on my relationship with alcohol and considering sobriety.
I know I've said that a couple of times.
I'm aware that I've made similar promises to myself about quitting drinking before.
I'm always changing my mind.
I'm indecisive and struggle with making commitments.
I guess I am.
I'm struggling with self-doubt and insecurity.
But there's this burn in my stomach,
I'm experiencing physical symptoms related to anxiety and emotional pain.
And there's this pain in my side.
I'm also experiencing physical pain related to my alcohol consumption.
When I kneel at the toilet,
I've been vomiting from excessive drinking.
And the morning's clean light pores in through the window.
I'm struck by the irony that a new day is starting while I'm feeling my worst.
Sometimes I pray I don't die.
I'm worried about the impact of my drinking on my health and mortality.
I'm a goddamn hypocrite.
I'm struggling with my own moral failures and imperfections.
Then night rolls around,
My emotions and behaviors change along with the time of day.
And it all starts making sense.
I find clarity and understanding in the dark of night.
There is no right way or wrong way.
I've come to realize that there are no absolute answers to life's problems or choices.
You just have to live.
I'm learning to accept the uncertainty of life and to live in the present moment.
So I do what I do and at least I exist.
I'm accepting my own existence and the role that I play in the world, despite my imperfections.
What would mean more than this?
I'm reflecting on the value of my life and the things that matter most to me.
What would mean more?
I'm searching for meaning and purpose in my life.
Mean more.
I'm longing for something deeper and more meaningful in my existence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST, Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind