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.
How Many Lights Do You See?
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How many lights do you see?
There's one to say that night has come
And there's one that guards this jagged shore
And there's one to call the children home
And there's one to light the path they take
How many lights do you see?
There's one to keep the shadows off
And there's one that tells me she got home
And there's one to read his novel by
And there's one that warms this dreary room
And there's one to watch the baby sleep
And there's one to count the blinking stars
And there's one that I just can't forget
And there's one that I remember too
How many lights do you see?
How many lights do you see?
There's one that waits for closing time
And there's one that gets left on all night
And there's one that marks the western sky
And it shines down on the quiet street
And there's one that floods the darker parts
And there's one that hurts my tired eyes
And there's one that says she's not asleep
And there's one that waits for her to wake
How many lights do you see?
How many lights do you see?
There is one that spills out on the beach
And it sparkles on the jetting rocks
And there is one that waits for tired ships
That sleep within this tired, buried port
The lyrics to the Bright Eyes song "How Many Lights Do You See?" are a meditation on the presence of light in our lives. The repeated question "How many lights do you see?" invites the listener to consider the many ways in which light illuminates our world, both physical and emotional. Some of the lights mentioned in the song are functional, like the light that marks the western sky or the one that waits for closing time. Others are more symbolic, like the light that calls the children home or the one that watches the baby sleep.
Despite the varied purposes of the lights mentioned in the song, there is a sense of comfort and security that their presence brings. The light that guards the jagged shore serves as a beacon of safety, while the light that warms the dreary room provides a sense of coziness. The singer even remembers certain lights more than others, suggesting that they have made a meaningful impression. Ultimately, the lyrics suggest that by noticing and appreciating the lights around us, we can find meaning and comfort in even the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
How many lights do you see?
The singer asks the listener how many lights there are within their surroundings.
There's one to say that night has come
A light signifies the arrival of night time.
And there's one that guards this jagged shore
A light is used to protect a dangerous area, such as a rocky shore.
And there's one to call the children home
A light is used to signal to children that it is time to come home.
And there's one to light the path they take
A light is used to illuminate the path that children take when coming home.
There's one to keep the shadows off
A light is used to eliminate any darkness, and thereby, any lurking shadows that may be present.
And there's one that tells me she got home
A light indicates that someone has made it home safely.
And there's one to read his novel by
A light is used to allow someone to read a book in the dark.
And there's one that warms this dreary room
A light is used to create an atmosphere of warmth in an otherwise cold and gloomy room.
And there's one to watch the baby sleep
A light is used to keep an eye on a sleeping baby.
And there's one to count the blinking stars
A light is used to count the number of stars that are visible.
And there's one that I just can't forget
A light has left a lasting impact on the singer's memory.
And there's one that I remember too
A light is remembered by the singer.
There's one that waits for closing time
A light is kept on until closing time, indicating the end of a business's operating hours.
And there's one that gets left on all night
A light is left on throughout the entire night.
And there's one that marks the western sky
A light is used to indicate the location of the western sky.
And it shines down on the quiet street
A light illuminates a quiet street.
And there's one that floods the darker parts
A light is used to brighten up darker areas.
And there's one that hurts my tired eyes
A light causes the singer's tired eyes to hurt.
And there's one that says she's not asleep
A light indicates that someone is still awake.
And there's one that waits for her to wake
A light is left on, waiting for someone to wake up.
There is one that spills out on the beach
A light spills out, illuminating the beach.
And it sparkles on the jetting rocks
A light sparkles on top of jagged rocks.
And there is one that waits for tired ships
A light is used to guide tired ships to a safe, buried port.
That sleep within this tired, buried port
Ships rest in this safe, buried port.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST, Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind