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.
I've Been Eating for You
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You take when you're sick
You get well and that's it
I'm put back on the shelf in your mirror
And it isn't exceptional
The course of our fate
So people love and they hate
Yeah, you were just some song I wrote
A poem on a page
A sculpture I made out of clay
Desire was the flame
But now you're more of a basketball
Boys just pass you around
They bounce you hard on the ground
And dribble, and then we all get high fives
And you think I'm an asshole now
Well, you're probably right
But at least I'm not blind
To the facts I've been wishing were lies
But still I hope you get everything
That you care to possess
And unbelievable sex
With him or any one of my friends
But just don't ask about my appetite
I didn't lose it tonight
No, it?s been gone half my life
It?s just act, I've been eating for you
The Bright Eyes song "I've Been Eating for You" tells the story of a fading relationship that has lost its spark. Conor Oberst, the lead singer and songwriter, compares their love to a medicine that is only needed in times of sickness. The singer is likened to medicine, who is only taken when the other person needs him. Once they get better, the singer is put back on the shelf in the other person's mirror, forgotten and unused.
The song also touches on the theme of fate and the inevitability of love and hate in a relationship. The singer acknowledges their shared turn for hatred and seems resigned to the fact that this is just the course of their relationship. The song then takes a darker turn when Conor sings about how the other person has become like a basketball, being passed around and used by boys. The singer used to desire the other person, but now that they're nothing more than a sexual object, he doesn't care about them as much.
Despite his negative feelings, he still wants the other person to have everything they want, including great sex with anyone they desire. The song ends with Conor confessing that he's been eating for the other person, and he hasn't lost his appetite, contrary to what he'd have them believe.
Overall, "I've Been Eating for You" is a melancholic song about the fading of love and the recognition that sometimes two people simply aren't meant to be together. It's a bittersweet realization that can be hard to come to terms with, but ultimately necessary for moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
So, I'm just the medicine
I'm someone who provides a temporary fix to make you feel better.
You take when you're sick
You come to me when you're in need of help or comfort.
You get well and that's it
Once you're feeling better, you no longer need me.
I'm put back on the shelf in your mirror
You put me aside and forget about me until you need me again.
And it isn't exceptional
This is not an unusual situation.
The course of our fate
Our lives are predetermined and we have no control over them.
So people love and they hate
People have strong feelings of love and hate towards others.
And I guess it?s just our turn to hate
It seems like it's our turn to feel hatred towards each other.
Yeah, you were just some song I wrote
You were once just some inspiration for my creative output.
A poem on a page
You were once a beautiful and meaningful piece of art, just like a poem on a page.
A sculpture I made out of clay
You were once a work of art that I lovingly created, like a sculpture out of clay.
Desire was the flame
My passion and desire for you was what fueled my creativity.
But now you're more of a basketball
You are now just an object that boys play with and pass around like a basketball.
Boys just pass you around
Boys use you for their own pleasure and entertainment.
They bounce you hard on the ground
They treat you roughly and carelessly, throwing you around like a toy.
And dribble, and then we all get high fives
They use you as a means of impressing their friends and then celebrate their success together.
And you think I'm an asshole now
You think I'm a bad person now because of the way I'm treating you.
Well, you're probably right
You might be correct in your assessment of me.
But at least I'm not blind
I'm able to see and understand the wrongs I'm committing.
To the facts I've been wishing were lies
I know that the things I've been hoping were not true, indeed are.
But still I hope you get everything
Despite how I treat you, I want the best for you.
That you care to possess
I hope you are able to attain all the things that you desire.
And unbelievable sex
I hope you have amazing and passionate sexual experiences with others.
With him or any one of my friends
I don't care who else you do it with, as long as you're happy.
But just don't ask about my appetite
Don't inquire about my own sexual desires or interests.
I didn't lose it tonight
My loss of sexual appetite is not a new development.
No, it?s been gone half my life
I've been struggling with this for a long time.
It?s just act, I've been eating for you
I'm pretending to still be interested in sex in order to please you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Natalie Martin
i wish this song was longer its so great
Lou Sassle
this song.....i thought i related to it when i was young after a breakup lol...its funny that a this very second i can relate to every line..bright eyes over everything
Khalina Angeles
I understand that a song can't make me eat, but hearing his trembling voice makes me want to... want to eat. If that makes any sense at all. Bright Eyes, thank you for wearing your hearts on your sleeve- there are some people in this world that really need to hear what you're trying to say..
Thank you
Wishing Everyone Well &More
Sincerely
-Khalina
Jacqueline Parker
this is my favorite song. i love it.
Kevin Carrillo
Love this!
Elle Kay
i love this song so much
sar234n0
this is poetry
Summer Thyme
but now youre more of a basketball, boys just pass you around. they bounce you hard on the ground, and dribble. and we all get high fives. <3
kelly c
do you ever just stop and wonder who this song is about, what they look like and all that other jazz
Doctor Past
I subbed you for a reason I hope to find.