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.
Kathy With a K's Song
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is not just in novels or the movies
It is fact
And it is standing here right in front of you
So if you open your eyes
Oh what a sweet discovery
There is hope, and there is joy, and there is acceptance
So now let all of the light that collects on your plants
And I will be there with this pen in my hand
To record all the while
You'll be laughing so loud
That the house would shake with sound
And everything will be as new as the day it was found
Love is real
It is not just in long distance commercials
Or something that you thought you felt back in high school
So I will turn black and white
Become that horoscope you're reading
It predicts something good is on its way
Oh, and then I will send you the world green and blue
In a box through the mail
You can open it up, hold it right in your hand
And be glad that it's there
And be glad that you're there
Now, you can feel all the knots in your stomach start to untie
And suddenly it's not so hard to say you're all right
Love is real
It is not just in poetry and stories
It is truth, and it will follow you
Everywhere you go from now on
So if you'd just cast off your doubt
Then your lips would answer for you
Oh my darling, when you smile, it is like a song
And I can hear it now
And I can hear it now
And I can hear it now
Yes, I can, I can, I can
I can hear it now
I can hear it now
Yeah, I can, I can, I can
I can hear it now
I can hear it now
I can hear it now
Yeah, I can, I can, I can
I can hear it now
I can hear it now
"Bright Eyes" is a music project fronted by Conor Oberst, an American singer-songwriter, poet, and philosopher. The song "Kathy With A K's Song," appears to be a love letter to a person named Kathy. The song contains a message of hope and joy in life, with the singer saying that love is not just a fiction of novels and movies but is a truth that stands right in front of Kathy. The singer encourages Kathy to open her eyes and discover the sweet joy of acceptance, stating that he/she will be there with a pen in hand to record this happiness. The happy moments and laughter that will take place will be so loud that the sound will shake the house, and everything will be as new as the day it was found. The singer also mentions how love is not only experienced during high school but will follow Kathy everywhere she goes from now on. The song serves as a reminder that love exists in life and is attainable by all.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is real
Love is not just a concept, it is a tangible reality
It is not just in novels or the movies
Love is not confined to fictional stories, it exists in real life
It is fact
Love is an undeniable truth
And it is standing here right in front of you
Love is present in the moment and in the people around you
So if you open your eyes
If you choose to see the world through a lens of love
Oh what a sweet discovery
You will find that love is a beautiful and uplifting experience
There is hope, and there is joy, and there is acceptance
Love brings positive emotions and an overall sense of contentment
So now let all of the light that collects on your plants
Allow the beauty and positivity around you to lift you up
Keep you warm, make you smile
Let love bring warmth and happiness into your life
And I will be there with this pen in my hand
I will be here to document and appreciate the love that surrounds us
To record all the while
To document and remember the moments of love and joy we experience
You'll be laughing so loud
The happiness and love you feel will be so overwhelming that you'll laugh uncontrollably
That the house would shake with sound
Your laughter and joy will be so powerful that it can be felt throughout your surroundings
And everything will be as new as the day it was found
The world and your experiences will feel fresh and exciting, like you're seeing them for the first time
It is not just in long distance commercials
Love is not only marketed or portrayed in media but it's also experienced in everyday life
Or something that you thought you felt back in high school
Love is not just something felt in youthful infatuation, it can be a lasting emotion
So I will turn black and white
I will simplify myself and my emotions
Become that horoscope you're reading
I will become the prophetic voice predicting good things to come
It predicts something good is on its way
There is a sense of optimism and positivity about the future
Oh, and then I will send you the world green and blue
I will share the beauty and wonder of the world with you
In a box through the mail
I will use any means necessary to share my love and appreciation with you
You can open it up, hold it right in your hand
You can experience the full impact of love by embracing it fully
And be glad that it's there
You will feel grateful and joyful for the presence of love in your life
Now, you can feel all the knots in your stomach start to untie
You will feel a sense of relief and calm as the negative emotions fade away
And suddenly it's not so hard to say you're all right
You'll feel confident and secure in your well-being
It is truth, and it will follow you
Love is not fleeting or temporary, it will always be present in your life
Everywhere you go from now on
Love is a constant companion and will follow you throughout your life
So if you'd just cast off your doubt
If you let go of your doubts and fears about love
Then your lips would answer for you
Your actions and words will reflect the positive impact of love on your life
Oh my darling, when you smile, it is like a song
Your happiness and joy are infectious and uplifting
And I can hear it now
I can sense and appreciate the positive impact of love on your life
Yes, I can, I can, I can
I am confident and sure of the power of love to transform lives
I can hear it now
I can sense and appreciate the positive impact of love on your life
I can hear it now
I can sense and appreciate the positive impact of love on your life
Yeah, I can, I can, I can
I am confident and sure of the power of love to transform lives
I can hear it now
I can sense and appreciate the positive impact of love on your life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind