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.
Oh You Are the Roots That Sleep Beneath My Feet and Hold the Earth in Place
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in the attic of my parents house
and though I didn't know it then
I soon was finding out
you are the roots that sleep beneath my feet
and hold the earth in place
each time a faucet opens
words are spoken
and I hear your name
no, nothing has changed
there was this book I read and loved
the story of a ship
who sailed around the world and found
that nothing else exists
beyond his own two sails
and wooden shell
and what is held within
all else is sure to pass
we clutch and grasp
and debate what's truly permanent
but when the wind starts to shift
there's no argument
I sing and drink and sleep on floors
and try hard not to be annoyed
by all these people worrying about me
so when I'm suffering through some awful drive
you occasionally cross my mind
it's my hidden hope that you are still among them
well are you?
Oh, you are the roots that sleep beneath my feet
and hold the earth in place
each time a curtain opens
sunlight pours in
a lifetime melts away
and we share a name
on some picturesque grave
In the first verse of Bright Eyes's song Oh You Are the Roots That Sleep Beneath My Feet and Hold the Earth in Place, the singer is reflecting on how they met someone through a mutual friend in their parents' attic, and how they soon realized that this person is the foundation of their existence. The lyrics "you are the roots that sleep beneath my feet and hold the earth in place" are a metaphor for the stability and grounding that this person provides in the singer's life. The singer hears this person's name every time they turn on a faucet and the water runs away, which can be seen as a symbol for how this person's influence and presence follows them everywhere they go. The repetition of the phrase "no, nothing has changed" can be seen as a way to emphasize that this person's impact on the singer's life remains constant.
The second verse changes the focus to a book that the singer has read about a ship that sails around the world and finds that nothing else exists beyond its own sails and wooden shell. This is a metaphor for how we can only truly know what is inside ourselves and what we hold dear, as everything else in life is subject to change and impermanence. The lines "we clutch and grasp and debate what's truly permanent, but when the wind starts to shift, there's no argument" highlight the futility of trying to hold onto things that are bound to change, and how we can only find peace by accepting the impermanence of life.
The final verse reveals the singer's personal struggles, as they sing and drink and sleep on floors, trying not to be bothered by people worrying about them. They are on a difficult drive and this person occasionally crosses their mind, and they wonder if they are still among their friends. The lyrics "it's my hidden hope that you are still among them, well are you?" suggest that this person may hold the key to the singer's happiness or sense of belonging, and that they are still searching for stability and grounding in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
I met you through a common friend
I first encountered you through a mutual friend
in the attic of my parents house
we met in the loft space of my parents' residence
and though I didn't know it then
at the time, I was unaware of the importance of our meeting
I soon was finding out
but I quickly learned how significant you were to me
you are the roots that sleep beneath my feet
your presence is deeply rooted and foundational in my life
and hold the earth in place
you play a crucial role in stabilizing and grounding me
each time a faucet opens
whenever a tap is turned on
words are spoken
conversations begin
the water runs away
the water escapes and disappears down the drain
and I hear your name
in these moments, your name comes to mind
no, nothing has changed
my feelings and thoughts towards you remain constant
there was this book I read and loved
a favorite book of mine came to mind
the story of a ship
it told the tale of a vessel
who sailed around the world and found
that journeyed the globe and realized
that nothing else exists
there is no other existence
beyond his own two sails
aside from the ship's sails themselves
and wooden shell
and the vessel's wooden hull
and what is held within
and everything contained within it
all else is sure to pass
everything else is certain to fade away over time
we clutch and grasp
we try to hold onto and acquire
and debate what's truly permanent
and debate what truly lasts forever
but when the wind starts to shift
but when the direction of the wind changes
there's no argument
it becomes clear that there is no debate to be had
I sing and drink and sleep on floors
I live my life music, alcohol, and on floors
and try hard not to be annoyed
and make a conscious effort not to be irritated or frustrated
by all these people worrying about me
by the individuals who fret about me
so when I'm suffering through some awful drive
during a difficult and unpleasant drive
you occasionally cross my mind
you randomly come to my thoughts
it's my hidden hope that you are still among them
I secretly hope that you are included in those thoughts
well are you?
I wonder if my hope is realized
Oh, you are the roots that sleep beneath my feet
again emphasizing that you are the foundation of my being
and hold the earth in place
reiterating your significance in stabilizing me
each time a curtain opens
whenever a drape or window covering is drawn back
sunlight pours in
light floods in from outside
a lifetime melts away
a sense of timelessness is felt
and we share a name
we have a common identity
on some picturesque grave
presumably, engraved on a headstone
Contributed by Kennedy H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.