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.
Pull My Hair
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or is it still newly wed?
If all this heat is doing is making us stick to the bed
Then there is no life to revive.
But if the hunger is still there, hidden somewhere inside
Covered up by the boredom we've been trying to hide
Then dig it up and devour
And less like its math
If you pull on my hair, and bite me like that
And the truth is that I can't hardly wait
And I don't care if we stay up too late
Don't answer the phone
Don't answer the phone
And it will be more like a song and less like its math
If you pull on my hair and bite me like that
And the truth is that I can't hardly wait
It itches so bad that I can't concentrate
Don't answer the phone
Don't answer the phone
And it will be more like a song and less like its math
If you pull on hair and bite me like that.
The lyrics of Bright Eyes’s song “Pull My Hair” describe a relationship that might have entered a rut, and the singer urges their partner to revive their passion. The repeated line “And it will be more like a song and less like its math” is a metaphor for how the relationship can become less formulaic and more organic if there is a spark between them. The singer’s thoughts are focused on whether the passion is still newlywed or if it has dissipated into boredom. If the hunger is still there, they want their partner to dig it up instead of hiding it, and “devour” it. Their advice is to focus on the physical aspect of their relationship, demonstrated in the line “If you pull on my hair, and bite me like that,” which signals a preference for a spontaneous and impulsive dynamic, rather than a predictable one. The singer’s impatience is clear as they express a desire to stay up late and ignore phone calls. The anticipated physical intimacy itches so badly that they "can't concentrate," demonstrating a sense of urgency for spontaneity.
In terms of the song’s meaning, the lyrics could be interpreted as a plea for a partner to be present and passionate during physical intimacy, rather than going through the motions. The metaphor of the song and its math implies that a relationship can be reduced to a formula. The use of physical touch and the urgency in the lyrics demonstrate a need for spontaneity to revive passion that may have faded within a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Is the passion all gone?
Is our love and desire for each other gone?
Or is it still newly wed?
Or do we still have the same passion we had when we first got married?
If all this heat is doing is making us stick to the bed
If all we're doing is having sex and not feeling any real connection or spark.
Then there is no life to revive.
Then our relationship is essentially dead and not worth trying to save.
But if the hunger is still there, hidden somewhere inside
But if we still have a desire for each other that we've been ignoring.
Covered up by the boredom we've been trying to hide
Covered up by the monotony and dullness of our routine we've been trying to mask.
Then dig it up and devour
Then we need to uncover and satisfy that desire.
And it will be more like a song
Then our love-making will feel more like a beautiful and harmonious melody.
And less like its math
And less like a clinical or mechanical act.
If you pull on my hair, and bite me like that
If you pull my hair and bite me in passion and desire.
And the truth is that I can't hardly wait
And the truth is that I am excited and eager for it.
And I don't care if we stay up too late
And I'm willing to stay up late to satisfy that desire.
Don't answer the phone
Let's not let anything or anyone interfere with this moment.
Don't answer the phone
Let's not let anything or anyone interfere with this moment.
And it will be more like a song and less like its math
If we stay in the moment and act on our passion, it will be more beautiful and less mechanical.
If you pull on my hair and bite me like that
If you pull my hair and bite me in passion and desire.
And the truth is that I can't hardly wait
And the truth is that I am excited and eager for it.
It itches so bad that I can't concentrate
My desire is so strong that it's distracting me from everything else.
Don't answer the phone
Let's not let anything or anyone interfere with this moment.
Don't answer the phone
Let's not let anything or anyone interfere with this moment.
And it will be more like a song and less like its math
If we stay in the moment and act on our passion, it will be more beautiful and less mechanical.
If you pull on hair and bite me like that.
If you pull my hair and bite me in passion and desire.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DEONGELO HOLMES, ERIC JACKSON, MICHAEL ANTOINE CROOMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind