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.
Stairwell Song
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Concentrating on the rain
Hearing laughter in the stairwell
It reverberates
They're talking about the weekend
All the plans that they have made
Said it's just nice to have something
To anticipate
We were dressed alike
Though you were one of a kind
For an enigmatic guy
You seemed relatable
You were smart
But so foolish with your heart
Eyed the exit from the start
In the end, couldn't tell what you pretended
Always wild
With your sly renegade smile
Perfectly disheveled style
What a waste
I regret it to this day
When I'm trapped inside my bedroom
Planning out my last resort
I have a great imagination
So I just teleport
And I'm back with you in Benson
Sitting on that rotting porch
Where we only drank the good stuff
That we could afford
Could be so damn mean
But you were always sweet to me
You swept me off my feet
And we went flying
Tried your best to hide
All the sadness in your eyes
But I caught you every time
That, that was possible
You were kind
Existential and refined
Always something on your mind
Even then
Our love was not in question
Nothing changed
You just packed your things one day
Didn't bother to explain
What happened
You like cinematic endings
The lyrics to Bright Eyes's song Stairwell Song paint a picture of nostalgia and regret as the singer reflects back on a past love. The opening lines set the scene with the singer standing under an awning while it's raining and hearing laughter echoing from a nearby stairwell. The laughter signals the presence of others who are chatting excitedly about upcoming weekend plans, giving the impression that the singer is feeling left out of the fun. The lines "Said it's just nice to have something to anticipate" reflect the human need for hope and something to look forward to, even in the mundane aspects of life.
The second verse describes how the singer and their former love were initially drawn to each other despite their differences. The singer saw the former love as an enigmatic and relatable person who was smart but foolish with their heart. The lines "In the end, couldn't tell what you pretended, always wild with your sly renegade smile, perfectly disheveled style" suggest that the former love may have been putting on a façade with their quirky and carefree demeanor. The singer harbors regret that they were unable to see through the façade and connect with the real person underneath.
The final verse portrays the singer reminiscing about past times spent with the former love and how they were kind to them, despite being capable of being mean. The singer also notes the former love's existential and intellectual nature, constantly deep in thought. The lines "Our love was not in question, nothing changed, you just packed your things one day, didn't bother to explain" reveal the sudden end of the relationship, leaving the singer with unanswered questions and unspoken sadness. The final line, "You like cinematic endings" suggests a parting shot at the former love, implying that they preferred a dramatic and memorable exit rather than a simple conversation.
Line by Line Meaning
Underneath an awning
Taking shelter from the rain
Concentrating on the rain
Focusing on the sound and sight of the rain
Hearing laughter in the stairwell
Listening to echoes of laughter from nearby
It reverberates
The laughter echoes and bounces around
They're talking about the weekend
Others are discussing their upcoming plans
All the plans that they have made
People have made exciting plans they're looking forward to
Said it's just nice to have something
It's comforting to have something to look forward to
To anticipate
To eagerly await or expect something
We were dressed alike
Both clothing was alike
Though you were one of a kind
Even though you were unique and different than others
For an enigmatic guy
Despite being mysterious and hard to understand
You seemed relatable
You were easy to connect with despite your mystery
You were smart
You had intelligence and knowledge
But so foolish with your heart
You were reckless and careless with your emotions
Eyed the exit from the start
You were ready to leave from the beginning
In the end, couldn't tell what you pretended
It was hard to know what was genuine and what was an act
Always wild
You were always reckless and unpredictable
With your sly renegade smile
Your mischievous and rebellious grin
Perfectly disheveled style
Your appearance was effortlessly messy, yet stylish
What a waste
It was a shame to lose or overlook what we had
I regret it to this day
I still feel remorse about it
When I'm trapped inside my bedroom
When I feel stuck and isolated
Planning out my last resort
Thinking about drastic measures
I have a great imagination
I'm creative and imaginative
So I just teleport
Mentally transport myself somewhere else
And I'm back with you in Benson
Reliving a memory with you in Benson
Sitting on that rotting porch
Sitting outdoors despite the decay and neglect of the surroundings
Where we only drank the good stuff
Enjoying the best things in life despite having little
That we could afford
Only drinking what we could afford on a tight budget
Could be so damn mean
You could be hurtful and cruel
But you were always sweet to me
Despite being difficult, you treated me kindly
You swept me off my feet
You charmed and won me over
And we went flying
We felt elevated and euphoric
Tried your best to hide
You attempted to conceal
All the sadness in your eyes
Your emotional pain and struggle
But I caught you every time
I was able to recognize the sadness despite your efforts
That, that was possible
To the extent of what I could understand
You were kind
You were gentle and compassionate
Existential and refined
You contemplated deep questions and were sophisticated
Always something on your mind
You had a lot of thoughts and ideas
Even then
Despite your complexities and contradictions
Our love was not in question
We didn't doubt our affection for each other
Nothing changed
There was no particular event or decision that altered things
You just packed your things one day
You left abruptly without warning
Didn't bother to explain
You didn't provide any clarity or closure
What happened
What led to the sudden departure and end of our relationship
You like cinematic endings
You prefer dramatic and conclusive finishes
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Conor Oberst, Nathaniel Walcott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind