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.
Sunrise Sunset.
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swiftly go the days
Sunrise, sunset, you wake up then you undress
It always is the same
The sunrise and the sunsets, you're lying while you confess
Keep trying to explain
The sunrise and the sunsets, you realize then you forget
What you've been trying to retain
But everybody knows
It's all about the things that get stuck inside of your head
Like the songs your roommate sings
A vision of her body as she stretches out on your bed
And she raised her hands in the air
Asked you, "When was the last time you looked in the mirror?"
Because you've changed
Yeah, you've changed
The sunrise, the sunsets, you're hopeful and then you regret
The circle never breaks
With a sunrise and a sunset, there's a change of heart or address
Is there nothing that remains?
For a sunrise or a sunset, you're manic or you're depressed
Will you ever feel okay?
For a sunrise or a sunset, your lover is an actress
Did you really think she'd stay?
For a sunrise or a sunset, you're either coming or you just left
But you're always on the way
Towards a sunrise or a sunset, a scribble or a sonnet
They are really just the same
To the sunrise or a sunset, the master and his servant
Have exactly the same fate
It's a sunrise and a sunset, from a cradle to a casket
There is no way to escape
The sunrise and a sunset, hold your sadness like a puppet
Keep putting on the play
But everything you do is leading to the point
Where you just won't know what to do
At that moment you may laugh but there is someone there
Who will be laughing louder than you
So it's true, the trick is complete
You become everything you said you never would be
You're a fool
You're a fool
Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset, sunrise and the sunsets
Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, the sunsets, the sunrise, the sunsets
Sunrise, sunset, go home to your apartment
Put the cassette in the tape deck
And let that fever play
Sunrise, sunset, where are you Arienette?
Where are you Arienette?
The song "Sunrise Sunset" by Bright Eyes describes a person's journey of life, from birth to death, through the imagery of sunrises and sunsets. The song begins with the repetitive phrase "Sunrise, sunset," which represents the passage of time and how quickly life moves. The singer talks about waking up and undressing, indicating the start of a new day, and how it seems like nothing has changed as the cycle repeats itself. The lyrics also imply a struggle to understand oneself as the singer talks about lying and confessing, trying to explain but realizing and forgetting what they were trying to retain.
The chorus brings in the idea that things stuck in our heads are what shape our lives, from the songs we hear to the people we encounter. The singer describes a vision of their roommate stretching out on their bed, prompting them to question when they last looked in the mirror and how much they have changed. The idea of change is prevalent throughout the song, with phrases like "you're hopeful and then you regret" and "you're manic or you're depressed" indicating the ups and downs of life. The lyrics also touch on the romantic relationships that come and go and how everything we do leads to the point where we don't know what to do, making us fools in the game of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset
The passing of time and the monotony of life
Swiftly go the days
Days go by quickly and time waits for no one
You wake up then you undress, it always is the same
Life can be repetitive and mundane
You're lying while you confess. Keep trying to explain
People often hide the truth while trying to rationalize their actions
You realize then you forget what you've been trying to retain
Memories can be fleeting and hard to hold onto
It's all about the things that get stuck inside of your head like the songs your roommate sings
Certain memories and experiences can leave a lasting impact on us
A vision of her body as she stretches out on your bed, and she raised her hands in the air
Certain experiences and people can be engraved in our memory
Asked you, 'When was the last time you looked in the mirror?' Because you've changed, Yeah you've changed
People change over time and sometimes it's hard to accept those changes
The circle never breaks
People often repeat the same patterns and habits throughout their life
Is there nothing that remains?
Change can be difficult and sometimes we long for stability
Will you ever feel okay?
Mental illness and emotional struggles can be difficult to overcome
Did you really think she'd stay?
People and relationships can be fleeting and temporary
But you're always on the way
Life is a journey and we are always moving forward
They are really just the same
Creative expression can take many forms, but ultimately they all seek to convey a message or emotion
The master and his servant have exactly the same fate
No matter a person's station in life, everyone is subject to the passage of time
There is no way to escape
Death is an inevitable part of life
Keep putting on the play
Life can feel like a performance where we try to present ourselves in the best light
But everything you do is leading to the point where you just won't know what to do
Life can be unpredictable and we don't always know what the future holds
At that moment you may laugh but there is someone there who will be laughing louder than you
Life can be full of unexpected twists and turns - sometimes the joke is on us
So it's true, the trick is complete. You become everything you said you never would be. You're a fool
Life can sometimes make us feel like fools and betray our own expectations
Go home to your apartment, put the cassette in the tape deck and let that fever play
Music can be therapeutic and help us escape
Where are you Arienette?
Arienette is a character from another Bright Eyes song; this line is likely a reference to nostalgia or longing for the past
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind