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.
Train Under Water
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I watched you falling
To your death
And the sun
Well it could not save you
She'd fallen down too
Now the streets are wet
Body of water, toxic and timeless
I always get lost
When I leave the village
So couldn't come meet you in Brooklyn last night
But I sing glory from my lowest
And I will say peace
To the people I meet
While the world waits for an explosion
That instant of light that wipes the slate clean
So don't be fooled
No, don't get lied to
Love was always cruel
Don't act strange
Don't be a stranger
It happened to me now it's happening to you
But if you take that train under water then we could talk it through
Well if I could tame all of my desires
Wait out the weather
That howls in my brain
Because it seems
That it's always changing
The wind's indecision, the sorrowful rain
Yeah, I was a postcard
I was a record
I was a camera
Until I went blind
Now I am riding all over this island
Looking for something to open my eyes
But I still sing glory
From a high-rise
And I will say thanks if you're pouring my drinks
While the world waits for an explosion
That moment in time when we are set free
Well don't stay mad
Just let some time pass
And in the morning you'll wake feeling new
And if I don't come back
I mean, if I get sidetracked
It's only cause I wanted to
I'm keeping up with the moon on an all-night avenue
The song "Train Under Water" by Bright Eyes is a melancholic track that captures the essence of heartbreak, loss, and confusion. The song begins with the imagery of someone falling to their death inside a raindrop, emphasizing the insignificance and fragility of life. The singer then talks about the toxic and timeless body of water and the New York skyline, indicating the impersonal and overwhelming nature of the world around us. Meanwhile, the singer seems to struggle with a sense of displacement and disorientation as he battles to find his way in the world.
The middle part of the song talks about the singer's attempts to deal with his desires and thoughts that howl in his brain like the winds. He searches for something to open his eyes, something to make him feel alive, but that search only takes him to a high-rise where he sings glory. The song ends with the singer expressing his gratitude and hoping for a moment of freedom and setting things right. He assures the listener that he is not lost, but rather, he's keeping up with the moon on an all-night avenue.
Overall, "Train Under Water" is a song about feeling lost in a world that seems too big to understand or to have a place in. It's a reminder that we are all insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and we must keep searching for the thing that makes us feel alive.
Line by Line Meaning
You were born inside of a raindrop
Someone special was born inside a pure and tiny world, like a drop of rain
I watched you falling
I witnessed their descent to the world
To your death
To their mortal existence
And the sun
The light and hope in life
Well it could not save you
It was powerless in preventing their inevitable fate
She'd fallen down too
The light had also dimmed with their arrival
Now the streets are wet
The environment is coincidentally affected by their arrival
Body of water, toxic and timeless
A large, lifeless body of water mirrors their existence
Atlantic ocean, New York skyline
The iconic views of their new residence
I always get lost
I am disoriented when I leave my familiar surroundings
When I leave the village
When I step out of my comfort zone
So couldn't come meet you in Brooklyn last night
I couldn't journey to where they were to meet them in New York
But I sing glory from my lowest
Nevertheless, I try to express hope in my darkest moments
And I will say peace
I will offer my wishes of calmness and well-being
To the people I meet
To anyone I encounter
While the world waits for an explosion
While society anticipates a transformative upheaval
That instant of light that wipes the slate clean
That moment of enlightenment that leads to a fresh start
So don't be fooled
Don't succumb to false promises or illusions
No, don't get lied to
Don't believe in deceitful words or actions
Love was always cruel
Love can cause pain and suffering
Don't act strange
Don't behave differently or unpredictably
Don't be a stranger
Don't remain distant or disconnected
It happened to me now it's happening to you
I experienced hardships and now the same is happening to you
But if you take that train under water then we could talk it through
If we take the less-traveled path or risk, we could resolve the issues between us
Well if I could tame all of my desires
If I could control all my impulses and yearnings
Wait out the weather
Endure the storms
That howls in my brain
The constant noise and confusion in my mind
Because it seems
Although it appears that
That it's always changing
The tumultuous nature of life
The wind's indecision, the sorrowful rain
The noncommittal nature of fate and the sadness it brings
Yeah, I was a postcard
I used to be a mere representation of reality
I was a record
I was once a storyteller without a voice
I was a camera
I used to capture a mere snapshot of a greater picture
Until I went blind
Until I lost the ability to see things as they truly are
Now I am riding all over this island
Now I am exploring new avenues and territories
Looking for something to open my eyes
Trying to find something that will provide enlightenment and clarity
And I will say thanks if you're pouring my drinks
I will express gratitude to those serving me
That moment in time when we are set free
The brief instance when we feel liberated from our grievances
Well don't stay mad
Don't remain angry or resentful
Just let some time pass
Allow the healing process to naturally occur over time
And in the morning you'll wake feeling new
You will rise and feel revived and refreshed
And if I don't come back
If I am unable to return
I mean, if I get sidetracked
If I am distracted by unexpected obstacles
It's only cause I wanted to
It's only because of my own desires and interests
I'm keeping up with the moon on an all-night avenue
I am metaphorically following the cosmos and the endless journey of life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CONOR OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind