At fourteen years of age, Oberst became singer and guitarist of Commander Venus, an indie rock band. The former members of Commander Venus, Tim Kasher of Cursive, Robb Nansel (who now runs Saddle Creek), and Todd Fink of The Faint, would later go on to feature in many Saddle Creek recording groups. Conor was also a member of the band Park Ave, which he joined after terminating the difficult relationship he had with Megan Saienni, due to an affair with Maria Pantin.
Oberst was also guitarist and singer for the band Desaparecidos. The music and lyrics of Desaparecidos differ greatly from Bright Eyes, having more in common with punk rock than folk. The lyrics are generally social and political commentary on the state of affairs in America, the pitfalls of the suburban lifestyle, and America's love of capitalism as opposed to the more introspective lyrics of Bright Eyes.
Oberst is one of the founding members of the independent record label Saddle Creek Records, which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Faint, Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes, Son Ambulance, Azure Ray, The Good Life, and Sorry About Dresden, among others.
Oberst is currently involved in a boycott of Clear Channel Communications. His broadcast television performances include a spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in March 2005, which sparked controversy with his performance of the incendiary "When the President Talks to God", The Late Show with David Letterman, on which he performed "The Trees Get Wheeled Away", and his guitar-smashing performance of "Road to Joy" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Oberst was a member of the Vote for Change tour in 2004 with Bruce Springsteen and REM. He has recently started his own label, Team Love, which is currently hosting bands such as Tilly and the Wall, M. Ward, Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins, A Weather, Capgun Coup, and David Dondero.
Bands:
Commander Venus from 1995-97
The Magnetas in 1996
Park Ave. from 1996-98
Desaparecidos from 2001-2
Bright Eyes since 1995
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band since New Year's Weekend 2007
Monsters of Folk since 2009
Better Oblivion Community Center since 2019
Worldwide
Conor Oberst Lyrics
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That's the time for thinking what's gonna be
I had a good thing going but it didn't stay
Don't make no plans anymore except to go away
The table's set and now the guests will be here soon
Lying for a living, I guess that's what I do
I always heard that the world is wide
There's a price you pay for a summer's day
When you leave it all behind
You got to get me out of here
I see clear when I shut my eyes
There's a place to go when the winter's cold
Leave it all behind
I can always find you like the sweet north star
It doesn't really matter now where you are
If you're in trouble I'm in trouble too
I've fallen through a trap door into you
No bones, no ghosts, I threw my passport in the trash
I don't need my face now that the wind is at my back
You got to get me out of here
I always heard that the world is wide
There's a price you pay for a summer's day
When you leave it all behind
You got to get me out of here
I see clear when I shut my eyes
There's a place to go when the winter's cold
Leave it all behind
Got to get me out of here
Got to shut my eyes
Got to get me out of here
Leave it all behind
Got to get me out of here
Got to shut my eyes
Got to get me out of here
I know the world is wide
The song "Worldwide" by Conor Oberst is a reflection on the difficulties of everyday life and the desire to escape from it. The lyrics describe how the singer has lost his sense of purpose and direction, and is now looking for a way out. He can't sleep at night because he's constantly thinking about what his life has become, and he no longer makes plans for his future. Instead, he knows that he needs to leave and start fresh somewhere else. The singer is tired of living a lie, and acknowledges that lying has become his way of making a living.
The chorus of the song expresses the desire to escape, to leave everything behind and start anew. It speaks to the appeal of forgetting one's troubles and the hope for a brighter future. The final verse alludes to the singer's sense of desperation, where he has thrown away his passport and no longer cares about his current state. The only thing that matters to him is getting away from his current life.
Overall, the lyrics of "Worldwide" express a sense of loss and disillusionment, while also capturing the universal desire to escape. The song is a reflection on the struggles of modern life, and a call for a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't smoke in the morning, can't get no sleep
I can't sleep in the morning and I never smoke at that time. Instead, I think about the future and what it will bring.
That's the time for thinking what's gonna be
Mornings are for contemplating the future and what it may hold.
I had a good thing going but it didn't stay
I once had a good life, but it didn't last.
Don't make no plans anymore except to go away
I don't make any plans for the future except to leave and go somewhere else.
The table's set and now the guests will be here soon
I have prepared for something and now it is going to happen.
Lying for a living, I guess that's what I do
I suppose I make a living by deceiving or being dishonest.
You got to get me out of here
I need you to help me escape from this place.
I always heard that the world is wide
I've heard many times that the world is a vast and diverse place.
There's a price you pay for a summer's day
There are consequences for enjoying the temporary pleasures of life.
When you leave it all behind
When you abandon everything you know and start anew.
I see clear when I shut my eyes
I gain clarity and insight from closing my eyes and reflecting.
There's a place to go when the winter's cold
There is a refuge to escape to during the harsh and bleak winter months.
Leave it all behind
Abandon everything that has been holding you back.
I can always find you like the sweet north star
You are always reliable and constant in my life, like the guiding North Star.
It doesn't really matter now where you are
Your physical location in this moment doesn't matter because I will always find you.
If you're in trouble I'm in trouble too
If you are struggling, I feel your pain and difficulties as well.
I've fallen through a trap door into you
I have become entranced and trapped in your influence and presence.
No bones, no ghosts, I threw my passport in the trash
I have no attachment to my former life and have discarded my passport as a symbol of my renewed identity.
I don't need my face now that the wind is at my back
I don't need to hide or present a certain image because I am moving forward with confidence and momentum.
Got to shut my eyes
I must close my eyes to gain clarity and insight.
Leave it all behind
Abandon everything that has been holding you back.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CONOR OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind