Bright Eyes: An Attempt To Tip The Scales

Did you expect it all to stop at the wave of your hand?
Like the sun's just going to drop if it's night you demand.
Well, in the dark we're just air so the house might dissolve.
But once we are gone, who's gonna care if we were ever here at all?
Well, summer's going to come, it's gonna cloud our eyes again.
No need to focus when there's nothing that's worth seeing.
So we trade liquor for blood in an attempt to tip the scales.
I think you lost what you loved in that mess of details.
They seemed so important at the time
but now you can't even recall any of the names, faces, or lines.
It's more the feeling of it all.
Well, winter is going to end, I'm going to clean these veins again.
So close to dying that I finally can start living.


[There is a radio interview in the end of this track]

Radio dude - R
Conor Oberst - C

R: Hi, we're back, this is radio K[beep]x and we're here with Conor Oberst of the band Bright Eyes.
How are you doing Conor?
C: Fine, thanks, just a little wet...
R: Oh its still coming down out there?
C: yeah, I sort of had to run from the car...
R: well, we are glad you made it! Now, your new album, Fevers and Mirrors.. tell us a little about the title,
I know there's a good deal of repeated imagery in the lyrics; fevers, mirrors, scales, clocks...
Could you discuss some of this?
C: Sure. Let's see, the fever's...
R: First, First let me say that, this is a brilliant record man, we're all really into it here at the station,
we get lots of calls, its really good stuff.
C: Thanks... Thanks a lot...
R: So talk about some of the symbolisms...
C: the fever?
R: sure!
C: well, the fever is basically, what ever ails you, or presses you... It could be anything, in my case its my neurosis
my... depression...but I dont want it to be limited to that... it's certainly different for different people...
so, what ever keeps you up at night...
R: I see...
C: and the, and the mirror's like, as you might have guessed, self-examination, or reflection, or whatever form...
this could be vanity, or self loathing... I, I know Im, Im guilty of both...
R: Thats interesting... How about the scales?
C: The scales are essentially our attempt to solve our problems quantitatively, through logic or rationalization...
In my opinion its often fruitless, but... always, no, not always...
And the clocks and calenders is uh... is just... time... our little measurements, its like, its always chasing after us.
R: It is... It is...
Uh, How about this Arienette, how does she fit into all this?
C: Umm, Id prefer not to talk about it... in case she's listening...
R: Oh, Im sorry; I didn't realize she was a real person.
C: She's not. I made her up...
R: Oh, So she's not real?
C: Just as real as you or I...
R: I dont think I understand...
C: Neither do I, but after I grow up, I will. I mean a lot... A lot of thingsare really unclear for me right now...
R: Thats interesting. Ah, now you mentioned your depression...
C: ...No I didnt...
R: You're from Nebraska right?
C: Yeah... so?
R: Now, let me now if Im getting to personal, but there seem to be a pretty dark past back there somewhere...
what was it like for you growing up?
C: Dark? Not really... uh... actually I had a great childhood, my parents were wonderful, I went to a catholic school.
They have... they had money so... it... It was all... easy... basically I had everything I wanted... handed to me...
R: Really? So some of the references like babies in bathtubs, are not biographical?
C: Well I do have a brother who died in a bathtub, drowned... actually I had five brothers who died that way...
R: Hah!
C: No, Im serious... My mother drowned one every year for... five consecutive years...
they were all named Padriac, so, thatsthey all got one song...
R: Hmm...
C: Its kinda like... Walking out the door, to discover its a window...
R: But your music is certainly very personal.
C: of course, I put a lot of myself into what I do. But Its like, being an author you have to,
free yourself to use symbolism and allegory to reach your goal...
and... And a part of that is, compassion, empathy for other people and, and their situations.
Some of what I sing comes from other peoples experiences as well as my own...
ItIt shouldn't matter; the message is intended to be universal.
R: I see what you mean...
C: Can you make that sound stop please?
R: Yes! And your goal?
C: I dont know... uh, create feelings, I guess... a song... it never ends up the way you planned it though...
R: Thats funny that you say that, do you think that...
C: Do you ever hear things, not really there?
R: Im sorry, what?
C: ...never mind... how long have you worked at this station?
R: Oh, Just a few minutes...uh, now you mentioned your empathy for others,
would you say that, that is what motivates you to make the music that you make?
C: No not really, its more, a need for sympathy, I want people to feel sorry for me.
I like the feel of... the burn of the audience's eyes on me when Im whispering *all my darkest secrets* into the microphone.
When I was a kid, I used to carry this safety pin around with me, everywhere I went in my pocket.
And when people weren't paying enough attention, Id dig it into my arm until I started crying...
Everyone stopped what they were doing, and asked me what was the matter, I guess, I guess I kinda...
R: Really? Youre telling me you're doing all this for attention?
C: No, I hate it when people look at me, I get nauseous. In fact, I could care less what people think, about me.
Do you feel that?... wanna dance?
R: No... I'm feeling sick...
C: I really just wanna be warm yellow light that pours all over everyone I love...
R: So... uh, youre gonna play something for us now, is this a new song?
C: Yeah, but I haven't written it yet... its one Ive been meaning to write... uh...called... A Song To Pass The Time...
R: oh, thats a nice title...
C: ...no it isn't...
You should write your own... scripts...
R: yeah, I know!