Bright Eyes An Attempt to tip the Scales Lyrics:
Did you expect it all to stop at the wave of your
hand? Like the sun is just going to drop if it's
night you demand. Well, in the dark we are just
air so the house might dissolve. But once we are
gone, who is gonna care if we were ever here at
all? Well, summer is going to come and it's gonna
cloud our eyes again. There is not need to focus
when there is nothing that it 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 is more the feeling of
it all. Well, winter is going to end and 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 it’s 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
it’s my neurosis my... depression...but I don’t
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 I’m, I’m guilty of both... R: That’s
interesting... How about the scales? C: The scales
are essentially our attempt to solve our problems
quantitatively, through logic or
rationalization... In my opinion it’s 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, I’d prefer not to talk about it...
[ Find more Lyrics on www.mp3lyrics.org/yk3 ]
in case she's listening... R: Oh, I’m 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 don’t think I
understand... C: Neither do I, but after I grow
up, I will. I mean a lot... A lot of things…are
really unclear for me right now... R: That’s
interesting. Ah, now you mentioned your
depression... C: ...No I didn’t... R: You're from
Nebraska right? C: Yeah... so? R: Now, let me now
if I’m 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, I’m
serious... My mother drowned one every year for...
five consecutive years... they were all named
“Padriac”, so, that’s…they all got one song... R:
Hmm... C: It’s kinda like... Walking out the door,
to discover it’s a window... R: But your music is
certainly very personal. C: of course, I put a lot
of myself into what I do. But It’s 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 people’s experiences as well
as my own... It…It 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 don’t know... uh,
create feelings, I guess... a song... it never
ends up the way you planned it though... R: That’s
funny that you say that, do you think that... C:
Do you ever hear things, not really there? R: I’m
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 I’m
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, I’d 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? You’re telling me you're
doing all this for attention? C: No, I hate it
when people look at me, I get nauseas. 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, you’re gonna play something
for us now, is this a new song? C: Yeah, but I
haven't written it yet... it’s one I’ve been
meaning to write... uh...called... “A Song To Pass
The Time”... R: oh, that’s a nice title... C:
...no it isn't... You should write your own...
scripts... R: yeah, I know!
Lyrics: An Attempt to tip the Scales, Bright Eyes [end]