Bright Eyes - St. Ides Heaven (Official Audio)

"St. Ides Heaven (Companion Version)", an Elliot Smith cover, from 'Letting Off The Happiness: A Companion' in the Bright Eyes reissue series.
STREAM/PRE-ORDER: bright-eyes.ff...
Credits:
Conor Oberst - Vocal, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Mike Mogis - Electric Guitar, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro, Pedal Steel, Percussion
Nathaniel Walcott - Piano, Trumpet, Synthesizers, Electric Piano, Hammond and Wurlitzer Organs, Mellotron Strings and Vibraphone, Pump Organ, Drum Machine Operation, String Arrangements
Kevin Donahue - Drums
Phoebe Bridgers - Vocals
Lyrics:
Everything is exactly right
When I walk around here drunk every night
With an open container from 7-11
In st. ides heaven
I've been out haunting the neighborhood
And everybody can see I'm no good
When I'm walking out between parked cars
With my head full of stars
High on amphetamines
The moon is a lightbulb breaking
It'll go around with anyone
But it won't come down for anyone
You think you know what brings me down
That I want those things you could never allow
You see me smiling you think it's a frown
Turned upside down
'Cause everyone is a fucking pro
And they all got answers from trouble they've known
And they all got to say what you should and shouldn't do
Though they don't have a clue
High on amphetamines
The moon is a lightbulb breaking
It'll go around with anyone
But it won't come down for anyone
And I won't come down for anyone
-
www.thisisbrig...
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Bright Eyes - St. Ides Heaven (Official Audio)
#BrightEyes #StIdesHeaven #Companions

[@shannontreat5988]

What a nice way to start the day!!

[@AshArAis]

I've seen Better Oblivion Community Center, and they did a turbospeed rock version of Funeral (Phoebe's song), and it was hilarious and fun. This St Ide's sounds like so much fun live. There's no point in doing a carbon copy of an Elliott song, he did the introspective version. This cover is its own animal, which is what a good cover is all about.

[@GEArtEntertainment]

Perfect comment.💎

[@daletydoodles3389]

I mean, instead of thinking it as a "who did it better" situation, I guess I can appreciate both versions as their own different styles. I absolutely adore Elliot Smith AND Conor. So I love both versions equally instead of comparing which is better. I feel like Conor made a beautiful gesture choosing an Elliot Smith song, thus showing his appreciation for him, to cover and put his own style to it. I love it. 🥰

[@myhaploidheart7531]

I feel like if he did the song straight ppl would say "oh he's just imitating Smith" which they already say lol

[@oldaccount5217]

Elliott Smith is more original and a better musician

[@cardrop33]

@@oldaccount5217 wrong unfortunately

[@Markus_VI]

I am in love with this

[@a.evelyn5498]

YES my favorite musician & my favorite Elliot song

[@mywhychromosome]

I REALLY appreciate that he didn't just do a "Hey look, it's St. Ides Heaven, the song we all know...but with Conor Oberst's voice over the top!!" version, which would've been really easy for him to do, since he plays with those musical arrangements all the time. Instead, he did a totally original variation on it--he basically played it as he would if he was recording with Desaparecidos. The female backing harmony on the chorus now becomes almost sinister, creepy, a ghost-like vocal lament amidst all the chaos, and the "It won't come down for anyone / And I won't come down for anyone" shifts from haunting in the original, to something much more defiant here, a punk-rock 'fuck you' vibe, even though the narrator still seems doomed. I really dig it. If you don't on first listen, don't give up--its the type of arrangement and dissonance that doesn't always take the first time, but if and when it clicks, it's something you regularly come back to

[@vitalyandthemeltdown]

Thank you Conor, thank you Elliott! For everything.

[@zxcvnmtgb]

Brilliant.

[@pedterson]

It's Elliott Smith. Two T's.

[@realexkav]

oh jesus

[@cmore138]

@@realexkav that’s a capital J.

[@walkr7998]

elliott would approve, love you conor, m ward for president

[@PhatSloothy]

Excellent cover. Not sure why the top comments are saying this is jarring... this is reminiscent of Elliotts messy style and it all just fits perfectly. 10/10 well done.

[@witchjumper]

I enjoyed that.

[@colleewilliams5171]

I want to like this more than I do, because I like Bright Eyes and I LOVE Elliott Smith, but I feel like this is such a departure from the original that it is jarring to me, like J. Mascis' cover of Waltz #2. Maybe it'll grow on me over time, though to be honest I sometimes question whether it is even possible to do any Elliott Smith song justice through covering it.

[@mississippijohnfahey7175]

It feels kind of like a robotic cover. The original slinks along in a sultry way, whereas this feels like it was made by someone who just saw the chords and lyrics but never heard the original... Oh well, back to the original for now

[@B_kinda]

I hear you.

[@SamuelVenturaMusic]

I didn't love it first but the more I listen to it the more I love it. St. Ides Heaven was never my favorite Elliott song, still a great song, but I prefer this. The way Conor sings the end of each line in the verse sounds so much better in this style imo.

[@joshkarosis132]

It's so hard to cover Elliott well, but this really impressed me being so different but not too different from the original

[@Joeballs187]

You can't expect Connor to stay the same forever I'm just happy he's willing to sing for me again I missed him

[@flowers4madi]

leave elliott smith alone

[@flowers4madi]

damn this is awful

[@kelsonlewis9252]

Awesome.

[@galbi4235]

fun cover but the tone really misses the mark for me, the original is so haunting. the cover just sounds so forgettable

[@meows8603]

Agree to disagree.

[@ZVTV404]

Haunting is exactly the word for what’s missing. Conor is so capable of pulling that off too, but I guess he wanted to switch it up. I don’t care for the ‘punk’ sound of bright eyes.

[@Magnificent.Scrotum]

Team Dresch did a better version.

[@__cypher__]

@@meows8603 yeah ... no. I fully disagree.

[@kvnrthr1589]

I can enjoy the attempt! If I wanted a haunting version, the original is always there

[@lanaghetti5790]

💛💛💛💛

[@weerankin]

Oh god I wish I liked it but this doesn’t do Elliott’s song justice

[@michaelinreign239]

i love conor and elliott. this just isn't good. i appreciate a good left curve, but this just turned a great song into a muddy mess. oh well.

[@PondOfGlue]

This cover absolutely fucking RIPS. So glad they did their own thing with this track. Elliott, Conor/BE, and Phoebe are three of my favorites of all time. My head is spinning. This is so good. I can not believe how many people are whining in the comments. Dude. Conor has covered Elliott in pure forms of the original recordings before. And they’re great. Go listen to his Biggest Lie cover. It’s beautiful. This is such a fucking cool take on St. Ides. Y’all need to chill my GOD.

[@PondOfGlue]

Like… guys… it’s a COVER. Not a re-recording or an imitation lmao

[@matthewsanderswrobel8909]

People aren't tripping enough or some such thing.

[@mywhychromosome]

I only just heard this now (only just discovered the whole 'Companion EPs' thing's EXISTENCE just now, lol)...but I totally agree with you. It would've been so easy--and frankly, boring--for Conor to just replicate the original but with his voice, or to make some minor change, 'We'll play it on piano instead of guitar', or something. Instead, he gave us something we HAVEN'T heard before, and which paints a great song in a totally new light, like the best covers do. It's almost like a painting or a different edit of a film; it brings to the forefront 'colors' that were always there in the OG but weren't emphasized, while downplaying others. A haunting whisper of a song becomes a defiant, almost death trip punk tune

[@jamesnghiem3868]

This is great...it sounds totally unlike what I was expecting!

[@NESADDICT]

Aw yea

[@p0ison_0ak33]

Not sure if I really like it...I really want too love it because these are my 2 favorites crossing paths. I love them both so much. It'll grow on me. I know it will..

[@a_mo__3455]

I'm pretty sure I've heard a cover of Conor singing "The Biggest Lie". That was more in the original style of ES and Conor's take on it was pretty powerful. You should check it out

[@p0ison_0ak33]

@@a_mo__3455 oh I know 😏 trust me, I live breathe eat sleep and of course, listen to anything and everything Conor/Elliott related!!! Unfortunately I am not going to be able to see BE this time around on tour. I refuse to get the vax. The fact its mandatory is a bit disappointing and totally unconstitutional and I'm a bit surprised that Conor is letting that happen 😕...even though I want to believe that decisions like that are above his head but thats what happens when you abandon your own label and you ain't the boss no more. Your germaphobic girlfriend is...🤐😬☠🤷‍♀️

[@p0ison_0ak33]

@@a_mo__3455 OH SHIT! NEW JERSEY DOESN'T HAVE A VAX MANDATE! STONE PONY, HERE I COME!!! HAVE YOU SEEN THE SETLISTS FROM THE FIRST 2 NIGHTS?! OMG Im so there!!!

[@justinroconnell]

Desaparecidos covers Elliott Smith

[@TheHarrisontemple]

Fuck yes Connor dont let em forget Elliott

[@-JA-]

👍👏

[@grzebaniewwyobrazni6312]

what the fuck people? this cover is fire, love it

[@muuuzaklistener]

meh, i love elliott and bright eyes but what a strange cover. dont see why they needed to do some thrash shit on a very beautiful acoustic track. maybe it’ll grow on me.

[@lazyatthedisco]

This is dope, but it sounds like a Desaparecidos cover not by Bright Eyes lol

[@zynstein8059]

Yea, it feels very Desa

[@JohnLaszkow]

Nailed it

[@getwhatyougive]

[They nailed it. Awesome.]

[@kayla7562]

Oh conor..I wonder if he knows how he morphed so many people into who they are today.

[@jamieschreiber3278]

And the lack of the most sublime harnony ive ever heard... just... uhhg.

[@bluecalix]

Interesting version. I enjoyed it somewhat, but I think I am just too attached to the original to be objective.

[@riffraffrichard]

Auch its not bad better than a wannabe replica. He's putting his stamp on it and a different emotion. Makes the lyrics sound more reckless than the disassociated distant drunk beauty elliott conjures

[@thomasestling3400]

The very, very mixed reviews on this show that Conor still has that magic he’s always had. He isn’t scared to make something brash and new, even if that means leaving a bad taste in your mouth.

[@realexkav]

"brash and new" meaning covering a 30 year old song (which Elliott also played live with a full band) while trying to sound like an edgy teenager. revolutionary stuff.

[@thomasestling3400]

@@realexkav Yes, that’s exactly what brash means, lmfao.

[@jonlundfelt9300]

This is the worst thing ever

[@chimarleywai]

I love the original but I kinda like this cover. Certainly more than if he did a beat for beat cover.

[@marcoshadlich9755]

Know how you feel, Con

[@Lnninpz]

Fucking destroyed

[@willshogren1987]

the exact moment Elliott Smith fans somehow distinguished themselves as bigger weiners than Bright Eyes fans, what a time to be alive.

[@d4n_305]

co-sign

[@leonardticsay8046]

Weinerville. Anthony Weiner approves.

[@jamieschreiber3278]

But they dont have a clue...

[@tomate8942]

Sounds like shit lol

[@ceeseema491]

FUCKING SICKKKKKKK !!

[@nightowlgod]

🙂🙃🙂🔥🔥🔥 rockin 🤘🌙

[@pedroantonio5565]

Making this a noise pop song should be considered heresy

[@bisnieto]

gross

[@runnerhigh]

I mean, between this or trying (and failing) to emulate Elliott's guitar playing and singing, I think this is more interesting. Of course not even in the same tier as the original, but this isn't the garbage I thought it was going to be based on what people were saying

[@corybiggs4605]

:-| wtf

[@DJAndyAllnighter]

Wow! ⭐⭐⭐

[@chrisjohnston5492]

this irritates me. seems like they had a good time playing it, but definitely not worth sharing and tarnishing the amazing track that is the original.

[@zilttsep6273]

A masterclass in how to turn a piece of fragile beauty into generic shit with good lyrics

[@alexanderiono6931]

Seriously not meant to be turned into a pop punk song

[@bridgetd6805]

I remain so confused by the success of Bright Eyes. I didn't get it when I was 15 in 2005 and I still don't get it.

[@bh29]

@@bridgetd6805 you haven't listened to enough

[@zilttsep6273]

I mean I ain't saying anything about Bright Eyes' music overall, just that this cover was a mistake.

[@vitalyandthemeltdown]

Stop comparing which version is the better one. It's an hommage to one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all times. That's Conor's approach i guess.

[@petelasko]

Points for trying.

[@jake_villanueva]

Too much going on for me.

[@flowers4madi]

?

[@anecdote6331]

i love this! really leaned into the rock style of the original

[@ChuckW]

NICE! 😎😎😎

[@ashjankins960]

✨❤️✨

[@jimbogacz1]

Slightly faster tempo…almost poppy…lost some of the feel of the song.

[@chiemmanuelle1211]

Absolutely amazing!!! What a creative arranged. 👍 I love Elliott Smith and Bright Eyes both, so happy to listened. ❤️❤️❤️

[@johnnytrash2839]

This is garbage. Granted, I love Elliott Smith BUT I also love The Magnetic Fields and thought Conor's cover of Papa Was A Rodeo was absolutely brilliant.

[@tobiasmack2623]

I'm reading the comments and now I m getting excited to hear it, cause it seems to split the bright eyes community a little bit

[@shacktime]

🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Newdisaster]

Elliott smith

[@neros12346]

idk if I like this :/

[@kristi9]

Screaming I'm so happy ❤️

[@willshogren1987]

Yep, absolutely.

[@ryanvviggins]

I think this captures the attitude of the lyrics better, musically. Elliott showed us imperfection is beautiful; Conor trashed the place and didn't call the next day.

[@mywhychromosome]

Hahah, perfect description there at the end. It really is a great example of how the same words, delivered differently, take on a totally different feeling. The 'Fuck Everything' vibe, instead of hovering in the background throughout, is kicked up 100 notches to become the center

[@Newdisaster]

Love it

[@zconrad4123]

I don’t love it, but it’s a great cover choice nonetheless, and honestly, I think Elliott would’ve appreciated it, given the directions he ended up taking his sound in after Elliott Smith and Either/Or

[@josephmccafferty199]

I know Conner doesn't take covering Elliott lightly, This is perfect and so well done. Prob. not the last, (hopefully) but so good. Thanks, bru.

[@coryander4918]

connor

[@AlisuuamF]

é só eu ficar triste que vem coisas triunfais desses caras

[@mathforbob1288]

Hell yeah

[@loreleiorange]

What! Yes please ♡

[@peps]

Это прекрасно, один любимый человек признается в любви к другому моему любимому человеку, дабл-трибл любовь

[@moonsuns2941]

Woah!!! Dope Af!!!

[@moonsuns2941]

The lyrics speak to me!!!

[@WillStephen1977]

Amazing cover

[@Taughtsee]

He got the fucking lyrics wrong. It’s “everybody can see I’m no good”. Between that and the liberties with the melody this is extremely weird. There are some cool moments in the song, but geez… 😒

[@lunafulz]

I understand the point of this album is to cover songs in a new style, making them sound "different", "original", and "fresh" but I can't help but think of what a missed opportunity it is that we could have had a genuinely great cover of this song by Conor had he sung it closer to how the original sounds

[@ericmiller1102]

It’s not like Conor doesn’t know the comparisons they’ve gotten over the years. I think he did this on purpose

[@lunafulz]

@Of the Refrain I never stated I was a creator or artist. If something is released publicly people are allowed to express their opinions on it. Chill.

[@SamuelVenturaMusic]

huge Elliott smith fan, I actually prefer this version after a few listens

[@flowers4madi]

ur not a huge elliott smith fan if u prefer this hot garb

[@SamuelVenturaMusic]

@@flowers4madi I am, love Conor too. There's only a few artists I can listen to over and over again and keep coming back to that fill me with emotion and Elliott Smith's one of them. St. Ides Heaven is one of my least favorite Elliott Smith songs though, but this had made me appreciate it more. I'd rather listen to other Elliott songs in that style over the original. You should give it a few more listens, it's great and it grows on you.

[@bethlineham7920]

So awesome ❤️💕🤘🏻

[@samp4184]

I feel like the people so upset with people not liking this song don't even listen to this anymore. You play something once, see that it's by an artist you like, then say it's amazing and never listen again. People need to be more comfortable with not liking what an artist does, even if they like said artist

[@johnnydrama3829]

It should be illegal to cover Elliott Smith...unless you're Josh Homme. Absolutely butchered an AMAZING song

[@GeorgeeMadrid]

Great job on a great song!

[@alexpanag8490]

This is awesome!

[@timm.7740]

No sir, I don't like it

[@realexkav]

Elliott played this song with a full band plenty of times, so apart from sounding absolutely embarrassing, this is also nothing new If you want to hear adults playing the song, you can check out the Bumbershoot Festival version from 2000 for example - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXWriYB3rbuYa7M

[@d4n_305]

"If you want to hear adults playing the song"

[@tomate8942]

@@d4n_305I mean he has a point you know

[@tylersalyers454]

Bright Eyes came out and added some life and energy to an otherwise long, boring and painful crawl through the original "song".

[@surfrad420]

this sucks