Bright Eyes - Poison Oak

[addictioner]

That feeling you get when a bright eyes song completely washes over you...

[ScreamingSilence101]

i'm getting a tattoo of a yellow bird, with the lyrics "the end of paralysis". my symbol of hope.

[briesuff]

I cry my eyes out every time I hear this song live. Its beautiful. I don't know how any person could not love this song.

[Username47948]

holy shit

[saveoldgrowth]

after all these years .....this song still sounds amazing! And your recordings are some of the best.  thank you. Also so cool that clarke is playing with them this year on tour.

[saveoldgrowth]

after all these years .....this song still sounds amazing! And your recordings are some of the best. thank you.

[rockmunk]

this is !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ACE9647]

ok..... who the fuck were the 8 ppl who disliked this.....

[Thehappypages]

This is the best song ever made. Honestly.

[1992FLOCKAFLUEGGE]

I just want to talk to him for real.

[xinthisdiaryx]

it seems that 8 people have never been drunk as hell on a piano bench

[natty71991]

@xinthisdiaryx I've never been drunk as hell on a piano bench :( but I like the song...

[Crystalbug07]

is he hittin' a joint at the end? lol

[mancheromanchero]

oberst must be at least 5'5". he just looks so tiny

[AlyssaJaneVolta]

This song is so beautiful and so deep and means everything to me. Conor's music has changed my life, I don't care how stupid or lame that sounds, it's fucking true.

[Yonicxg]

@AlyssaJaneVolta Damn Straight T_T

[yeaokmike]

this is better then the album version. really wishing i could tell him to his face.

[xkyrulzx]

it just sends shivers down your spine listening to this song.......

[amity1992]

wow, what a silence. God, i'd give away so much to see them live ; (

[bustedb16a]

You can tell he writes all of his stuff because you can hear the depression in his voice everytime he sings. Truly amazing music he makes. Made me have a deeper insight in myself.

[huskerfied]

Okay, this song is amazing thats been established. but at the very end there...is he hitting up a j from some dude in the audience? Just...curious.

[specha123]

This is my favorite from this album. My sister and I were laying on the bed and I asked her to sing me to sleep, and she started " Poison Oak, some boyhood bravery..." This song is amazing.

[CountingTheRaindrops]

my favorite bright eyes song.

[iwrotealife2]

"the sound of loneliness makes me happier."

[leighxcore11]

Here's a story of mine I'm proud of:

At a Bright Eyes show in Calgary on October 31st, 2007.. A song had just ended and there was dead silence in the crowd. As loud as I could, I yelled "PLAY POISON OAK". The people around me laughed, but Conor looked right at me, smiled, turned to his band and they stood up and left the stage. My heart sunk as he started playing the opening chords. I could help but cry. This song means the world to me. No words can describe. =)

[Merkelige]

That is a really nice story. :]

[westcoastmayneee2011]

@leighxcore11 So they did play the song or no?

[leighxcore11]

@westcoastmayneee2011 Yeah they did! "My heart sunk as he started playing the opening chords."

[neoninagirl]

@leighxcore11 oh my gosh. that is SO amazing, I would've burst out in tears right then and there. haha

[leighxcore11]

@neoninagirl I most definitely did. Not because he played it, but because I finally saw all the emotion he puts into this song. It's a heartbreaker.

[L4cer8]

@leighxcore11 You make me proud to be from Canada.

[curtainofstars]

@leighxcore11 I got goosebumps reading that. I'm glad this happened to you, my friend.

[ddddwhelan123]

lol he's such an emo like!!lol x

[o5o8noage]

美しい

[link182ava44]

conor says this song is about his cousin who was his best friend, but I think it's about his brother who ran away. Justin oberst. "My clothes are soaking wet, from your brother's tears" "his brother", he's referring to himself. he's crying.

I love this god damn song so much.

[sporkofplastic562]

wuts that instrument at 2:11 called?

[mudkipsmakemewet]

Slide guitar

[johnmorisi8]

pedal steel... not lap steal dumbass^^ lol

[johnmorisi8]

woops replied to wrong comment... im high, dun yell at me please lol

[johnmorisi8]

pedal steel

[xhardcorecutiex]

this is by far my favorite bright eyes song. prolly my favorite song in general. amazing. simply amazing.

[HerrAmn]

So people like you can complain.

[thewhimsicalwish]

hahahaha that was good. it shall be removed.

[HerrAmn]

Haha. Nah. I just put that in there since his super early stuff falls under that label. This song doesn't though.

[thewhimsicalwish]

haha i see that makes sense

[MysticGrant]

RIP Conor's cousin. poor soul.

[thewhimsicalwish]

@MysticGrant i know =\ poor thing

[sunhoney1]

Phenomenal.

[futoncat]

RIP fabchannel

:(

[madifu]

this is amazing.

[Yonicxg]

This song means so many things to so many people but it has the same effect on everyone who listens to its pain.

[RussieSkies]

music doesn't get better than this

[poop012]

A truly amazing song. I have never had a stronger emotion from a song.

Masterpiece.

[Klemons12]

sweaty drummer lol :D

[yeaokmike]

omg.......that was full of emotion

[bringmetheKYLE]

it makes me find it more sad yet beautiful because of how its about his cousin who caused suicide

amazing song.

[johnmorisi8]

oh wow that makes it so much better... i always thot since he is bi he just had a gay lover.... wow thanks for clearing that up

[xMaddielion]

this makes me nautious because it's so beautiful

[yoshimisrobot]

Poison Oak is his best song in my opinion. Fantastic.

[11athercha]

I think I could die happy if I could just hear him live/give him a hug

[EATxDANCExPUKE]

music perfection<3

[CHErevolucion1]

i don't want to sound like an idiot but it says this is in 2003 but i thuoght poison oak was on I'm wide awake.. which wsa realeased in like 2005..?

[Ebonytears12]

I think you're right. :)

[sillyredhat]

It was released then, but he writes songs constantly, He had like half of the IWWIM songs when he was touring for Lifted, aka this show/tour

[Bon303Iver]

Suckmydcarreon you retard it's letting off the happiness.

[JordanSingle96]

this song is beautiful. i love how the whole time, you can see all the things the drummer s doing in the background

[Kayleecole21]

He's beautiful.

[thatspud]

I love him so much.

[dptlibertine]

I don't think his style has really changed lyrically, lyrically he's still conor oberst, one of the most introspective songwriters ever. musically, he's just has more of that Americana sound that seems to really be taking off. it's not country, it's just americana.

[Suckmydcarreon]

really? i love conor and bright eyes so this is not hating at all but i think he's grown alot. you can hear his heartbroken sorrows in earlier albums such as letting off the sadness but you gotta admit, lyrically, casadaga is much different. STILL I LOVE BOTH

[dptlibertine]

in retrospect, i agree. his older albums are really dark and painful in a good way, and his newer stuff is more mystical and wordly. nonetheless, one of my favorite musicians of all time, and that statement's ageless for me.

[patdn]

one word. beautiful

[k2snake]

I am in love with that lap steel

[blacklight29]

lmao 2:20, the drummer wiping sweat off from doing nothing

[xanxnguyenx]

hahahahaha niiiccee

[leighxcore11]

they have obviously been playing a show and maybe he had been doing something previously.

[standardyarn]

well he couldn't do it while drumming could he? thats clark from the faint btw.

[ThreeChe]

Well let the poets cry themselves to sleep

And all their tearful words will turn back into steam.

-amazing

[christsbassist89]

He needs to go back to his old style.

=[

[yankster179]

no wayyy, i liked it a lot too but he's growing up. he cant be the cute emo kid forever, he's a big boy now. plus his new style won him best song writer of 2008 so i dont think he'll be "going back" any time soon. :\

[christsbassist89]

He was never a "cute emo kid"

His music was never emo.

There was never emo music or emo people.

An award?

That doesn't mean shit.

At least his old stuff was REAL, Eh?!

At least, what hes doing nowdays... how can i describe it - johnny depps favourite album: is nothing in comparison.

[PropMonkey87]

gotta say though, he probably should've gotten plenty of best song writer awards from his solo days

[cyborg0013]

i agree. i wish he wouldnt do conor oberst and the mystic valley band. every good indie artist has gone country. hes following in the footsteps of adam green way too closely.

im wide awake was the best album ever. he needs to stick to bright eyes.

[strawcherry2931]

Conor Oberst *has* changed-

Ust listen to Letting Off Happiness,

And then Cassadega.

The difference is obvious...

But, like I said before,

He's changed.

He's almost thirty.

He's leveling out...

And his music is still beautiful,

Whether from Commander Venus, Desparicedos, Bright Eyes, or Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.

[maytom21]

every good indie artist has gone country?? name 3

[cyborg0013]

conor.

adam green.

ben kweller.

[KivaKarnival]

he can't do first day of my life a billion times though, everyone is complaining about his new stuff but it's just something different.

[OnaHillWithLove]

actualy if you look at im wide awake, thats the different one, i guess after lifted they all changed around abit, but i dont think people should complain, his modern music (1998-now) is like 3 stages, and we should be used to change and should trust this guy! the only album i cant stand is water ha!

[serrioki]

this song almost makes me cry, thats how beautiful it is.

[blckcat28]

you're ignorance makes me lol.

[igotwood21]

ya because the song is about him, youre really dumb it's about his cousin sir

[PrettyLoather]

about his cousin? can you fill me in?

[lovefromeponine]

not funny

[xCuteWithoutTheE]

Absolutely undeniably beautiful.

[AnitaClaireMiller]

One of the saddest Bright Eyes songs. Also, one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

He is so raw, so brilliant.

[WhenWarMakesPeace]

this song makes me wanna cry. its beautiful.

ive had problems with people making me shameful of my sexuality too. :/

conors words have always gave me hope.

[LIGHTonNEGATIVES]

i think it's about his cousin which killed himself because he was having problems with his sexuality. and he was being hated on for it from people because of their religion [serpant tongue, muddy garden].. and conor's glad he got away from his shame and self hate from killing himself, but he is still dealing with the death and so is his brother, so they're all dealing with the death.

[slavetoaudio101]

It's about his childhood friend who was struggling with homosexuality. But he finally came out the closet i guess. Someone want to argue?

[jonathonizzar]

i think its a very personal album but for osme reason it alwasy reminds me of cathcer in the rye when holden in the park all by himself and he cold and wet and thinking about his family.

heart breakingly amazing.

[Xanquist]

I love that book, it's my favorite

[princessjezzica]

what book?

[thewhoorwhom]

sounds great on piano as well

[roxyimawesome]

really good recording, such an amazing song

[patchyXtheXpirate]

its ummm music?

[easyluckyfree7]

that was so so so incredible

[saveoldgrowth]

very best version of this beautiful song. thanks

[DestroyKevin]

this song should only be played with one guitar and with nothing else

[ZachTFLd]

Lap Steel

[wingman2232]

y isnt his guitar amped?

[resumefailure]

theres something about the lyrics and the melody as well as the way he sings this song that gets me... alot like Lua.

reminds me of alot of things.

he's amazing.

[denouement5]

He puts something in his mouth, anyone know what it is.

He does it at around 5:05

[craziefreekygurl]

its a cigarette

[FlowerChildJuly]

he deff toked that joint.

[73richies]

This song destroys me everytime I hear it. I cannot litsen to it in the car anymore. It reminds me of my cousin Christopher who was my best friend and took his sister alone to U of M hospital when the call came for her heart transplant. He was 18 at the time. She never woke up from the coma and 25 months later, he killed himself. They were my only family members on my fathers side, we grew up together. I miss them every time I hear this.

[richard833]

why label this as emo? its acoustic. emo is such a gay label.

[HerrAmn]

Because it makes it easier to find. I'm not sure how a label would imply homosexuality, but okay.

[12DevilTown34]

you cant label bright eyes

there to good and original to be labeld

[TeffisRad]

lol in the music industry,everything is labeled,because labeling is only for music.

Bright eyes is on the emotional side so I guess its emo.

Idc tho,I love them.

[DestroyKevin]

it's folk,acoustic not emo

[TastyTumors]

No, it's folk, acoustic, and emo.

[JediMonkeyRat]

its "everything-you'd-want-it-to-b­e" :D

wow,

that was corny.

apologies.

[mizzpatzz]

its beauty:).

[notyourmartyr]

Dude, who gives a shit? It's just good music.

[spontaneity8D]

the song is about suicide over not be ale to deal with your sexuality, and you're using the adjective GAY in a comment? its a dick move

[richard833]

lol im gay

[hilaritytank]

Man Mike Mogis makes love to that thing when he plays it.

[phoneunlisted]

wow conor is fucking WASTED

[notyourmartyr]

Yes, yes he is. He spends much time like that, I understand.

[characahoho]

he can definitely sing. he's singing isn't he.

[tHePoZzY]

u dissin canada im better then u cuz i am canadian and i no it.

[denouement5]

But you can't type, so you can't really say you're better than anyone. What you have just said is like saying

Luuk et meh Iam mur ignarant.

Honestly.

[JuJuHound]

man his voice is sooo shaky here. I kind of like the way he used to sing. love the new stuff too though.

[TeffisRad]

lol yea,it sounds like he is crying.

): I wonder who his songs are about.

[SweeetMiseryy]

His voice is always kind of fragile, so sometimes it does sound like he's crying. :P

But I like that about him.

[DaienyChin]

I heard it was about his cousin who commited suicide. I can't say its right but it makes sense if you read his lyrics.

[youngberg13]

your a fucking retard good music is good music, I'm a fucking skinhead and even I appreciate other genres outside of hardcore, and punk. Don't be so narrow, what are you 12?

[clicheddisaster]

I'd rather like to marry him.

[mshhsm]

his voice is awesome in this vid, too bad you cant barely hear the guitar

[keickholt]

hes a fucking lyrical genius...seeing bright eyes in OCT hoorrayy

[MimeWithaVoice7]

his voice is very comforting to me.

makes me feel sane and crazy and ok at the same time.

[Emericanization]

aww cool this was on my birthday

although i wish i could have seen this.

[helloidkidk]

this was a day before my birthday o.o

[Emericanization]

haha weird

[Nikkalottapus]

omg 2 peps in da wurld hav da saem b-day almost dat strate up nuts

[phoneunlisted]

why don't you go watch some rap videos you fucking monkey

[Nikkalottapus]

Two people use this account and I can assure you it wasn't me who left that. I'll give your request to the other fucking monkey. :)

[oberstfan]

"The sound of lonliness makes me happier" - One of my favorite lines in any Bright Eyes song.

[Lifeisamazing]

hooray for fabchannel

[RaChEzOiD]

I agree with loneranger24. None of Conor's music would have the same effect if some idiot pop star sang it. His voice is unperfect, making it perfect for the lyrics that he's written  (if that makes sense). I for one find his voice beautiful and intriguing. He's a wonderful musician. And to all of you who say he can't sing: it's all in your preference of music, and if you are too ditracted by his shaky voice to actually hear his lyrics, you're truly missing out on something life-changing.

[championofidiots]

*agrees*

:)

[catchmusic425]

this gives me the chills. i want to see conor live so bad this year.

[clicheddisaster]

I adore this song. And Conor and this video, thanks for putting it up.

[animeloverss]

just wouldnt be Bright Eyes without his voice,lol.....good performance,i like it

[kyphq07]

his voice is folk. yes he's known for it because he sings in other genres. if he was only a folk singer, i don't believe his voice would be an issue at all. it's his soul. it is flawless in the respect it adds to the lyrics. we all love connor. he has moved us like few artists ever could. because a lot of us that know something of passion, pain, and loss on that level can attest; it's all we have.

[JHock216]

I agree i would die to have his voice and kill to have an ounce of his passion for music

[imnothear]

his voice is kinda like a punch, to the face of all the "pretty perfect singers" maybe. i think once you get past the voice of most singers, they are'nt saying much. with conor you get deeper faster. that and his voice is fucking great.

[brighteyes498]

Connors music is about showing the beauty in the human condition. It's meant to be imperfect sloppy and depressing just like every human. That's what makes it so beautiful. It's not just an overdubbed recording of someone repeating a catchy sentence. But someone yelling and screaming there lungs out about how they feel. I don't care what anyone thinks Connor has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard.

[loneranger24]

would the song have the same meaning if mariah carey sang it? I think i've always liked him because its not perfect.

[Gaim]

i love conors voice. his hair looks different here

[tairod]

Anyone else bsides me think this guy can't sing? Great song, great instruments, but the guy just can't sing!

[Donger68]

My wife agrees w/u; but then again she & i disagree alot re: music et al... i dig Bright Eyes/Conor, yes his voice is 'unique' so can c that his voice wont earn him any American Idol crowns despite his talent as a whole being leagues above the collection of current/past "idol" contestants

[HerrAmn]

I think he knows he can't sing. It's a well known fact in the entire Bright Eyes fandom. Most people like him for his breaky, whiny vocals.

[redfacade]

yep his shaky voice is something he is known for. its what makes the emotion heard.

[JoesRedGuitar]

Too bad there's a delay on the audio :-\. Sweet vid