Album: Better Oblivion Community Center (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Better Oblivion Community Center is a duo comprising Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. The duo told NME their name is intended to conjure "the duality of impending doom mixed with a positive about all being in this together."
  • Bridgers and Conor Oberst wrote and recorded their eponymous debut album in secret in Los Angeles in the summer and fall of 2018 and surprise released it on January 24, 2019. This is the lead single from the project.
  • The rollicking track is named for the famed Welsh poet. The first line of the first verse is taken from the title of one of Thomas' works.

    It was quite early one morning
    Hit me without warning


    Thomas' 1944 radio piece Quite Early One Morning was written for the BBC. His posthumous 1954 collection of prose poetry was later titled after the work.
  • Oberst and Bridgers reference the poet's death in the pre-chorus.

    I'll die like Dylan Thomas
    A seizure on the barroom floor


    Dylan Thomas died in New York on November 9, 1953, after several days' prolonged drinking. His final recorded words were: "I've had 18 straight whiskies, I think that's the record."
  • Better Oblivion Community Center stepped out in public under their new guise for the first time to perform "Dylan Thomas" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on January 23, 2019.
  • The surreal, bewitching music video was directed by Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner. She tweeted that the clip enabled her to get back at a school bully.

    "I'm sorry I have to say it my middle school bully was in love with Conor Oberst and so beyond getting to direct a video for two of my favorite songwriters - vengeance is also sweet."
  • The song was inspired by an episode of the podcast Reply All where they discussed conspiracy theories surrounding Donald Trump and the right-wing actress Roseanne Barr.

    "They were talking about when Roseanne was tweeting all of those conspiracy theory things," Bridgers explained to NME, "and how they think there's a whole conspiracy around Trump playing four-dimensional chess and just fronting that he's stupid – but actually he's like a maniacal super-genius."

    "That's my favourite theory," she added. "There are right-wing people who support him who literally think that his idiocy is like a crazy plan that he has always had to play dumb, and then be doing all of these genius things behind the scenes."
  • That's Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs who performs the guitar solo. He's a friend of Conor Oberst.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."