The First Day of My Life

Album: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)
Charted: 37
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Conor Oberst is the primary songwriter for the Bright Eyes project, and his lyrics are usually hailed as one of the band's strongest aspect. They're emotional, often melancholy, and generally introspective. Like many other Bright Eyes songs, "The First Days of My Life" deals with powerful emotional material through poetic, allusive lyrics.

    The song is about a lover realizing that meeting their partner started their life anew, "First Day of My Life" captures the transformative power of relationships - not only romantic ones. The love song is now a wedding classic.
  • Conor Oberst described the song as being about "waking up from a long nightmare." Since the lyrics are overtly about falling in love and the ensuing beginning of a meaningful relationship, the implication is that this experience was the most meaningful part of Oberst's life so far that felt like a rebirth.
  • The song appears on Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, one half of the band's two simultaneous 2005 releases. It's a more acoustic, instrumental album compared to its electronic inspired counterpart, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. I'm Wide Awake, was the band's highest charting release at the time, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 200.
  • The song appeared in the 2007 film, Elvis and Annabelle, starring Blake Lively and Max Minghella.
  • It was also featured on the NBC TV show, Chuck, in the season 4 episode Chuck Versus the Last Details.
  • The music video was directed by noted film director John Cameron Mitchell. It received special recognition at the 2006 GLAAD Awards for its positive representations.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.