"Road to Joy" is the last song on Bright Eyes' 2005 album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. It was written by Conor Oberst. The name of the album is taken from a lyric in the song.

Structure

The song begins with a fingerpicking section combined with an interpolation of a melody strongly based on Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. As the song progresses, it builds into a march, with the introduction of trumpets and horns. Near the end, everything fades out as Oberst delivers the final verse, and then all of the instruments come in at once in a loud frenzy, and continue for about 30–45 seconds before fading out and ending the album.

Live performances

The song is a staple of Bright Eyes' live performances, and is often played as a concert finale. After performing the song on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Oberst and trumpeter Nate Walcott destroyed their instruments.

Personnel

• Conor Oberst – guitar, vocals
• Mike Mogis – 12-string guitar
• Nate Walcott – trumpet
• Clark Baechle – drums
• Matt Maginn – bass
• Alex McManus – guitar
• Nick White – organ

See also

• List of anti-war songs