Bear's Den have released four studio albums: Islands (2014) Read Full BioBear's Den are a British folk rock band from London, formed in 2012. The band consists of Andrew Davie (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar) and Kevin Jones (vocals, drums, bass, guitar). Joey Haynes (vocals, banjo, guitar) left the band in early 2016. Joey has been replaced by Dutch artist Christof van der Ven in the studio and on tours since 2016 but not as an official member.
Bear's Den have released four studio albums: Islands (2014), Red Earth & Pouring Rain (22 July 2016), So that you might hear me (26 April 2019), and Blue Hours (13 May 2022). Islands peaked at number forty-nine on the UK Albums Chart. The band has also issued three EPs: Agape (2013), Without/Within (2013) and Only Son of the Falling Snow (2019).
The band has been nominated for several music awards throughout their career, with "Above the Clouds of Pompeii" earning the band a nomination for the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 2015. The band received two nominations at the UK Americana Awards in 2016, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "Agape".
Sophie
Bear's Den Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
I'm on the slopes of La Bartolina
You can take all of your love out on me
Sophie
You always loved Charlie best
You never knew how each night I wept
But I'll feast upon the crumbs he's left
Sophie
And I can't forgive myself
Oh, I can't forgive myself
You would hide yourself in a shrug
As your hair starting falling out
When you took off your dressing gown
Sophie
Your mother was dressed in black
With a lock of your hair in her hands
And I knew there was no turning back
Sophie
And I can't forgive myself
No, I can't forgive myself
I can't forgive myself
No, I can't forgive myself
Sophie, Sophie
Didn't know when I started running
I was running for my life
Didn't know when I started running
I'd be running my whole life
Didn't know when I started running
I was running for my life
Didn't know when I started running
I'd be running my whole life
I didn't know when I started running
I was running for my life
I didn't know when I started running
I'd be running my whole life
Bear's Den's song Sophie is a heartfelt and emotional ode to a young woman named Sophie. The opening of the song is a recollection of the protagonist's early interactions with Sophie. Although there is no indication of the nature of their relationship, Sophie was kind and welcoming. The protagonist's current location is mentioned, indicating that he or she is in a mountainous region, on the slopes of La Bartolina. Sophie is mentioned again, and the lyric "You can take all of your love out on me, Sophie" reveals that Sophie may have faced difficulties or pain in her life that the protagonist is willing to help with.
The song continues with a hint that there may have been a love triangle between Sophie, Charlie, and the protagonist. Sophie is claimed to have always loved Charlie best, and the protagonist admits to having wept many nights over this. However, the protagonist "will feast upon the crumbs he's left," indicating a willingness to accept any affection that Sophie may be able to give. The chorus of the song is a simple yet powerful repetition of the lyric "And I can't forgive myself."
The third verse paints a picture of Sophie's physical condition, with her hair falling out and her wearing a dressing gown. The reference to her mother dressed in black holding a lock of Sophie's hair indicates that Sophie may have passed away. The lyric "And I knew there was no turning back, Sophie" suggests that perhaps the protagonist did not have time to make amends with Sophie before her passing. The chorus repeats yet again, emphasizing the protagonist's guilt and regret.
The final verse is a repetition of the lyric "Didn't know when I started running, I was running for my life. Didn't know when I started running, I'd be running my whole life." This may indicate that the protagonist is running away from the regret and guilt they feel about their relationship with Sophie, but they cannot seem to escape it.
Line by Line Meaning
You were kind and welcoming
Sophie, you were friendly and welcoming towards me.
I'm on the slopes of La Bartolina
I am at La Bartolina slopes.
You can take all of your love out on me
Sophie, you can release all your love on me.
You always loved Charlie best
You preferred Charlie over me always.
You never knew how each night I wept
You never knew the tears I shed every night.
But I'll feast upon the crumbs he's left
But I will devour any leftovers or small affection he leaves behind.
And I can't forgive myself
Oh, I can't forgive myself
I cannot forgive myself
You would hide yourself in a shrug
You would assume a non-compliant attitude and appear indifferent.
As your hair starting falling out
As your hair started falling out.
When you took off your dressing gown
Sophie
Sophie, when you removed your dressing gown.
Your mother was dressed in black
Your mother was clad in black.
With a lock of your hair in her hands
She held a lock of your hair in her hand.
And I knew there was no turning back
Sophie
Sophie, I realized there was no looking back.
No, I can't forgive myself
I can't forgive myself
I cannot forgive myself.
Didn't know when I started running
I was running for my life
I did not know that I was running to save my own life.
Didn't know when I started running
I'd be running my whole life
I had no idea that my life would only involve constant running.
I didn't know when I started running
I was running for my life
I was unaware that I started running to escape danger.
I didn't know when I started running
I'd be running my whole life
I didn't know that running would be the only way to avoid danger.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andrew Donald John Davie, Johannes Refsdal, Kevin Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeff White
+Matt Crissall To me, this song is about substance abuse and self loathing. The first verse serves to frame the romantic relationship of the narrator and Sophie. As pointed out earlier, Charlie is slang for cocaine, so when it says Sophie "loved Charlie best," it means she is loves cocaine above all else and is an addict. This makes the singer depressed; he then also indulges in the drug ("I'll feast on the crumbs he (Charlie) left"). This wracks him with guilt ("I can't forgive myself").
Verse three shows how the drug has affected Sophie, and hints that she is ill. The illness is unclear. Cocaine can cause hair loss, so it could just be a symptom of her deepening addiction, or it might be something unrelated like cancer, which would cause hair loss from the chemo. Either way, she is ill.
Verse four indicates that Sophie is dead. Her mother is dressed in black, indicating a funeral/wake, and has a lock of Sophie's hair, possibly as something to remember her by. The song then goes back to the chorus, which is the singer being wracked with guilt and self loathing, obviously from his inability to save Sophie or help her and at his own weakness for indulging in the drug.
The outro is a little more vague, but the core feeling is generally understandable. The singer is running, but not in a literal sense ("I'd be running my whole life" clearly marks the running as a metaphor). What is he running from? His guilt, maybe. Responsibility for Sophie's fate. His own weakness. Any of these could be true.
So I conclude the song is about drug abuse, a mutually damaging relationship, tragic loss, and shame.
Tizz🌄
After listening to Bears Den, then getting lost in life for 7 or so years, then randomly thinking of the song Waters in bed and going on YouTube to listen, found myself in a beautiful rabbit hole. The feelings, the energy, nostalgia... Love this band. And especially this song ❤️
Josh Smith
saw these guys in London a while back, they played this song through one microphone and no other amps (the guitars weren't hooked up to amps) so amazing, such a great experience!
wavemode
"as your hair started falling out" and "dressing gown" are the giveaways. this song is about unrequited love for a girl who died of cancer
ThatF*ckingPanda
My thoughts too. "Lock of your hair in her hand" also gives it away
Heros Soares
uau, fiquei arrepiado.
Vulcan Nova
Thata what i thought too! Then I realized the name 'Charlie' is a slang term for heroin. She was addicted, I think, and died
oopsydaisy
this song makes me feel things that i didn’t know were possible to feel but i can’t really explain what it makes me feel. if that makes any sense.
Eden B
Love this song! It's really one of my faves, I can't stop listening :D
Gina Arndt
He loved a girl but when he found out she didn't like him that way and preferred someone else to him, he distanced himself; never really seeing that she wasn't satisfied with her life in any aspect and that she was tearing herself apart. She killed herself and he feels as if he could have done something to prevent it. Now he has to live with the weight of a "could have been" situation and is beginning to see just how much he's lost himself too.
maneinstein
Charlie is a slang for cocaine. He was sad about not being able to protect her from the addiction which only left him 'crumbs' of her identity. She started losing her hair. Her mother wore funeral clothing, and that's when he decided to 'start running', take control of his life, be healthier, get rid of his own cocaine addiction and save his own life.
That's how I interpreted.. :)