Auld Wives
Bear's Den Lyrics
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Auld wives lifts
How have you got here?
Where do you come from?
What do you tell?
I see his face
I see his face
Another mind you have taken away
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Now I call your name
I call your name, but you can't hear me now
No, you don't recognise my face
Who are you?
Who are you? And why do you call me that?
How dare you call me that
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
But I call your name
I call your name
I call your name
I call your name
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
The lyrics to Bear's Den's song "Auld Wives" are both poetic and enigmatic, leaving the listener to piece together a story of loss, longing, and the search for connection. The song begins with a series of questions directed at what is assumed to be the spirits of old women (the auld wives lifts) who have some sort of mystical knowledge of the world beyond. The singer seems to be searching for answers, asking where they came from and what they know. However, it's unclear what he hopes to gain from this encounter, and the focus quickly shifts to a different figure entirely.
The second verse introduces "his" face, which is "carved deep in stone." This could be a reference to a statue or monument, or perhaps a grave marker. Whatever the object is, the singer seems to find solace in it, as it reminds him of something or someone important. However, this person's mind has been taken away, leaving the singer alone with his grief. The chorus repeats twice, each time emphasizing the line "But I swam across the ocean to find your memory." This suggests that the singer has put in a great deal of effort to search for something that's been lost, but it's not clear what that might be.
The final verse adds another layer to the mystery, as the singer addresses someone directly, calling their name repeatedly. It's unclear who this person is, or why they can't hear the singer or recognize his face. The line "How dare you call me that" suggests some sort of anger or betrayal, but again, it's not clear what's really going on. The song ends by repeating the chorus once more, leaving the listener to ponder the meaning of the haunting melody and lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Auld wives lifts
Old women raise their voices
Auld wives lifts
Old women raise their voices
How have you got here?
How did you arrive at this point in your life?
Where do you come from?
What is your origin?
What do you tell?
What is your story?
I see his face
I remember his face
I see his face
I remember his face
Carved deep in the stone
Etched permanently in my memory
Another mind you have taken away
You have caused another person to lose their mind
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
I went to great lengths to remember you
A trace of all you've left behind
Anything you have left behind as a reminder
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
The old women believed you were always meant to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Without a child to remember and honor you
Now I call your name
I remember and honor you
I call your name, but you can't hear me now
I remember you, but you are no longer here
No, you don't recognise my face
You do not remember me
Who are you?
I do not recognize you
Who are you? And why do you call me that?
I do not remember you, and I do not understand your intent
How dare you call me that
I am offended by your words
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
I went to great lengths to remember you
A trace of all you've left behind
Anything you have left behind as a reminder
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
The old women believed you were always meant to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Without a child to remember and honor you
But I call your name
I remember and honor you
I call your name
I remember and honor you
I call your name
I remember and honor you
I call your name
I remember and honor you
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
I went to great lengths to remember you
A trace of all you've left behind
Anything you have left behind as a reminder
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
The old women believed you were always meant to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Without a child to remember and honor you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN JONES, ANDREW DAVIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Don Lope de Aguirre
Auld wives lift
Auld wives lift
How have you gone here
Where do you come from
What do you tell
I see his face
I see his face
Carved deep into stone
Another mind you've taken away
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Now I call your name
I call your name
But you can't hear me now
No, you don't recognise my face
Who are you?
Who are you?
And why do you call me that?
How dare you call me that
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Maximum Babee
Auld wives lifts
Auld wives lifts
How have you got here?
Where do you come from?
What do you tell?
I see his face
I see his face
Carved deep in the stone
Another mind you have taken away
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Now I call your name
I call your name, but you can't hear me now
No, you don't recognize my face
Who are you?
Who are you? And why do you call me that?
How dare you call me that
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
But I call your name
I call your name
I call your name
I call your name
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Don Lope de Aguirre
Auld wives lift
Auld wives lift
How have you gone here
Where do you come from
What do you tell
I see his face
I see his face
Carved deep into stone
Another mind you've taken away
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Now I call your name
I call your name
But you can't hear me now
No, you don't recognise my face
Who are you?
Who are you?
And why do you call me that?
How dare you call me that
But I swam across the ocean to find your memory
A trace of all you've left behind
And the auld wives swore that you were born to die
Without a child for to call out your name
Nefer
Thanks 🥰🥰🥰
Marcelli
I'm in love with the melody of this song 🌹🌹🌹
Eve Jacobs
This song transports me to an entirely different place, it makes me feel like I am falling in love with a beautiful woman within an 80's movie
T Tompie
i can honestly say that bears den is my discovery of 2016
love these guys
Jackdriver
Agreed and falling in love with this song
Bluuu McGuffin
Been listening to Bear's Den on repeat for weeks now. This song is so good!
Ana Ray
Never heard of this band before...thanks Radio 6. Absolutely LOVE this track so much and will be definitely be listening to more from this band.
Stuart Parlor
First heard this group on Radio 1 on Monday night, can't stop listening to them now!!
Kassie
The sound has changed a little, but I still love the vibe you guys have. You are seriously one of my favorite bands! I'm so glad you were one of the openers for Mumford at Summer Stampede 2013 and I had the privilege to see you.