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 six EPs: Agape (2013), Without/Within (2013), Only Son of the Falling Snow (2019), Christmas, Hopefully (2020), The Quiet Winter Light (2022), and First Loves (2023).
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".
Mother
Bear's Den Lyrics
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His eyes were ablaze from all he consumed
Mother, she crawls down the stairs in the morning
She's black and blue, broken and bruised
Black and blue, broken and bruised
She crawls to her room and she screams her hardest
Lets the voices inside her head bleed into one
She closes her eyes and prays for her son
Closes her eyes and prays for her son
But no, her son doesn't come
And no, her son doesn't come
Now all I remember is reading your letter
Saying "I'm leaving," not for how long
Look after your mother, look after your sister
Don't make my mistakes, I know they were wrong
Don't make my mistakes, I know they were wrong
Hindsight, it was beautiful but not so forgiving
The truth just follows and festers inside
You can choose just what you remember
But the truth gets lost and found by your lies
The truth gets lost and found by your lies
And no, your son will not come
And no, your son will not come
The song "Mother" by Bear's Den is a hauntingly beautiful piece that speaks about the dark side of family life. The lyrics provide a glimpse into the sad and tragic lives of a mother and her son. The song begins with the father's violent behavior towards the mother and then moves on to her internal struggle and pain. The mother crawls down the stairs in the morning, black and blue, broken and bruised. This indicates that she has been physically abused. She crawls to her room and screams, allowing the voices inside her head to bleed into one.
The next line is particularly heartbreaking, where she hears his footsteps alone in the darkness. The mother closes her eyes and prays for her son. The repeated line "But no, her son doesn't come" emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation. The son is not there to save her, and she is left to suffer alone.
Later in the song, the son leaves, saying he is leaving, not for how long. The father has made mistakes, and the son is warning his siblings not to repeat them. The lyrics "Hindsight, it was beautiful but not so forgiving," emphasize the difficulty and pain of remembering the past. The truth gets lost and found by our lies, indicating that we often remember events from our own perspective, and our memories can be altered.
Overall, the song provides an intimate look into the dark side of family life and how trauma can affect people in different ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Father, he cried with his fists one evening
One night, the father was angered and became physically violent, punching and crying simultaneously.
His eyes were ablaze from all he consumed
The father's eyes were bloodshot and intense from being under the influence of something.
Mother, she crawls down the stairs in the morning
The following morning, the mother descended down the stairs on her hands and knees.
She's black and blue, broken and bruised
The mother's body was severely damaged and injured, with bruises and broken parts due to a physical altercation.
She crawls to her room and she screams her hardest
Fueled by anger and frustration, the mother cried out loudly while returning to her room on her hands and knees.
Lets the voices inside her head bleed into one
The mother was experiencing intense internal conflicts, causing her thoughts to merge into a single sound.
She hears his footsteps alone in the darkness
The mother heard the sound of someone walking in the darkness, who she assumed was the father.
She closes her eyes and prays for her son
Faced with fear and desperation, the mother turned to prayer and wished for her son's well-being.
But no, her son doesn't come
Despite her pleas for help and protection, her son did not arrive or respond.
Now all I remember is reading your letter
The artist recalls receiving a letter from someone.
Saying "I'm leaving," not for how long
The letter informed the singer that the sender was going away, but did not specify for how long.
Look after your mother, look after your sister
The sender requested the artist to take care of their sister and mother.
Don't make my mistakes, I know they were wrong
The sender implored the singer to not repeat the same mistakes they had made and acknowledges their wrongdoing.
Hindsight, it was beautiful but not so forgiving
Looking back, the past may seem rosy and delightful, but it may not be so forgiving in the present.
The truth just follows and festers inside
The truth could not be concealed and continually grows internally, eating away at oneself.
You can choose just what you remember
Individuals can selectively choose how to recall past events.
But the truth gets lost and found by your lies
However, hiding or distorting the truth may diminish its value and highlight our dishonesty.
And no, your son will not come
The previous lines were a reflection and a lamentation; however, in the end, the son never came to the mother's aid.
And no, your son will not come
The son's absence is reiterated, hinting towards heartache and despair.
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.