Together, these contradictory characters have combined their strengths to deliver their sophomore album Distraction – a collection in which their love of pop hooks is filtered cohesively through an eclectic collection of genre elements ranging from psychedelic to punk. “Giants” is perhaps the track that best encapsulates everything that makes Bear Hands special, as it flows from a manic verse full of hollered stream-of-consciousness lyrics into an infectious chorus, in which the universal emotion of “I’m loving you more” is set to a cascading riff.
Rau and Feldman first met as film students at Connecticut’s Wesleyan University, an institution that has become well known for turning out a steady stream of talented musicians due to its focus on the arts. They became fast friends, bonding over a pot brownie and a shared taste in music. However, as Feldman was already in another band at the time, it would be several months before the two would begin to collaborate musically.
After going through an unpleasant breakup, Dylan discovered that his ex-girlfriend had taken up with one of Ted’s bandmates. When he found out that the band had also been offered a record deal, Dylan decided that they would not ride off into the sunset with both his ex-girlfriend and the guitarist he wanted to join forces with. “I said, ‘this isn’t how I’m going to go down.’ I confronted Ted and said, ‘Alright, that’s it – we’re starting a band!’” Once Ted had been convinced to abandon his previous band and form a new one with Dylan, it was time to complete the lineup.
Rau quickly identified the ideal rhythm section for his new band: bassist Val Loper and drummer TJ Orscher of Glastonbury, CT’s In Pieces. “TJ was definitely one of the best drummers in the area,” explains Rau. “I remember Val playing a show at my school, and him spinning around really, really fast and getting his bass stuck in the ground, and then he tripped over it and knocked over a PA speaker. It was super boss.”
Knowing that he’d need to recruit them as a team, Rau used some mini-Machiavellian tricks to convince each member that the other was already interested. Once they’d come around to the idea, the first session together displayed an almost telepathic connection. As Feldman remembers: “Everyone was pretty surprised at how easily it came together. We put four songs together in the first two rehearsals. In retrospect, it was our honeymoon period.”
After Rau’s master plan came together (“You’ve got to poach people from other bands – you scout them and pick people off like weak antelope”), Bear Hands signed to indie label Cantora Records. Bear Hands’ debut album Burning Bush Supper Club was released in 2010, but their progress faltered due to legal complications and daily distractions. This, combined with some inspiration from Jonathan Lethem’s novel Chronic City, led to the band naming their new album Distraction. “It’s about losing touch with reality,” states Rau. “Many things distract us: doing drugs; drinking; reality television; good food; the Internet.”
Frustrated by this protracted hiatus, Bear Hands decided to take the initiative and fund the making of Distraction themselves. Working on a tight budget meant that Feldman, already the director of the band’s videos, would also take the role of producer, with engineering assistance courtesy of their friends Yale Yng-Wong and Jake Aron. To record the drums and the basic tracks, they headed to Feldman’s parents’ house, which was transformed into a makeshift studio for a week. “Luckily my parents weren’t there because they probably would’ve freaked out. It looked awesome to me, but maybe not their style,” laughs Feldman. Overdubs and vocals were completed at Yng-Wong’s studio, Doctor Wu’s, in Brooklyn.
Numerous songs on the album are based on real life experiences. “Agora” addresses Rau’s experiences with agoraphobia. “Mixed with a couple of other mental health issues, it was pretty bad,” he admits. “I still have trouble and I have to force myself to leave the house. Socializing and exercise are the two things that I’m trying to work on improving. Sometimes I have little interest in either.”
Another common theme is failing romance. "Thought Wrong" is based upon a time when two of the band members were simultaneously involved in intense break-ups, while "Vile Iowa" reflects Rau’s experiences visiting his ex-girlfriend’s family – conservative, teetotaller Mormons. “I don’t think they really liked me and I don’t think they trusted me,” he sighs. “I have a history of dating girls from the Midwest whose families don’t like me. It’s a habit I need to get over.”
With character, creativity and pure songmanship in abundance, the global appeal of Distraction should ensure that Rau will have a new chance to broaden his horizons way beyond the Midwest. “We’ve always aimed to write pop songs because that’s just what we like, but we also like all sorts of different styles,” affirms Feldman. “There hasn’t been a huge paradigm shift in genres. I think it’s been an evolution of quality.”
Bear Hands is a post-punk/experimental/indie rock act hailing from Brooklyn, New York. Forming in 2006, the band consists of Dylan Rau, Ted Feldman, Val Loper and TJ Orscher.
www.bearhandsband.com
Bone Digger
Bear Hands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A soul sister, a born winner
And maybe we are two sinners
Who go bigger, but burn quicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
Thought I'd be a bone digger
A stone figure, a quick trigger
But now I see a life richer
A nice picture; the lights flicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
Now I need a bone digger
To go deeper and sell cheaper
The bottom's steep but not evil
They're real people who live simple
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
(Old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Digging on old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds)
The opening lyric of "Bone Digger" by Bear Hands suggests the singer has undergone some sort of training or transformation, with the metaphor of being trained to seek out bones suggesting a willingness to uncover something primal and hidden in oneself. The allusion to sin and the idea that the two characters "go bigger but burn quicker" suggest they live fast and hard, but also self-destruct in the process. The singer then contrasts this with a desire for truth and reason, for "new school teachings" and "deeper meanings" that suggest a longing for something more meaningful and less destructive than their current lifestyle.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to reconsider the idea of being a bone digger or stone figure, and suggests they see "a life richer" and "nice picture" rather than something cold and unfeeling. There's a sense of disillusionment with the lies and bullshit of their previous lifestyle ("the lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies") and a push towards something more genuine and ancient, embodied by the references to "past lives on television" and the final repetition of "digging on old imperial grounds." Overall, the song presents a complex mix of desire for self-exploration and longing for something deeper and more meaningful, set against a backdrop of dissatisfaction with the shallow and destructive aspects of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
Trained to be a bone digger
I was taught to dig up bones for a living
A soul sister, a born winner
I am a confident and successful person
And maybe we are two sinners
My partner and I may not be perfect
Who go bigger, but burn quicker
We strive for success quickly but it is often temporary
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
There is a lot of deception and falsehood in the world
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I have narrowly escaped danger and feel fortunate to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I desire honesty and integrity in all aspects of life
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings
I seek innovative and profound knowledge and understanding
Thought I'd be a bone digger
I originally expected to have a career in digging up bones
A stone figure, a quick trigger
I imagined myself as emotionally hardened and quick to react
But now I see a life richer
But now I see a more fulfilling and satisfying life
A nice picture; the lights flicker
My life is enjoyable but uncertain
And past lives on television, on television
Television shows depict past lives and experiences
What competition is it?
I am unsure of the relevance and importance of these depictions
Watching my past lives
Reflecting on my previous experiences and decisions
I'm flipping through noble burials now
I am exploring grand and impressive burial practices from history
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
I am earning money by excavating on aged Imperial property
Now I need a bone digger
I require someone else to help me dig up bones
To go deeper and sell cheaper
Somebody to dig deeper for cheaper rates
The bottom's steep but not evil
The pay is low but the job is not immoral
They're real people who live simple
My colleagues are genuine and lead uncomplicated lives
Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds
The location of my excavation job
Contributed by Madelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chanelle9252
Ashamed to be a Bonedigger, a Soul Sister, a born winner.
And maybe we are two sinners who go bigger but burn quicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings.
I thought I'd be a Bonedigger, a stone figure, a quick trigger.
But now I see a life richer, a nice picture. The lights flicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Lucky to be alive!
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old imperial grounds.
Now I need a Bonedigger to go deeper and sell cheaper.
The bottoms steep but not evil. The real people who live simple.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old
@jordanxd12
Trained to be a bone digger
A soul sister, a born winner
And maybe we are two sinners
Who go bigger, but burn quicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings
Thought I'd be a bone digger
A stone figure, a quick trigger
But now I see a life richer
A nice picture; the lights flicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
Now I need a bone digger
To go deeper and sell cheaper
The bottom's steep but not evil
They're real people who live simple
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
(Old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Digging on old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds)
@SilvanaBuilesG
Ashamed to be a Bonedigger, a Soul Sister, a born winner.
And maybe we are two sinners who go bigger but burn quicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings.
I thought I'd be a Bonedigger, a stone figure, a quick trigger.
But now I see a life richer, a nice picture. The lights flicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Lucky to be alive!
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old imperial grounds.
Now I need a Bonedigger to go deeper and sell cheaper.
The bottoms steep but not evil. The real people who live simple.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old imperial grounds.
@sassonfire6808
Trained to be a bone digger
A soul sister, a born winner
And maybe we are two sinners
Who go bigger, but burn quicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings
Thought I'd be a bone digger
A stone figure, a quick trigger
But now I see a life richer
A nice picture; the lights flicker
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
Now I need a bone digger
To go deeper and sell cheaper
The bottom's steep but not evil
They're real people who live simple
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies
Like oh, I could have died, yeah, lucky to be alive
I want truth and reason, clean and decent
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets
And past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Past lives on television, on television
What competition is it?
Watching my past lives
I'm flipping through noble burials now
Eeeking out cash by digging on old Imperial grounds
(Old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Digging on old Imperial grounds, old Imperial grounds
Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds, Imperial grounds)
@Anna-pk1ye
Ashamed to be a Bonedigger, a Soul Sister, a born winner.
And maybe we are two sinners who go bigger but burn quicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, deeper meanings.
I thought I'd be a Bonedigger, a stone figure, a quick trigger.
But now I see a life richer, a nice picture. The lights flicker.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Lucky to be alive!
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old imperial grounds.
Now I need a Bonedigger to go deeper and sell cheaper.
The bottoms steep but not evil. The real people who live simple.
The lies, the lies, the bullshit and the lies.
Like "Oh, I could've died!" Yeah, lucky to be alive.
I want truth and reason, clean and decent.
I want new school teachings, ancient secrets and
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Past lives. On television, on television. What competition is it?
Watching my past lives. Flipping through noble burials now.
Thinking 'bout cash buy. Thinking on old imperial grounds.
@ali-bobblobfish8762
this song has something so special to it
it's amazing
like the way he sings is so unique and awesome
@Okashism
I love the way he says bone digger xD
Well, I'm officially obsessed with this song.
@themissjane100
Choco Maiden Samee 😍 I originally thought the way he said it in the song was like editing or auto tune or something but it sounds exactly the same live.
@alysxa843
Choco Maiden i love the born winner lol. I also love the part where it says "the lies, the lies, tthe bullshit, and the lies"
@alasiamcd
I love them! The minute I heard them, I was hooked.
@sapphirew1166
Kinda Sarah is the reason why I am in love with this band
@JohnKing-er3tf
ditto! :)
@MonsterVSAnimal2
ME TOO FUUUCK
@Xiotam
For me, this song is about searching for the meaning of life via lives already lived. Finding answers in history, in meaningful information, not the idle chatter that is the present. A complete shot in the dark, but this is how I perceive the song.
@mylilwar5967
Macenzie LaBrosse you shot that bonedigger lol for real well said