Jon Philpot has previously released music as part of the duo Presocratics, in collaboration with guitarist and composer Need Thomas Windham. Presocratics released two albums on the record label Table of the Elements in 2001; both were produced by Philpot.
The first Bear in Heaven release (Tunes Nextdoor to Songs, Eastern Developments 2003) was an EP of solo recordings by Philpot, recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, with guest musicians performing on various instruments. Shortly after the release of Tunes Nextdoor to Songs, Philpot moved to Brooklyn, New York and joined with guitarist Adam Wills, keyboardist/guitarist Sadek Bazaraa (a graphic designer with Brooklyn design collective GH avisualagency), guitarist David Daniell (of San Agustin), and bassist James Elliott (Ateleia, School of Seven Bells). Eventually drummer Joe Stickney (drummer with Paul Duncan, Rhys Chatham's Essentialist project, and current touring drummer with Panthers) was added to the lineup. Daniell left Bear in Heaven in 2005 to focus on his solo project.
Red Bloom of the Boom, Bear in Heaven's first full-length album with the full band, was released in 2007 by the Hometapes record label.
Elliott left the band after the completion of the recordings of Red Bloom of the Boom to focus on School of Seven Bells and his solo project, Ateleia. Bear in Heaven now performs as a four-piece with Philpot on vocals, guitar and keyboards; Wills on guitar and bass; Bazaraa on bass and keyboards; and Stickney on drums.
Discography
Red Bloom of the Boom - Hometapes CD, 2007
Tunes Nextdoor to Songs - Eastern Developments CDEP, 2003
Beast Rest Forth Mouth - Hometapes
Idle Heart
Bear in Heaven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She'll make you forget
Something about the time
The time she took you downtown
She's a long gone Demerol
She'll make you forget
Something about
Not living life
In your room
Wandering to find the waterfall
That was shut behind an idle heart
God said, you know I'm so confused
That you'd let yourself fall apart
You want it more
For what it is
You're not alone
You should wait
Later on
Hate yourself
Hideaway
Life is hard
On everyone
She's a long gone Demerol
She'll make you forget
Something about the time
The time she took you downtown
Oh no, you can't remember it
You're hanging upside down
As a sun related offering
To the night time
To the night time
To the time
Violence and liars are a likely pair
When the pool is filled with empty air
Wandering to find the waterfall
That was shut behind an idle heart
God said, you know I'm so confused
That you'd let yourself fall apart
You want it more
For what it is
You're not alone
You should wait
Later on
Hate yourself
Hideaway
Life is hard
On everyone
The lyrics of the Bear in Heaven's song "Idle Heart" are intriguing and layered with meaning. The song seems to be about a woman who is compared to the drug Demerol. Demerol is a powerful pain reliever that can make you forget your pain, and in this case, the woman is likened to Demerol because she can make you forget something from your past that was troubling you. The lyrics suggest that she took the person downtown, and it was something memorable and significant.
However, the song also refers to something behind an idle heart, implying that the person is holding back or not living to their full potential. The lyrics talk about the confusion that this causes and the sense of falling apart. The person wants something more, but it's unclear what that is or whether they can achieve it. The final lines of the song suggest that violence and liars often go hand in hand, especially when the emotional pool is empty.
Overall, this song seems to be about the search for something elusive, a feeling or experience that can offer a sense of escape from the past. However, the song suggests that this search can be confusing and lead to self-destructive behavior, and it cautions against giving in to impulses that can cause harm.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a long gone Demerol
She's a fleeting high that makes you forget your worries
She'll make you forget
She's a distraction from reality
Something about the time
Her presence is linked to a specific point in the past
The time she took you downtown
She's associated with a specific memory or experience of being in the city
Something about not living life
Her appeal lies in escaping reality
Her past times in your room
The memories of her linger in your space
Wandering to find the waterfall
Searching for a source of inspiration or hope
That was shut behind an idle heart
That seems unattainable due to apathy or despair
God said, you know I'm so confused
Uncertainty or doubt about a higher power's motives or existence
That you'd let yourself fall apart
Disappointed in oneself for giving up or losing control
You want it more for what it is
Desiring something despite knowing its faults or limitations
You're not alone, you should wait later on
Others share the same struggles and time may heal or bring clarity
Hate yourself hideaway
Retreating from the world due to self-loathing
Life is hard on everyone
Difficulties are universal and unavoidable
Oh no, you can't remember it
The memories of her and the experience have faded or been tainted
You're hanging upside down as a sun related offering
Feeling disoriented or uncertain, possibly in an attempt to please or connect with a higher power
To the night time violence and liars are a likely pair
Dangers and deception are more prevalent in darkness and chaos
When the pool is filled with empty air
When expectations or hopes are not met, the outcome is disappointing
Contributed by Lauren N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.