Raised in a musical family (her mother played harpsichords that her father built), Rogers has been living and breathing music since she was 6 years old. After earning a bachelors and masters degree in music composition from SUNY Purchase, she began a steady routine of recording and touring in support of her own music and as a back up singer and lead guitarist for indie-pop artist, Ingrid Michaelson.
During a rare few months off this winter, she decided to hibernate in her Brooklyn home and write a new record. In between working on the songs, she picked up a book called "Your Inner Fish" by Neil Shubin. "The book is about our evolution from life as far back as pre-historic fish and microbes and how that has affected our bodies and our lives now. It really grabbed me and I found myself a bit obsessed. I started to look at everything we do in life as a product of evolution, and many of the songs on this record were inspired by that idea," says Rogers.
Produced by Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson's Girls and Boys) and recorded partly in a Maine farmhouse studio owned by Sam Kassirer (producer of Josh Ritter and Erin McEown) and partly in Rogers’ home studio in Brooklyn, Out Of The Ocean features a host of talented friends including Ingrid Michaelson, Allie Moss, Ian Axel, Saul Simon-MacWilliams, Elliot Jacobson and Dave Eggar (Train, Beyonce). Like Rogers' live shows, the songs themselves have a huge dynamic range. From the haunting underwater mermaid ballad "In the Waves," to the synth-laden robot love song "Math and Science," to the driving pop-rock sing-along "Water and Dirt," Out Of The Ocean mirrors our understanding of life and love through time while maintaining a pop sensibility that Rogers is known for.
Like her previous releases, Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers (2010), Travel Back EP (2009) and Decisions Based On Information (2007), Out Of The Ocean was made and released independently. Knowing that this new record would require a more substantial budget, Rogers put out the call to her fans through Kickstarter. Within two days of launching the campaign, the initial goal of $10,000 was met; and by the end she had raised $26,000 with over 500 backers. "It was amazing." says Rogers. "The amount of support it got was mind-blowing and made me even more excited to make this record and get it out there into the world."
Bess' music has been featured on such television shows as One Tree Hill, Pretty Little Liars, Raising The Bar, and Switched At Birth, and a national Motts for Tots commercial. She has shared the stage with Ingrid Michaelson, Loudon Wainwright, Ari Hest, Ian Axel, Allie Moss and more. Out Of The Ocean was released on October 4, 2011, and was supported by a extensive tour in the US and the UK.
Weak Link
Bess Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's so much easier just to stay the same.
Could you love me like this,
With all these broken pieces?
Cause if you always do, then I'll never get better.
If I have you,
I'll be your weak link,
Holding everything back.
Yeah your weak link,
Making everyone mad.
I'll be the lost cause,
You don't want to give up,
I'll be the weak link,
You can't help but love.
I watch myself do the things that I hate.
I watch my body disobey.
Could you forgive me, my flaws,
Even with the pain they cause?
Cause if you always do,
Then I'll never get better,
If I have you,
(Repeat Chorus)
Holding me up, keeps you down,
Ties your love, to the ground,
What would you be, if you'd let go of me.
(Repeat Chorus)
In the first verse of this song, Bess Rogers sings about trying to change but finding herself stuck in the same place. She wonders if she could be loved with all of her broken pieces instead of constantly trying to improve. In the chorus, she refers to herself as the weak link and feels like she is holding everything and everyone back. She fears that her flaws will keep her from getting better and that her loved ones will suffer as a result of her shortcomings. In the second verse, she continues to struggle with her flaws and asks for forgiveness, even though they cause pain. The final line of the chorus shows a realization that being held up by others can be detrimental to them and asks the question of what would happen if those ties were cut.
Overall, this song explores the complexities of self-improvement and the struggle to accept oneself. Rogers recognizes her own flaws, but also acknowledges that she needs the support of others to overcome them. However, she also realizes that needing constant support can be a burden to those providing it. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is vulnerable and flawed but ultimately lovable, even though they may feel like the weak link.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried to change but all I did was spin in place.
I attempted to alter myself, but failed to progress and remained stuck in the same spot.
It's so much easier just to stay the same.
It's effortless and hassle-free to maintain the status quo instead of evolving.
Could you love me like this, With all these broken pieces?
Are you capable of loving me in my flawed and damaged state?
Cause if you always do, then I'll never get better.
If you continuously accept me for who I am, I will never have the motivation to improve.
If I have you,
If you are with me,
I'll be your weak link, Holding everything back.
I'll hinder your progress and delay your success.
Yeah your weak link, Making everyone mad.
I'll provoke anger and frustration among those involved.
I'll be the lost cause, You don't want to give up, I'll be the weak link, You can't help but love.
I'll seem like an irrevocable problem you don't want to abandon, yet you'll still love me despite my faults.
I watch myself do the things that I hate.
I loathe my actions but remain powerless to change them.
I watch my body disobey.
My body reacts against my desires, leading to feelings of helplessness.
Could you forgive me, my flaws, Even with the pain they cause?
Can you pardon my imperfections despite the suffering they inflict?
Holding me up, keeps you down, Ties your love, to the ground, What would you be, if you'd let go of me.
Supporting me prevents you from reaching your full potential and restricts your love. What would your life be like if you released me?
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chris Caulder [The Mixtape / Ousted Productions]
Bess Rogers is so fucking unbelievably talented, it makes me sick that hardly anyone knows about her. A lot of people know about her as Ingrid Michaelson's backup singer, but I think Bess's albums destroy Ingrid's, song by song. And I love Ingrid. Bess, you are the fucking best.