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.
You and Me
Bess Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will take your life vest and you'll drown a happy man.
Let go of your fear...
Cuz everything I've said has been a joke till now,
And I'm done, fooling around.
You and me are seeing eye-to-eye on current affairs
Let go of your mind...
(Let go of your mind)
Cuz everything I've said has been a joke till now,
And I'm done, fooling around.
Should have been a scientist, all those little clues you figured out.
Should have been a driver, should've driven faster,
Should of really run you down, run you down, run you down.
You and me are just a ticking bomb, with no time to abuse.
Couldn't we just take a vacation, and diffuse?
Let go of your past...
Cuz everything I've said has been a joke till now,
And I'm done, fooling around.
x2
The lyrics of Bess Rogers's song, You and Me, are rife with metaphors and innuendos. The theme of the song revolves around a relationship that is on the rocks but is still trying to make it work. The chorus suggests that the singer has been playing around until now but is ready to be serious, inferring that the relationship has reached a critical juncture. The line "You and me are floating on the sea, we are stranded in time. I will take your life vest, and you'll drown a happy man" describes the idea that both players in the relationship are trying to move forward but feel stuck or stranded. They want to make a break, but one is more willing to take the risk than the other, and this will ultimately lead them to drown.
The verse "Should have been a scientist, all those little clues you figured out. Should have been a driver, should've driven faster, should have really run you down, run you down, run you down" suggests that the singer is trying to escape their partner's clutches. They realize that they are always one step behind, and they should have driven faster or been more attentive. It's a hint that their partner may be a little too possessive, and their sense of freedom is being challenged. The final verse, "You and me are just a ticking bomb, with no time to abuse. Couldn't we just take a vacation, and diffuse? Let go of your past," reveals that the singer and their partner are on a path to self-destruction. The relationship may be moving too fast, and they need to take a break before they both explode.
Line by Line Meaning
You and me are floating on the sea, we are stranded in time.
We are lost and directionless in our lives, unable to move forward.
I will take your life vest and you'll drown a happy man.
I will sacrifice myself so you can be happy.
Let go of your fear...
Stop being afraid and take a chance on us.
Cuz everything I've said has been a joke till now, And I'm done, fooling around.
I've been playing around and not taking this seriously, but I want to be honest now.
You and me are seeing eye-to-eye on current affairs Try your best to pinpoint me down, but I'm already there.
We have a deep understanding of each other, I'm ahead of you in this relationship.
(Let go of your mind)
Stop overthinking and just let things happen.
Should have been a scientist, all those little clues you figured out. Should have been a driver, should've driven faster, Should of really run you down, run you down, run you down.
You are smart and resourceful, but I wish you had pursued a different path to be with me sooner.
You and me are just a ticking bomb, with no time to abuse. Couldn't we just take a vacation, and diffuse? Let go of your past...
We have explosive potential and need to take a break from the stress. Let go of any baggage from the past.
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.