After winning the 2009 Unearthed competition, they gained a performance spot at the Australasian music festival Homebake. In 2010, Tim's brother Jon Hart joined the band as an official member; contributing vocals, mandolin, banjo and keyboards. They toured Australia opening for Angus and Julia Stone as a three-piece, with Tarasenko and Hart in London playing in Laura Marling's backing band. In May 2010, Boy & Bear released their debut extended play, With Emperor Antarctica. They then recorded the song "Fall at Your Feet" for He Will Have His Way, a tribute album to singer-songwriter brothers, Tim and Neil Finn. Boy & Bear's version of "Fall at Your Feet" was listed at No. 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2010. Another of their tracks, "Rabbit Song" was placed at No. 45.
In November 2010, their cover of "Fall at Your Feet" peaked at No. 34 on the ARIA Singles Chart. On 5 August 2011, Boy & Bear released their debut album Moonfire. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with producer, Joe Chiccarelli and reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. In December, it had finished third in the Triple J album poll of 2011. On the Triple J Hottest 100, 2011 Boy & Bear were listed three times, "Part Time Believer" and "Milk & Sticks" at No. 50 and No. 49, respectively. While "Feeding Line" reached No. 4. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011 Boy & Bear won in five categories: Breakthrough Artist β Single for "Feeding Line"; and Album of the Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Artist β Album and Best Adult Alternative Release for Moonfire.
In late 2012, the band announced that they had parted ways with Tarasenko. His replacement was Dave Symes, formerly of Seeker Lover Keeper and of Sarah Blasko's live backing band.
Boy & Bear released their second album on 16 August 2013, titled Harlequin Dream. It debuted at #1 on the ARIA charts. Two singles were released from the album - "Southern Sun" and "Three-Headed Woman."
Beach
Boy & Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For I choose not to say
Mix my blood with honey
For the taste so sweet
I felt it moving through my skin
This feeling wrapped around my sin
I'm shedding off my innocence
It plays upon my sanity
This feeling, it's taking over me
One with my head, my soul, my memory
My loving home, my family
As I'm shedding off my innocence
For the lizard I choose to be
To be young my friend is a curse none the less
And a curse I choose to leave
I felt it moving through my skin
This feeling wrapped around my sin
One with my head, my soul, my memory
My loving home, my family
I know they'll come for me
If I need
For I see the love in you
It feeds me
And you, you fell upon my plate
And you make the same mistakes
My head, my soul, my memory
My loving home, my family
They'll come for me
If I need
For I see the love in you
It feeds me
The song "Beach" by Australian indie folk band, Boy & Bear, is a reflection of a young person coming to terms with their own identity, shedding their innocence and rebelling against societal expectations. The opening lines "Take my eyes, my melody, For I choose not to say" express a desire to hide oneself from the world and keep one's true self guarded. The lyrics "Mix my blood with honey, For the taste so sweet" demonstrate a thirst for experience and a willingness to take risks, even if the outcome is not guaranteed.
The next verse "I'm shedding off my innocence, It plays upon my sanity" reveals that the singer is ready to leave behind their childhood and embrace a new, more adult perspective. The line "To be young my friend is a curse none the less, And a curse I choose to leave" portrays the pressure that young people face in our society to conform, to behave in a certain way, and the desire to break free from those expectations. The chorus "One with my head, my soul, my memory, My loving home, my family" emphasizes the importance of family and the connection to one's own roots, as well as one's own self-identity.
The last verse "And you, you fell upon my plate, And you make the same mistakes" talks about the influence of others on the singer's journey, the desire to connect with others, and the understanding that everyone goes through similar struggles to find their place in the world. The chorus is repeated once again, with the same emphasis on the importance of family and belonging.
Overall, the song "Beach" is a beautiful reflection on growing up, finding one's own identity and belonging, and the importance of family and connection. It is a powerful reminder that while we may all go through our own personal journeys, we are not alone in our struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my eyes, my melody
I won't speak, just take everything from me.
Mix my blood with honey
Let's add something sweet to this mix.
I felt it moving through my skin
A physical feeling that's wrapped around my being.
This feeling wrapped around my sin
The sensation is tied to things I'm not proud of.
I'm shedding off my innocence
I'm trying to leave behind my naive self.
It plays upon my sanity
The process of transformation is challenging me.
This feeling, it's taking over me
The change is happening and I can't stop it.
One with my head, my soul, my memory
I'm becoming one with myself, all aspects of it.
My loving home, my family
But also, my roots, my foundation, my support system.
For the lizard I choose to be
I'm becoming something less human, more animalistic.
To be young my friend is a curse none the less
Being young has its downsides and difficulties.
And a curse I choose to leave
But I'm eager to leave them behind and grow up.
I know they'll come for me
Even if I lose my way, I can count on them.
If I need
If I ask for help.
For I see the love in you
I recognize your kindness and generosity.
It feeds me
It nourishes me, gives me strength.
And you make the same mistakes
But you're not perfect either, you're human too.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID HOSKING, JACOB TARASENKO, JONATHAN HART, KILLIAN GAVIN, TIMOTHY HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind