Grizzly Bear was originally the solo project of Edward Droste (vocals/guitar), who recorded his debut album Horn of Plenty at home. The record was originally meant for his friends, but it eventually circulated and got a proper release in 2004, this time with the help of Christopher Bear (drums/vocals). A re-release with a bonus disc of remixes was issued in 2005.
2005 also saw the addition of the two other band members, Chris Taylor (woodwinds/electronics/engineering/production) and Daniel Rossen (vocals/guitar). Playing as a four piece allowed the complexity of sound that was recorded on Horn of Plenty to be played live. The band toured throughout the year, playing songs off the first album as well as some of the new songs they were collectively writing that would make up Yellow House.
An album of Droste's early demo recordings, Sorry for the Delay, was released in 2006. Later that year they signed to Warp to release Yellow House on September 4th, 2006, to great acclaim.
In 2007, the band released Friend EP, which features outtakes, alternate versions, and covers done by CSS, Band of Horses, and Atlas Sound. In addition, members of the Dirty Projectors and Beirut collaborated with the band on "Alligator" and the EP's hidden track.
The band released their third full length album, Veckatimest, on May 26, 2009. After extensive touring, the band took a six month hiatus and then reconvened to record in Marfa, Texas and Cape Cod and released their fourth full length album, Shields, on September 18, 2012.
Hold Still
Grizzly Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll carry on,
My only friends
I'll take one chance
Without compromise
There isn't anything left to try
We'll carry on,
But then again
We couldn't take this long
The story goes unformed
As if we never were there at all
The lyrics to Grizzly Bear's song "Hold Still" suggest a feeling of stagnation and an unwillingness to give up even though there may be nothing left to try. The repetition of "here we go again, we'll carry on" suggests that the singer has been through this same cycle multiple times and has still not given up. The line "my only friends" suggests that the singer's relationships are not strong enough to keep them going, and they feel alone yet still persisting.
The following line "I'll take one chance without compromise" suggests that the singer is willing to take a risk without making concessions, suggesting that their persistence may be admirable, but also somewhat foolish. The final lines of the verse "we couldn't take this long, the story goes unformed, as if we never were there at all" suggest that despite the singer's perseverance, their efforts have been for naught and they feel as though they have not made any impact on their situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we go again
Starting over once more
We'll carry on,
Continuing despite difficulties
My only friends
The only companions in this difficult journey
I'll take one chance
Gathering courage to take a risk
Without compromise
Not allowing anything to interfere
There isn't anything left to try
All options have been exhausted
But then again
Considering an alternative perspective
We couldn't take this long
The struggle was too much to endure
The story goes unformed
The outcome remains uncertain
As if we never were there at all
Leaving no footprint, no evidence of existence
Lyrics Β© SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BEAR, EDWARD DROSTE, DANIEL ROSSEN, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind