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.
Taken Down
Grizzly Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could rest without coming up dry
Leaving so little room for them
We often see enough purpose besides
Do a little praying, worth a little try
A fallen defense is fine
Try another plan, giving up the time
I want to make sure I've tidied up
Then lock the doors, pull the shades down and cry
We may not be back for ages
And those ages are something I don't understand
If this little week was a long year
Who's to say, my dear
Totally agree, everything is worse
But I know we've got more to go
Won't you leave now, soon enough
Not fast enough for me
We cannot take this so easy
Others will see it, all right
I don't want to push back these lies
Often I find myself biting my tongue making sure that we are feeling fine
Things may not be so easy for some
I don't want it to feel so contrived
Beginning of the day, using up the time
We'll want tomorrow, decline
Passing up a chance, putting on a smile
I see through with all, by and by
I don't want to be taken down
I keep on trying to do all this time
Making me wander around without plans
I don't want to keep being so blind
You're a little late
I'm a little tired
We've been doing this for a while
Totally agree, everything is worse
I hope we've got more to go
Won't you leave now soon enough
Not fast enough for me
We cannot take this so easy
Others will see it, all right
I don't want to push back these lies
The lyrics of Grizzly Bear's song "Taken Down" (Marfa Demo Version) appear to be about feeling overwhelmed and anxious about life, but trying to put on a brave face to avoid being taken down. The singer seems to be struggling to keep up with the pace of life and is worried about falling behind. They keep praying and trying different plans, but they still feel like they're not making progress. They want to tidy up their life, but they're not sure where to start. The singer is also worried about being too contrived and not being true to themselves.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of urgency and pressure to keep moving forward, but at the same time, a desire to slow down and take a break from the overwhelming demands of life. The line "Not fast enough for me" suggests a desire to take control and move at their own pace instead of constantly feeling like they're trying to catch up. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, but also a determination to keep pushing forward despite the obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be taken down
I don't want to be defeated or overcome
I could rest without coming up dry
I need to take a break without feeling drained or exhausted
Leaving so little room for them
Not making enough space for others in our lives
We often see enough purpose besides
We can sometimes find a sense of meaning in other things
Do a little praying, worth a little try
Trying to have faith or hope in something
A fallen defense is fine
Not being too defensive or guarded can be okay
Try another plan, giving up the time
We need to try a different approach, even if it takes longer
There's no sense in it when we hide
It doesn't make sense to hide from our problems or fears
I want to make sure I've tidied up
I want to make sure I've cleaned or organized everything
Then lock the doors, pull the shades down and cry
We need to create a private and safe space to express our emotions
We may not be back for ages
We might not return for a long time
and those ages are something I don't understand
I don't comprehend the amount of time we'll be gone
If this little week was a long year
This week felt like a really long time
Who's to say, my dear
I'm not sure who can say for certain
Totally agree, everything is worse
I agree that everything feels worse than before
But I know we've got more to go
I believe we still have a ways to go
Won't you leave now, soon enough
I want you to leave soon, but not too quickly
Not fast enough for me
I'm impatient and want things to happen quickly
We cannot take this so easy
We can't approach this situation too casually or lightly
Others will see it, all right
Other people will notice what's happening
I don't want to push back these lies
I don't want to ignore or deny the truth
Often I find myself biting my tongue making sure that we are feeling fine
I often hold back from saying what I really think or feel to avoid conflict
Things may not be so easy for some
Some people may have a more difficult time with this
I don't want it to feel so contrived
I don't want this to feel fake or forced
Beginning of the day, using up the time
Starting the day by being productive and making the most of our time
We'll want tomorrow, decline
We'll want more time in the future, but it may not be possible
Passing up a chance, putting on a smile
Ignoring an opportunity and pretending everything is okay
I see through with all, by and by
Eventually, I'll have a clearer understanding of everything
You're a little late
You haven't arrived on time
I'm a little tired
I'm feeling a bit exhausted
We've been doing this for a while
We've been working on this for some time now
Totally agree, everything is worse
I completely concur that things are worse than before
I hope we've got more to go
I hope that we still have more to accomplish
Won't you leave now soon enough
I want you to leave soon, but not too quickly
Not fast enough for me
I'm impatient and want things to happen quickly
We cannot take this so easy
We can't approach this situation too casually or lightly
Others will see it, all right
Other people will notice what's happening
I don't want to push back these lies
I don't want to ignore or deny the truth
Writer(s): Grizzly Bear
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Francisco Moise Lopez Hernandez
I don't want to be taken down
I could rest without coming up dry
Leaving so little room for them
We often see enough purpose besides
Do a little praying, worth a little try
A fallen defense is fine
Try another plan, giving up the time
There's no sense in it when we hide
I want to make sure I've tidied up
Then lock the doors, pull the shades down and cry
We may not be back for ages
And those ages are something I don't understand
If this little week was a long year
Who's to say, my dear
Totally agree, everything is worse
But I know we've got more to go
Won't you leave now, soon enough
Not fast enough for me
We cannot take this so easy
Others will see it, all right
I don't want to push back these lies
Often I find myself biting my tongue making sure that we are feeling fine
Things may not be so easy for some
I don't want it to feel so contrived
Beginning of the day, using up the time
We'll want tomorrow, decline
Passing up a chance, putting on a smile
I see through with all, by and by
I don't want to be taken down
I keep on trying to do all this time
Making me wander around without plans
I don't want to keep being so blind
You're a little late
I'm a little tired
We've been doing this for a while
Totally agree, everything is worse
I hope we've got more to go
Won't you leave now soon enough
Not fast enough for me
We cannot take this so easy
Others will see it, all right
I don't want to push back these lies
For the Omnissiah
Hidden gem in Grizzly Bear's arsenal. One of my favorites from them
Lauren Cook
Heard this on a local radio station driving through the Texas Hill Country...thanks for uploading it.