The most prominent b… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands called The Bears.
The most prominent band called The Bears formed in 1985 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and continue to create new music today. Their sound may be categorized as Power-Pop or Prog Pop, but draws from a diverse pallet of influences, and features the distinctive avant-garde guitar playing of Adrian Belew, the band's most prominent member.
In addition to guitarist, vocalist and producer Belew, The Bears consists of guitarist/vocalist Rob Fetters, drummer/vocalist Chris Arduser, and bassist Bob Nyswonger (without Belew, the three are known as the PsychoDots).
In addition, there is a twee band called Bears (without the "the") from Cleveland, Ohio.
Another band called The Bears were formed in Watford, UK, by former Wire guitarist George Gill and future Julian Cope manager Cally. They released three singles in 1979, including the excellent Insane/Decisions which appeared on the Belfast label Good Vibrations.
117 Valley Drive
The Bears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seemed like heaven when the band arrived
With a couple of drums and a couple guitars
We'd play our hearts out in my backyard
And the people came from everywhere
To put their plastic chairs in the summer air
Down on valley drive
People came with kids and dogs, sat out on the lawn,
And a ticket to ride
We were barely in our teens
Yeah, laughin' like crazy, yeah, livin' our dreams
Well, the boys just cut up and the girls just talk
But when we'd start up, well, the world would stop
Though it was a different age
Nothing's gone and nothing's changed
In my mind
What it was was a way of life
But no one noticed we'd run out of time
The Bears' song 117 Valley Drive is a tribute to the good old days when the band members were teenagers and used to perform in the backyard of the titular location. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the memories they've held on to all these years. The upbeat melody of the song only adds to the nostalgic feeling it evokes. The opening line of the song, "117 valley drive seemed like heaven when the band arrived" sets the tone for the rest of the track, and each subsequent line only builds on the idea of how special this place was for the band.
The lyrics describe how people from all around would come to their backyard to enjoy the music they played. The image of individuals bringing their plastic chairs and sitting outside with their kids and dogs on the lawn, enjoying the performances brings to mind an idyllic summer evening. The memories of a youthful band, living their dreams, are described vividly, with the boys cutting up, and the girls talking. The lyrics make it clear that playing music brought the world to a standstill, a feeling the band remembers fondly.
Towards the end, the song takes a melancholic turn when the realization dawns on the band that they've run out of time. They've grown up, things have changed, but nothing can take away the memories they've shared. 117 Valley Drive was their way of life, and it still holds a special place in their hearts even though things are different now.
Line by Line Meaning
117 valley drive
The address where the band started playing music.
Seemed like heaven when the band arrived
For the band, arriving at 117 Valley Drive felt like a dream come true.
With a couple of drums and a couple guitars
All they had were a few instruments.
We'd play our hearts out in my backyard
They would play their hardest in the backyard.
And the people came from everywhere
People came from all over to hear them play.
To put their plastic chairs in the summer air
People would bring plastic chairs to sit in and enjoy the music.
Down on valley drive
This refers to 117 Valley Drive.
People came with kids and dogs, sat out on the lawn,
Families came with their children and pets, and sat on the lawn to listen to the music.
And they sang along with a hard hay's Nhght
People would join in and sing along to the music.
And a ticket to ride
This is a reference to a Beatles song by the same name.
We were barely in our teens
The band members were young teenagers.
Yeah, laughin' like crazy, yeah, livin' our dreams
They were carefree, happy, and living their dream of playing music.
Well, the boys just cut up and the girls just talk
The boys goofed around and the girls chatted while they weren't playing.
But when we'd start up, well, the world would stop
When they started playing music, everything else fell away and the world seemed to stop.
Though it was a different age
This refers to how things were different back when they were teenagers.
Nothing's gone and nothing's changed
Even though time has passed, nothing has really changed from their memories of playing at 117 Valley Drive.
In my mind
This reflects the nostalgia the artist feels when thinking about their time playing and the memories that remain.
What it was was a way of life
Playing music at 117 Valley Drive was a lifestyle for the band.
But no one noticed we'd run out of time
Eventually, the band grew up and moved on, but it seemed to happen so fast that they didn't even realize it was happening.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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