Bear Songtext
von Tim O’Brien

"I′m a bear," he cried, "but I'm more than that"
There′s something you need to remember
I'm an integral community member
I'm neither tame nor feral
You ignore me at your peril
I′m a bear

Bear looked behind him and side to side
Saw a tree he could climb if he needed to hide
He′d been asleep all winter, of course he knew he stank
But he could smell that smoke a-coming from across the far creek bank

"I'm a bear," he cried (ooh), "but I′m more than that"
There's something you need to remember
I′m an integral community member
I'm neither tame nor feral
You ignore me at your peril
I′m a bear


Wood chips and stumps where the trees had been
Piles of rocks and logs, so they're building again
He growled, "This world's gone crazy, trying to close me in
I need more room to move"
And then he reared back and roared again

"I′m a bear," he cried (ooh), "but I′m more than that"
There's something you need to remember
I′m an integral community member
I'm neither tame nor feral
You ignore me at your peril
I′m a bear

You won't see me at the village fair
With a ring in my nose, dancing ′round in the square
I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log
Than to have you try to train me, like some jumpin' circus dog

"I′m a bear," he cried (ooh), "but I′m more than that"
There's something you need to remember
I′m an integral community member
I'm neither tame nor feral
You ignore me at your peril
I′m a bear


Heard gunshots out on the eastern plain
He turned west to the mountain, then the driving rain
I guess someday I'll fight ′em with my back turned to the wall
Until that day I'll keep on walkin', I′ll keep on walking tall

"I′m a bear," he cried (ooh), "but I'm more than that"
There′s something you need to remember
I'm an integral community member
I′m neither tame nor feral
You ignore me at your peril
I'm a bear (ooh)