☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a bear who lives in the woods and wants to be free.
- He is driven out of his natural environment and has to work in a factory.
- The bear becomes increasingly unhappy and longs for his freedom.
- He gets fired and wanders aimlessly through the snow until he seeks refuge in a motel.
- The message of the song is that everyone has the right to live their own life and not be changed or limited by others.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "The Bear Who Wanted to Remain a Bear" by
Reinhard Mey tell the story of a bear who lives in the forests and desires to be free. He knows every detail of his kingdom and loves standing in the grass and looking over the land. But one day, his world is disturbed by humans who build a factory nearby. The bear is driven out of his cave and forced to work in the factory. The humans do not believe he is a bear and make him behave like a human. He has to shave, punch a time card, and work on a machine.
The bear feels increasingly tired and unhappy in this new environment. He longs for his freedom back and feels like a prisoner. One day, he falls asleep at the machine and is fired. Finally free, the bear wanders aimlessly through the snow. He finds refuge in a motel, but is turned away because he is a vagabond and a bear.
Discouraged and exhausted, the bear sits in front of a cave and contemplates what will happen to him. He lets himself be covered by the snowstorm and falls asleep.
The message of the song is that everyone has the right to be who they are and live their own life. The bear symbolizes natural freedom and the rejection of societal norms. The factory and the humans represent the restrictions and constraints that are often imposed on us. The lyrics of the song show the importance of following our own path and not allowing others to change or limit us.