The Hold Steady - The Bear and the Maiden Fair lyrics

A bear there was, a bear, a bear!
All black and brown and covered in hair!
Three boys, a goat, and a dancing bear!
They danced and spun, right to the fair!
Oh, sweet she was, and pure, and fair!
The maid with honey up in her hair!
He smelled her on the summer air!
The maid with honey up in her hair!

From there to here, from her to there!
All black and brown and covered in hair!
He smelled that girl on the summer air!
The bear! The bear! The maiden fair!

Oh, I'm a maid, and I'm pure and fair!
I'll never dance with a hairy bear!
I called a knight, but you're a bear!
All black and brown and covered in hair!

He lifted her high in the air!
He sniffed and roared and


He smelled her there!
She kicked and wailed, the maid so fair!
He licked the honey all up in her hair!

From there to here, from her to there!
All black and brown and covered in hair!
He smelled that girl on the summer air!
The bear! The bear! The maiden fair!

And the bear, the bear! The maiden fair!
And the bear, the bear!

She sighed and she squealed and
She kicked the air!
Then she sang: My bear! My bear so fair!
And off they went into the summer air!
The bear, the bear and the maiden fair!

From there to here, from her to there!
All black and brown and covered in hair!
He smelled that girl on the summer air!
The bear! The bear! The maiden fair!

And the bear, the bear! The maiden fair!
And the bear, the bear! The maiden fair!
And the bear, the bear!