The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
In case you're wondering it's alive and well
That little habit that you left with me
Here in the suburbs where it's hard to tell
If I got the bear or if the bear got me
How did you know that it would take me down
Down to the bottom of the wine-dark sea
Where you were waiting there to bring me 'round
Where you knew all the dopest cuts to be
Down at the bottom of your mystery
Down at the bottom of the wine-dark sea
Saw your old lady in the park today
The legendary smile is wearing thin
Behind that guessing game you make her play
Now that she knows that she could never win
I guess you're never gonna take her down
Down to the bottom of your little black heart
Lay with her naked on the cold hard ground
To watch the sun rise in the dopest part
Down in the bottom where your lifeline shows
Down in the bottom where nobody goes
Did you lose your way, find another
Did you make your play, run for cover
Is its safe to say you got burned today?
Yeah, I like the feathers and I love the hat
Yeah, I like that little gypsy tune you're humming
Yeah, I guess I'm happy now we had this chat
Oh yeah, I'm really glad I saw you coming
There in the corner of the eastern sky
The tortured angel of your rising sign
Darkens the evening with his one good eye
An evil omen of the dopest kind
Down in the bottom where your demons fly
Down in the bottom of the eastern sky
Down in the bottom where your lifeline shows
Down in the bottom where nobody, nobody goes
Down at the bottom of your mystery
Down at the bottom of the wine-dark sea
That little habit that you left with me
Here in the suburbs where it's hard to tell
If I got the bear or if the bear got me
How did you know that it would take me down
Down to the bottom of the wine-dark sea
Where you were waiting there to bring me 'round
Where you knew all the dopest cuts to be
Down at the bottom of your mystery
Down at the bottom of the wine-dark sea
Saw your old lady in the park today
The legendary smile is wearing thin
Behind that guessing game you make her play
Now that she knows that she could never win
I guess you're never gonna take her down
Down to the bottom of your little black heart
Lay with her naked on the cold hard ground
To watch the sun rise in the dopest part
Down in the bottom where your lifeline shows
Down in the bottom where nobody goes
Did you lose your way, find another
Did you make your play, run for cover
Is its safe to say you got burned today?
Yeah, I like the feathers and I love the hat
Yeah, I like that little gypsy tune you're humming
Yeah, I guess I'm happy now we had this chat
Oh yeah, I'm really glad I saw you coming
There in the corner of the eastern sky
The tortured angel of your rising sign
Darkens the evening with his one good eye
An evil omen of the dopest kind
Down in the bottom where your demons fly
Down in the bottom of the eastern sky
Down in the bottom where your lifeline shows
Down in the bottom where nobody, nobody goes
Down at the bottom of your mystery
Down at the bottom of the wine-dark sea
Lyrics submitted by paper bag writer, edited by BalanceAsia
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Add those interpretations together and we probably have a dismally accurate picture of the lyric. However, I never got the feeling that the speaker longs for the company of this missing person. And obviously,in the style of typical junkie cop-out, The speaker blames the missing one for the speaker's addiction- let's see.. I'm guessing heroin. I didn't know about the 'definition' of "bear." It should be added to the hipster dictionary.