Behind the Song... My Be(a)st

The other day I was looking through the "Notes" app on my phone and saw one that said "Play dead for a bear, fight a squid." That's literally all it said. I had a long wtf moment, and then I remembered a conversation I had a few years ago with a neighbor who was listing ways to survive animal attacks. I'm about 99% sure alcohol and/or weed was involved in this conversation, which probably made me think it was hilarious, which probably led to me writing down two phrases before being distracted with something else. Years later I'm sitting on my couch, guitar in hand, idea in mind, Googling about wild animal attacks. You know that whole "you're your own worst enemy" thing? That's pretty much me in a nutshell, so that's what I was going for in this song. I wrote a similarly-themed tune called Hunting Season a million years ago. I'd like to think I'm making some progress because at least this song ends on a slightly positive note. Maybe in another 10 years I'll write an even more positive version, so stick around for that.

Lyrics

1. back away from a snake
play dead for a bear
howl at a wolf
climb a tree for a deer

i know all the protocol when something wild’s coming at ya
got no clue what to do when i’m the attacker

CHORUS
do i run do I hide
do i dig a big hole and climb down or 
stand my ground and lock eyes
do I demand apologies or do I apologize
when it comes to my beast
I’m just doing my best to survive

2. eat for a cold
starve for a flu
ice for a sprain
take an aspirin or two

i know these remedies for the sick and bed-ridden
got no clue what to do when I’m the affliction

CHORUS