The band began as a hardcore unit in January of 1994 and originally consisted of Jes Steineger (guitar), Stacy Hilt (bass) and Jim Redd (drums). During this time they played under the name Breach, however, when Sean Ingram joined as a vocalist later in the year, the members opted to change their name to Coalesce.
With their name and lineup solidified, Coalesce entered West End Studios to record a demo which was pressed to a 7" EP that rapidly sold out.
The UK division of Earache Records was so impressed by the unique and innovative sound featured on Coalesce's demo that they invited the band to record an EP for Earache's 7" series imprint, 'New Chapter'. The EP, simply titled '002', was recorded in one day and released in 1995. 002 marked the beginning of Coalesce's relationship with Red House Studios and producer Ed Rose, who would go on to produce almost all of Coalesce's later material.
In 1995, Coalesce embarked on their first US tour in support of Bloodlet and 108. When the band returned home from the road, a blowup between Redd and Ingram resulted in Coalesce disbanding in early 1996.
In the summer of 1996, guitarist Jes Steineger contacted Ingram and the two decided to reform the band. Stacy Hilt was included in the reunion, resuming his bass duties, and the drum position was delegated to James DeWees. (original drummer Jim Redd decided not to pick up the drum sticks again because he was attending school in Baltimore) This incarnation of the band put out A Safe Place 7" on Edison Recordings and their Earache-distributed split EP with Napalm Death, 'In Tongues We Speak'.
In 1997, Coalesce wrote and recorded their first full length, 'Give Them Rope' (Edison Recordings), as well as songs for several compilations and split 7" records with The Get Up Kids, Today is the Day, and Converge.
After a few weeks playing the new songs on tour, Coalesce entered Red House Studios in the spring of 1998 to record the album Functioning on Impatience (in 3 days). Shortly afterwards, Coalesce recorded songs for a split 7" with Boy Sets Fire. Both the full-length and the split record were released that summer. It was during this period that bassist Stacy Hilt made his departure and was summarily replaced by Nathan Ellis.
Coalesce once again entered Red House to record the album There is Nothing New Under the Sun, a one-off release on Hydra Head comprised of Led Zeppelin covers, which was released in the autumn of '98.
During their hiatus, the members recorded their final album, '012:Revolution in Just Listening' in separate sessions. Coalesce reformed in 2002 sans Jes Steineger, replacing him with The Esoteric guitarist, Cory White, for a national tour and a few recordings.
The band played what they advertised as their 'final show' in Lawrence, Kansas in September of 2005.
In 2007 the reformed Coalesce 7" entitled Salt and Passage with the intention of eventually touring and releasing a full length.
Coalesce's latest full-length record Ox features 14 songs and was released on June 9 (North America) and June 15 (international) on Relapse Records. The band is planning to do a two week headlining tour of Europe. In addition, the band recently completed the Ox EP which will be released later in the year.
That's The Way
Coalesce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me, My friend, the boy next door.
I can't believe what people saying, You're gonna let your hair hang down,
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long, You're in the darker side of town.
And when I'm out I see you walking, Why don't your eyes see me,
Could it be you've found another game to play, What did mama say to me.
Yeah, yeah, mama say That's The Way it ought to stay.
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river,
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes,
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying,
Had they got you hypnotized?
And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers,
But all that lives is born to die.
And so I say to you that nothing really matters,
And all you do is stand and cry.
I don't know what to say about it,
When all you ears have turned away,
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see,
Is that the way it ought to stay?
That's the way... That's the way it oughtta be
Oh don't you know now, Mama said.. that's the way it's gonna stay, yeah.
The lyrics to Coalesce's song "That's the Way" speak to the confusion and struggle that comes with dealing with societal pressures and expectations. The singer is torn between wanting to please their mother and following their own heart. They are unable to continue playing with a friend and are saddened to see them move on without noticing their pain. The singer questions whether the friend has found a new game to play, despite their long history together. The phrase "That's the way it ought to be" is repeated throughout the song, coming from the singer's mother and causing them to question whether they are doing the right thing.
The second half of the lyrics focus on a recent encounter with the friend by the river. The singer sees tears in their eyes and wonders if they are hypnotized by the polluted waters they stand beside. The friend is seen kissing tiny flowers, but the singer reminds them that all things must die. The singer concludes by acknowledging that they don't know what to say, as everyone's ears have turned away. They urge everyone to take another look at what they see and question if it is truly the way it ought to stay.
Overall, the lyrics to "That's the Way" showcase the internal conflict that arises when trying to please others while staying true to oneself. It's a poignant reminder to examine our own lives and question if we are living the way we truly want to.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how I'm gonna tell you, I can't play with you no more,
I am unsure how to explain that I cannot continue this relationship.
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me, My friend, the boy next door.
I am uncertain how to follow my mother's advice regarding the boy next door who is also my friend.
I can't believe what people saying, You're gonna let your hair hang down,
I find it hard to accept that you are changing and may be acting differently.
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long, You're in the darker side of town.
I am content with my current situation, while you are in a difficult or dangerous area of the town.
And when I'm out I see you walking, Why don't your eyes see me,
I notice you walking, but I wonder if you are aware of my presence.
Could it be you've found another game to play, What did mama say to me.
Is it possible that you have moved on to a new relationship, contrary to my mother's advice?
That's The Way, Oh, That's The Way it ought to be,
This is the way things should be.
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river, And weren't those tears that filled your eyes,
When I saw you by the river, it seemed like you were crying.
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying, Had they got you hypnotized?
I am curious whether the sight of the dying fish had put you in a trance.
And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers, But all that lives is born to die.
I saw you kissing small flowers, but everything living eventually dies.
And so I say to you that nothing really matters, And all you do is stand and cry.
I want to convey that everything is ultimately meaningless, and you should not continuously cry about it.
I don't know what to say about it, When all you ears have turned away,
I am unsure of how to approach the situation since it seems nobody is listening.
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see, Is that the way it ought to stay?
I suggest that you take a good look at your current situation and ask yourself whether that is how things should remain.
That's the way... That's the way it oughtta be,
That is how things should be.
Oh don't you know now, Mama said.. that's the way it's gonna stay, yeah.
My mother has said that things will remain this way.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jermM.
I can't hear this song without big feelings for the one who got away. We listened to this original song alot together once upon a time