Console is an electronic music project by Martin Gretschmann, the lead prog… Read Full Bio ↴Console is an electronic music project by Martin Gretschmann, the lead programmer for The Notwist a band from Germany. Relying heavily on elements of electronic music, Console is reminiscent of some electro bands, such as Ladytron and Miss Kittin. The first single "Lady-Bug" was released in 1996, the most recent release "Herself" came in 2010.

By This River
Console Lyrics

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Here we are
Stuck by this river
You and I
Underneath a sky that's ever falling down, down, down
Ever falling down

Through the day
As if on an ocean

Waiting here
Always failing to remember why we came, came, came
I wonder why we came

You talk to me
As if from a distance
And I reply

With impressions chosen from another time, time, time
From another time

Overall Meaning

Console's song By This River offers a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. The opening line sets a somber tone, as the two characters are "stuck" by the river, suggesting an immobilizing sense of melancholy or loss. The repetition of "ever falling down" reinforces this feeling of stagnation, as if the characters are unable to escape the weight of their past.

The singer then turns to the passage of time, likening it to an ocean. The characters are "waiting here," suggesting a sense of unease or uncertainty about their current circumstances. The lyrics "always failing to remember why we came" suggest a sense of drifting, as if the characters are disconnected from their purpose or goals.

The final verse is particularly poignant, as the characters' communication is hindered by a sense of distance - both literally, as they are on opposite sides of the river, and emotionally, as their impressions are "chosen from another time." This further emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and the inescapable grip of memory, as the past colors our present perceptions.

Overall, By This River offers a moving reflection on the human experience, reminding us of the ebb and flow of life and our attempts to navigate the passage of time.

Line by Line Meaning

Here we are
We find ourselves in this current situation

Stuck by this river
We are unable to move on from this particular circumstance

You and I
The two of us

Underneath a sky that's ever falling down, down, down
We are being weighed down by constant negativity

Ever falling down
This negativity never seems to end

Through the day
As the day progresses

As if on an ocean
Our situation feels like being lost at sea

Waiting here
We remain in this situation

Always failing to remember why we came, came, came
We cannot recall the reason we ended up here in the first place

I wonder why we came
I question how we ended up in this situation

You talk to me
You communicate to me