Having played guitar and piano as a young girl, she was moved to write her first song, "Remember The Day", after taking a road trip with a friend across the Alps to Genoa, via Strasbourg. She appeared in Wim Wenders' 1973 film Alice in the Cities, and her music also featured in Umarmungen und andere Sachen (1975), a German Jochen Richter film set in Bavaria about three romantically involved bank robbers. Baier opted not to pursue an acting or singing career, and moved to America where she concentrated on raising a family.
The songs that went on to make up her album Colour Green were home reel-to-reel tape recordings Baier had made in Germany between 1970 and 1973. Some thirty years later her son Robby compiled a CD from these recordings to give to family members as presents. He also gave a copy to Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis, who in turn passed it along to the Orange Twin label. Orange Twin released the album in February 2006. She is expected to release a second studio album. She performs the song "Let Us Know" in Wim Wenders' movie Palermo Shooting (2008).
www.sibyllebaier.com/
Remember the Day
Sibylle Baier Lyrics
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When I left home to buy some food
Myself in that painful February mood
I did what I could
Remember that day
When I left home to just buy some food
Considering if one shouldn't I or if one should
Sun was high
And I found me on the road to Genoa
Did you ever drive in a moonstruck constitution?
And find to reach a seaport and down there is a solution
You should If you could
There slowly, slowly, I no longer thought of what is good or what is not
There simply was the water's smell and remoteness
I only stood and watched that old cold ocean
In tender and bright, full, unspeakable emotion
I did what I could
All was good
The song "Remember the Day" by Sibylle Baier is a nostalgic and introspective reflection on the past. The song begins with the singer recalling a day when they left home to buy some food, but they were feeling melancholic in the painful mood of February. Despite this, they did what they could, suggesting some sense of determination and resilience in the face of adversity. The second verse shifts to a more reflective mood as the singer remembers driving to Genoa in a moonstruck constitution, unsure whether they should or shouldn't go. They come across a seaport, which offers some kind of solution, but it is unclear what that solution might be. As they stand by the old, cold ocean, overwhelmed with emotion, the singer reflects on the beauty and remoteness of the water's smell.
The song paints a picture of a person grappling with their own sense of place and purpose in the world, but finding some solace and beauty in the natural world. The repetition of the phrase "I did what I could" suggests a sense of resignation or acceptance in the face of life's difficulties. The song also captures the longing for something more, perhaps a sense of adventure or purpose that is absent from everyday life. The shifting moods and emotions of the song create a sense of unpredictability and introspection, inviting the listener to reflect on their own memories and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember the day
Recall the specific day
When I left home to buy some food
When I departed my home to purchase groceries
Myself in that painful February mood
Feeling melancholic during the month of February
I did what I could
I did what was possible under the given circumstances
Remember that day
Recollect that particular day
When I left home to just buy some food
When I left my abode to acquire some necessary sustenance
Considering if one shouldn't I or if one should
Wondering whether or not to do something
Sun was high
The sun was located high in the sky
And I found me on the road to Genoa
Ended up on the path that leads to Genoa, Italy
Did you ever drive in a moonstruck constitution?
Have you ever operated a vehicle while in a dreamy state of mind?
And find to reach a seaport and down there is a solution
Discovering that the answer to one's problems lies at a nearby harbor
You should If you could
If possible, one should take the opportunity
There slowly, slowly, I no longer thought of what is good or what is not
Gradually, I stopped deliberating on what actions would be beneficial and what actions wouldn't
There simply was the water's smell and remoteness
There was only the scent of the ocean and its vastness
I only stood and watched that old cold ocean
I just stood still and observed the ancient frigid sea
In tender and bright, full, unspeakable emotion
Feeling deep, radiant, and indescribable sentiment
I did what I could
I acted to the best of my ability
All was good
Everything was satisfactory
Contributed by Parker S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.