The phrase gemeinsam einsam is a beautiful oxymoron that literally means "together lonely". It's a powerful and poetic way to describe the feeling of being physically with someone, yet feeling emotionally distant and isolated.
In the song, the artist sings about lying 'together lonely' (Ans gemeinsam einsam liegen), painting a vivid picture of a relationship that has lost its connection. This memorable phrase is the emotional heart of this melancholic ballad and a unique expression you won't find in every song.
German rock band AnnenMayKantereit delivers a stripped-down look at a breakup where neither person really figured out how to fit together. The singer finds himself right back where he started: "Und ich sitz schon wieder / Barfuß am Klavier" ("And I'm sitting again, barefoot at the piano"), dreaming up love songs about an ex. He remembers the strange bubble they lived in together. Outside people found them odd—"Du und ich, wir waren wunderlich" ("You and I, we were strange")—especially when their late-night noise bothered the neighbors ("Wenn man uns Nachts hörte").
The best part of the song is the German phrase "gemeinsam einsam" ("lonely together"). He uses it to describe sitting in silence and lying around in the morning ("du nackt im Bett / Und ich Barfuß am Klavier" — "you naked in bed, and me barefoot at the piano"). The romance fell apart because the partner wanted to know everything ("Du wolltest alles wissen"), which ended up driving them apart. In the end, he comes to a blunt conclusion about why it ended: "Du und ich, wir waren zu wenig" ("You and I, we were too little"). Now, playing music with bare feet on the pedals is simply his chosen way to survive.
AnnenMayKantereit is a German rock band from Cologne, formed in 2011. Its three founding members, guitarist Christopher Annen, singer Henning May, and drummer Severin Kantereit, met at school and built the band's name from their surnames. They started out as street musicians in Cologne before growing into one of the most popular acts in the German-speaking world.
The band is best known for Henning May's raw, gravelly voice and their plainspoken, emotionally honest German lyrics. Their 2016 debut album Alles nix Konkretes was a number-one hit in Germany, and the single 'Pocahontas' became one of their signature songs. With little more than guitar, drums, and that unmistakable voice, they turn everyday feelings into anthems that fans sing back word for word.