Somebody That I Used To Know

This review may stray from my standard format, but I just needed to get this one out. An extremely popular youtube video, which has received 85,000,000+ views, hasn’t left my mind since I first viewed it. The video is a music video for the song “Somebody That I Used To Know” by the solo artist Gotye featuring Kimbra. I don’t doubt the fact that most people are familiar with this song, its addicting as a song could possibly be and the video is more than successful in emotionally engaging the viewer.

At an intuitive glance, it is clear to see that the song and video is based around the concept of a break-up in terms of relationships. The conflicts that arise from the break-up process are what ultimately fuel all aspects of the song and video. This base concept is why I believe that the song has had so much success. It adds a dimension to the music video that allows it to be very relatable to society at large. Most people have had problems related to the content the music video, which is why an emotional chord with the audience has been struck. 

How the combination of the song and video strike such a chord warrants analysis. In terms of the song structure, the song begins with a simple melodic beat highlighted with light vocals which progressively grow in energy and variety of melody. The introduction of Kimbra’s section of the song creates a deeper dynamic between the two perspectives in the break-up situation, as the listener is now aware of the direct conflict between the two. After her section, the song climaxes as both vocal dimensions of the song fuse together through harmony and chords to create a deep profundity of emotional angst and heartache in which the theme of the song is further defined. The video is very successful in capturing the essence of the song. It blends animation and captured video as the break-up story is told. It has the two singers (and suggested couple) standing and reacting naked next to each other with an animated backdrop. The female character watches her past love in anguish as the male character cant bear to make eye contact due to his love, unrequited. Although the concept was whimsical, as described by the artist, the painting of the body serves to symbolize the universe that their love had created. The ending scene reveals that the female is no longer painted, as she is detached (but still a present existence) from her male counterpart in life and in love while the male is still covered in paint, unable to bear the break-up.

All in all, the music video is undoubtedly an artistic success and an obvious chord has been struck with the audience.