How the world's biggest song caused Gotye to quit

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/ davidhartley94
Somebody That I Used to Know was a global phenomenon for Gotye. For many musicians this incredible success would be a dream come true and a springboard for making even further music, but Gotye hasn't released any new music since. What happen to Gotye?

[@davidhartley94]

Be sure to check out www.lalal.ai/, a next-generation music source separation service for fast, easy and precise stem extraction. Remove vocal, instrumental, drums, bass, guitar, synthesizer, wind and string instruments, and piano tracks without quality loss.

[@2563dicko]

Bit misleading saying it's completely free to use, you only get a sample, you have to pay at least $18 for an actual track.

[@19max84]

It works very well, I tried it last year or so to hear individual instruments from a song and was flashed by the result.

[@Metzok]

Very useful tool, thanx for sharing and for the video!

[@tapeexperiments]

Nice ad integration.

[@color-head1696]

congrats to more and more "copy and paste" ... dont you people have ORIGINAL ideas? Disgusting ... why do you become an artist, if you have nothing to say on your own ...

[@lawrencegreenwood4002]

I knew Wally when I was a teenager. We were in the same small town in Victoria. I've got to say, it looks like fame hasn't changed him - he was always putting music first, helping other bands and just being a generally nice and approachable guy. Unlike the rest of us ratbags he always conducted himself well. A good example of his kindness is he once spent a whole day teaching me about Ableton and helping me cut samples for my band...I had no idea and he turned me on to digital audio - it set up a whole career for me. I'll always be grateful for that. Believe me when I say he's just a pretty normal guy, with above average intelligence and a pretty kind heart. Really proud of a lot of musicians from our little town, and Wally is one of the greats.

[@yesterdaydream]

Now he's just someb--🤐

[@gbormann71]

​@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777So, if I want to cover my walls with wallpaper, you'll insist on me learning to print wallpaper first?

[@timishere1925]

​​@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 I'm sure the person you're responding to appreciates your unsolicited opinion.

[@lawrencegreenwood4002]

@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 I was already an accomplished musician, I didn't need advice on that front - but I wasn't familiar with computer recording. I'd only used tape...don't forget it was the late 90s/early 2000s, so not everyone had a laptop with the latest digital audio software - especially in less wealthy areas. Please post some of your music so I can check it out - always glad to see someone who is so passionate about instruments.

[@ouackstrax7356]

@@lawrencegreenwood4002 I'm in a similar boat, but now. My instrument(s) come natural to me, but music software drives me nuts. Since I can't play drums I would've benefited from being able to use digital tracks (beyond multi-tracking my instruments and basic effects). I know a few people who are the opposite, but getting them to collaborate is like pulling teeth.

[@jakobbauz]

He has turned off the ads for a video with 2 billion views. What a fucking legend.

[@gavinator354]

i just loaded the song and there was an ad. i wonder if youtube forces ads even if you turn them off

[@dmacrolens]

@@gavinator354 They sure do. Even with people as insignificant as me. They will sometimes not let me play my own videos of myself that have never been cleared for monetization because ad blockers are a terms of service violation. F*ck them.

[@gavinator354]

@@dmacrolens ugh so fucked

[@darelblack4666]

@@gavinator354 turning off ads just transfers all the ad revenue to youtube but not turns them off

[@slappy8941]

​@@darelblack4666Yeah it's really stupid, because he could have just taken the money and given it to charity if he didn't want it himself. He's a bit of a princess, isn't he?

[@benedixtify]

If he's still doing what he likes, and he's not poor, I'm happy for him.

[@sebg2086]

he could bedoing what he like.....and be in a better place.......not really a smart move lol

[@Koragh_]

its kinda sad tbh thats like the dreamjob for musician to have that massive recognition

[@olivergengenbach7138]

Was that Prince? I thought it was a symbol rather?

[@margo5919]

You can be addicted to a certain kind of sadness

[@blue-tb2fd]

@@Koragh_ Is it though?

[@essenceofveles]

The answer: Gotye was just a personal project by Wally. He's still making music with a band. Wally didn't quit music.

[@smartalek180]

Well done, thank you. I coulda saved 13:48 of my life if I'd found yr comment first. Pity they don't let u insert sponsors' ads in comments -- YOURS wld actually have been worth it.

[@kathifuller5332]

Exactly! Came here to say that!! It is still intriguing that he dropped Gotye after this song exploded, but it's not like he abandoned music altogether.

[@chandlerburns9392]

Agree with the other comments on here. This video should have been 4 seconds long and just saying he's in a band now.

[@darkhorizon6235]

what band?

[@shanebushnell3979]

@@darkhorizon6235 just went on his Apple Music bio and looks like he’s in a band called The Basics.

[@alfredoma5015]

People criticize him for leaving after a hit hit it’s what you’re supposed to do as an artist! The industry is a hell scape that traps artists with a bit of attention and they never leave the cycle of chasing attention. He made it big, capitalized on the attention then ducked out to protect his mental health. Good in you Gotye

[@Darrylx444]

His decision to make it a story duet, AND Kimbra's perfect fitness for that role, made this song memorable for me. It's the kind of song that makes you stop what you're doing, and just listen. I still get chills when it reaches her vocal crescendo.

[@HeleneLogan]

Absolutely agree!

[@Recovery-Dawg]

Hello fellow 444er

[@netpunk5890]

Tbh her part is what makes it for me

[@antonystringfellow5152]

That's what did it for me too. Much more than the music itself. Every love song I can think of, and by love song I don't exclude rock and metal (most songs are love songs), tells a story from one side and there is seldom only one side at fault when a romantic relationship ends. The first time I heard it, Kimbra's voice kicking in really grabbed my attention. It made the song so real and believable.

[@JonSwaim]

She’s the one that made this song a hit. More so than him.

[@Y1001]

Indeed the fact that Prince said he loves this song is an award in of itself.

[@azrael6280]

Prince casually saying he liked a song, not knowing that it is actually a pretty significant thing for a musician to achieve.

[@nullifiedhumanoid]

I had to watch this part again. Imagine how he felt hearing this. Sounds like a great guy.

[@neoshenlong]

Yeah nah that's the real award holy shit

[@siinxx7656]

@@azrael6280 I wouldn't say was casual about it. He said he loved it, not liked it and to plug that on the middle of the announcement says is special. Prince is not the kinda guy that talks without intent.

[@zoomosis]

That would've been a particularly surreal moment for Kimbra since Prince was a big influence on her. She used to do a cover of his song "I Wanna Be Your Lover" in her live shows in early 2011, before "Somebody That I Used To Know" was released.

[@simecrossley8056]

I’ve never met Wally, but my little band in Brisbane, Australia, was mentored by him to achieve our sound on a live stage. He made himself available to our band leader for a weekly chat to help us navigate the technology required to take our studio sound (Lots of samples) to the live stage and a very successful tour, without his mentorship we could never had achieved our live performance goals. Amazingly, non of us have ever met him in person. But I’d love to buy him a pint or 3 and say thank you. Randomly, many years later, I met one of his lost loves that inspired Somebody I used To Know. Thanks for the music and help, Wally. And thanks David for this vid. Great stuff.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

This guy seems to be a genuine good guy - you are the second in the comment section who says he has been helped with their music by Wally. 😀 I wonder what his lost love thinks of the whole story...

[@jamesburrows7942]

You met somebody that he used to know!

[@cstoomey]

Let's not shortchange his voice. It's amazing, especially on the choruses. Cuts through like a knife.

[@TonalWorks]

@@r3furbish3dbrain12 First thought I had when I heard the song's chorus for the first time.

[@athomesuperhero]

The range is incredible. I bet he would crush Take On Me

[@enjoybrad81]

His high notes have such power to them, which is hard to do well. But he is so clear and spot on. And when he brings it down to a soft breathy verse, it's just so sweet and heartwarming. Especially on Bronte. I cried to that song recently after not hearing it for years. **Fair warning if you've lost a pet recently**

[@Tony-yd1vx]

Reminds me of early Sting.

[@fonkbadonk5370]

@@Tony-yd1vx Absolutely! Even his mouth is sort of Sting shaped. I likened his voice more towards Phil Collins before, but Sting fits just as well. David Draiman comes to mind as well. The dudes where you thoroughly enjoy their deep and calm voices, but as they grow in pitch and/or volume, they also gain SO much texture and richness, that they almost hug your soul. So pretty.

[@GeneHamm2]

As an animator, I loved how Gotye gave animators jobs on his music videos.

[@marleyjanim5033]

Yes

[@369frequencyandvibration]

He became somebody that We used to know.

[@heitor5998]

lol

[@josh_ari]

​@@heitor5998don't encourage him

[@Juliana_So_Unique]

Have you ever produced an original thought in your entire life?

[@jackshittle]

As I was scrolling through the comments, this comment literally made me lol. Clever :)

[@Juliana_So_Unique]

@@jackshittle No. It is not clever. The comment is trite at best. How are you all so easily amused?

[@TriciaStewart84]

I live in the United States and saw him in Ohio in the mid 2000s. He was meant to play at an arena but he didn’t sell enough tickets so the concert was held in a high school auditorium and it was AMAZING! I have pictures and video but remember it vividly. He’s such a phenomenal musician! I’ll keep an eye out for more art from him but I still listen to it and will always continue to do so.

[@ethanvilla4418]

Where else is there to go when Prince says he loves your song before announcing your award win?

[@merrygrammarian1591]

Disney World

[@ludwigvonn9889]

To everyone not willing to watch the whole thing: he is still making music, just with his old band that has a different name obviously. Thats all.

[@larma420]

The basics.

[@morgierwin6641]

clickbait

[@Darthcamper]

You are a king among men. The super fluffy padded 10+ minute run time for that sweet revenue is really starting to irritate me. One sentence does not need to be stretched to 14 and a half minutes. OP gets the thumb down, I wish I could give you more than a thumbs up.

[@Pneumanon]

Why did I wait till the end of the video to scroll down?

[@longfield0023]

@@coryphillips7945 Why? Is it considered just copying? I don't know.

[@MarcEdwards]

I have so much respect and love for Wally. A new album from him would be amazing, but only on his terms. A friend and I create a bootleg remix of Hearts A Mess. We sent it to Wally. Surprisingly, he replied, liked it, and it ended up on the Mixed Blood album (Wally’s first album to win an ARIA award).

[@k-leb4671]

Wow, you made a remix just as a fan project and it ended up on the remix album? That's awesome.

[@MarcEdwards]

@@k-leb4671 Yep! He ended up sending us the stems, which we tried incorporating, but we ended up mostly keeping things how they were - samples from the full original track. I think we only dropped in a few parts from the new stems.

[@k-leb4671]

@@MarcEdwards damn I'd kill for the stems to Heart's a Mess. Good on ya

[@petaralargic]

Awesome.. Surely youve been overthe moon for it.. Truly kind guy as it seems

[@MarcEdwards]

@@k-leb4671 I should see if I can find them. Hopefully I kept them!

[@jamesjarrett52]

The reality of fame isn't for everyone. Not being able to go anywhere in anonymity, being talked about, insulted, derided, being asked to fly all over the world and see people constantly...

[@sebg2086]

,yes.....being rich and not have to worry about money ever again......its not for everyone

[@scottsymonds5649]

​@@sebg2086 The monetary aspect is certainly nice, but you essentially give up your privacy. Jason Russell became famous and had a complete breakdown less than a month later. Paparazzi and the media are merciless.

[@jayrussell3796]

George Harrison said it best. Give me the money. You can keep the fame.

[@jasonl1942]

So don't release your music.....

[@susanferretti5781]

Yeah, I have no interest in ever being famous. Amazed that anyone does.

[@corey__wm]

7:31 They did Louis Armstrong dirty with that AI voice replacement.

[@жопа_полный]

He's already dirty

[@stupidburp]

Yeah that one was way off

[@NotMorganFreeman.]

@@stupidburp All of them were.

[@sangieredwolf]

​@@NotMorganFreeman. Only Taylor Swift was right.

[@petergerhardsen20]

Yep, it's not even close. And showing that as an example to promote that AI is hilarious.

[@FWChannel-rr1br]

I love this song. Now that I know the backstory of Gotye, it makes me value and appreciate his songs even more. Thank you for staying true to yourself.

[@blackrockcity]

You might also really like Bah Bah Black Sheep if you are looking for similar music.

[@nedim_guitar]

I think it's actually admirable that he didn't want to go out and try to make more (solo) music to try to repeat the success, if he doesn't feel like it. He wasn't bought by big companies and pressured to do things their way and go on world tours etc. He made a lot of money and can live a comfortable life with what he's doing.

[@betteranimevgmsoundtrackri4025]

The song itself is of course very well liked. But there is an unsung hero here, and that is who ever came up with the music video. It is iconic. Like A-ha's Take On Me. The song and music video together are perfection.

[@russellstubbs8224]

Absolutely. It's art when the 2 elements are combined. Their body language and everything. So good.

[@rupertcaney]

I just read that Wally, his real name, in French is "Gautier". Mind blown

[@willbrown5478]

makes more sense if you use the unabbreviated “walter”

[@leebrokus5069]

One of the many things this video skipped over. Gotye wasn't a stage name. His mother called him that as a child because it was a diminutive of the French version of his real name, which was important because he was actually born in Belgium, not Australia.

[@noesierra-velasquez8791]

I'm French and... What ? Walter is not an abbreviation of Gauthier, neither is Wally. Abbreviations for Gauthier would be... Got ? Maybe ? We don't abbreviate names as much as English speakers.

[@donjoe2661]

Then to think that 'Find Wally' is worold famous game. Where's Wally??

[@KvltKommando]

@@donjoe2661 it's Waldo, who the hell is Wally

[@playitstrange129]

my old band played a heap of shows with The Basics (Wally's band).. hes a lovely dude..

[@antsteep]

He has become a collector of old electronic instruments. Some of collection is available at MESS ltd in Melbourne.

[@sophiepooks2174]

Like most middle class musicians.

[@antsteep]

@@sophiepooks2174 Yes. I believe there is an entire genre of middle class electronic music.

[@alenemarie1726]

I have such a weird connection to this dude. My video professor at art school, Peer Bode, has the largest archive of work by Jean-Jacques Perrey, a French electronic composer, and Goyte is like really into him, like has done tribute concerts for him. He literally spent a few weeks at my professors studio going through the archive and everyone in my class was flabbergasted when my professor casually brought this up. Like we were are just in shock that this dude was hanging out with Goyte in our TINY college town.

[@smartalek180]

And Gotye, too, no less! If anything, that's even more impressive😉

[@helmutbargeld728]

Wow so interesting! One of the best concerts I've ever seen was Gotye & friends doing their Jean Jacques Perrey show in Sydney. He was playing a real Ondioline that he'd had restored.

[@meesalikeu]

there was a huge perrey revival in the 1990s during the lounge music era.

[@coldacre]

there are so many Aussie artists who make amazing music, that could make all the money in the world, if we play the USA pop game... but sometimes "no" is the choice of sanity

[@mattcantstop]

Is the idea that these musicians can only hit it big if they specifically started doing USA pop? Because many musicians hit it big while not doing pop. Is there something that prohibits them from getting big in another genre?

[@George2647g]

could you name a few? I think Parcels may be heading that way, but they seem hesitant as well

[@emilschneider9974]

There is that deal musicians need to make with the ... I think he decided not to sign. It was a good choice.

[@user-og6hl6lv7p]

I agree. Pop culture is America is one of the most toxic things to ever exist.

[@liam3284]

Without becoming "pop" Aussies are ignored. If you don't capture the US mass media interest, even many Australian "music stations" won't play your music.

[@bioluminescentlyunfolding5716]

I remember playing this song on repeat for hours while doing housework - I used to do that a lot with certain songs I really loved.

[@opeyemikazeem-jimoh196]

I used to do this too😅

[@MikeGervasi]

The reason it caught fire is because it's the best song Sting never wrote.

[@60oh]

i burst out laughing, thank you.

[@hellopaulie]

There's a joke in here that I didn't get. Now I want to know.

[@STStudios98]

@@hellopaulieit sounds like sting maybe ?

[@bioluminescentlyunfolding5716]

@@hellopaulie I think it was more an observation - the song is just very evocative of Sting both in the chorus vocals (people often mistook it for him at the time if hearing it on the radio) and by being catchy mid-tempo pop for grown-ups, with lyrics anatomising a failed relationship. It's not that it sounds similar to any of his tunes, but it's got his sensibility for composition and arranging.

[@InsaneHomer]

Sting sings Baa Baa Black Sheep

[@zjjir]

i love how he backed down, isn't in it for fame or profit, but for music itself, and for people to listen to what he did and enjoy it.

[@dylan78rpm]

I'm a sound engineer and I met Wally at the last AES conference. Great guy. Myself, a sound engineer friend of mine together with the panel he was on (preserving the electronic music of Louis and Bebe Barron) walked through New York for a while and we landed at a Thai restaurant. I sat next to him and he gave me a piece of his duck, which tasted a lot like chicken. I had never had duck before. My friend and I had a conversation with him that lasted over 2 hours. Can confirm he's very down to earth, knowledgeable and just a kind person.

[@g60force]

Personally I think duck is less good then chicken! XD

[@smartalek180]

Thank u for sharing that anecdote that showcases the goodness & decency in the man, and doesn't snipe. About that duck, tho -- May I humbly suggest you find the best Chinese restaurant in your town and order the Peking Duck (in many venues, it has to be ordered a day in advance). If you're even a tiniest bit of a foodie, & you've never had it before, I can almost promise this will change your life. Pls let us know if u do so? Cheers!

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

May I humbly suggest you not use the word myself ever again in the subject position. *"I walked through New York." Adding other people to the sentence moves you to the end of the list. "A friend, the panel and I walked through New York." Myself is self-reflexive so you need the word I. "I did it myself." "I hurt myself because I'm clumsy." "I touched myself thinking of you." It doesn't replace I or me. Not just wrong, it's very wrong.

[@marcynewman1421]

Ducky mate!

[@SteefPip]

When Mozart died, he became his music. When Gotye quit he became somebody that we used to know.

[@DullBoyJack]

He didn't want the fame, so we went back to... The Basics.

[@merfishsandwich691]

But, he was writing music and sending it to radio stations. If he didn't want the fame why not just keep it in his bedroom?

[@DullBoyJack]

@@merfishsandwich691 There's a big difference between being a successful musician and having the level of attention this brought. It's all about how bright that spotlight is, sometimes it's blinding...

[@aperinich]

fame and having your artwork experienced are two different things.

[@bitten1406]

@@merfishsandwich691 you can see wally himself in an interview shown in this video that the fame became too much, to the point where he can't communicate more personally

[@maddannafizz]

@merfishsandwich691 Oh my goodness . You want to share your music with other people, as a musician. Why would you keep music it in a room like you suggest? Fame comes is you are good, and sharing music is vital for a musician. You share your music , but your mind set of you seek fame or money as your motive, is crap for most artists. You need to hone your emotional intelligence and understanding of other people/ artists, tis rather shallow 🙌. You write music to share or live for creating, fame comes sometimes , which can lead to megga fame and riches and why so many crash and burn​

[@MaurizioMezzatesta]

Didn't quit, he went straight back to The Basics and he'll be back one day

[@PoserGalore]

Ok can we all just also see that Kimbra also has some releases and albums that needs some attention

[@TheSteelDialga]

Says on her Spotify page that she's ranked #486 in the world out of all artists, with 16mil monthly listeners. She's pretty popular I guess but I feel like I haven't heard about her much before, so it is kind of surprising to see she's so popular on streaming. Good for her

[@onnileinonen4744]

Primal Heart is a top tier pop record for sure

[@nullifiedhumanoid]

If you haven't explored her collection, you should. I'm fond of Vows, but it's a thing with me and my kids. I met her before a show last year. She is as kind and genuine as Wally seems.

[@HeleneLogan]

Yes! An excellent musician and a great catalog of interesting albums.

[@snixbae]

She is fucking awesome!

[@jodielee2310]

A true artist, and an Aussie. Very humble and authentic. Love it.

[@Shitinthemorning]

He has more character and way of being an artist of a belgium one, where he is born and origines are from. Their are alot of artist like him over here, never making it and don't care about money and fame, just want to stay the ones they are and keeping evolving in their own private safe life

[@SoftAsFur]

It really 'starts' at 11:32. ...you are welcome.

[@DavidCrichton]

And the answer is that he is still making music just not as Gotye.

[@InfinitelyQurious]

Thank you. The first 11 minutes of that video was insufferable. I saw Gotye several years ago live and I still think about that show all the time. Several incredible stand-out songs, amazing visuals, and percussion that was out of this world.

[@vw9502]

Thank you, was looking for this. The claims made in the title and early minutes of this video are even shown to be false within the later part of the video. It's a promo for an AI tool stealing 11 minutes of viewers' lives on the basis of a lie - how depressingly consistent with the whole AI phenomenon.

[@mauralancaster]

@@DavidCrichton Thank you. Such an annoying trend in KZbin videos now. The point apparently is to do something other than just f-ing tell the story and get to the point. Makes me increasingly go to other sources. We are being manipulated non-stop. We need to know this. In the end, however, we have choices.

[@brianb8003]

Listening to him sing today vs when the song was released is an amazing transformation. His voice today is so clean and crisp. You can tell that he didn't walk away from music, he just went internal. You can feel the maturity and control in his voice today vs 13 years ago.

[@andyscott5277]

"Somebody That I Used To Know" is one of the best mainstream pop songs that I’ve heard in a long time, and at first I couldn’t figure out where it came from, it’s influences and precursors. Only that there was something familiar about its feel and instrumentation. Then it occurred to me that it’s very similar in some respects to "Cloudbusting" by Kate Bush. Looked it up, and sure enough, Gotye’s heavily influenced by Kate Bush.

[@onegoodjoe]

If Prince says "I love this song" You've truly done something!

[@thehotyounggrandpas8207]

Great video. Being an "unknown" songwriter gives you total freedom over your music, writing only for oneself, no pressure. It also gives you no money.

[@lucboellinger7733]

True I have so much of no money, I don't know how to manage it

[@skyhigh_butterfly]

@@lucboellinger7733 lolllz

[@bigbad253]

My son is gifted musically - don't know where he got it from - and followed his passion into adulthood. After finishing his degree in music, I offered to hand down my well worn suits so he could maintain the homeless look throughout his life.

[@bananawitchcraft]

Well, I make a very small amount of money. It's nowhere near enough to live on. But in my case, that kind of works out, because if I made enough to live on, I'd just lose my disability benefits. So, creative freedom it is.

[@RonLaws]

Making it big is every artists dream until you reach the top and realize it's not all sunshine and roses. The Record industry grabs you by the throat and crushes the creativity out of you like a squeezed orange until there's nothing left of what got you there in the first place. Good on him for staying humble and true to himself and what he wants out of music.

[@jooei2810]

I have heard snippets of this piece and always thought it was a Peter Gabriel song, thanks for this insight!

[@gettingkilt]

I came here to say the same.

[@adrianpooley3949]

No wonder he only made one hit. Now he's just somebody that we used to know.

[@Sash77....oldmanradic]

Skip to 11:38 if you want to know about the disappearance of Gotye

[@jdmccoy1999]

I have to admit, I don’t understand his process or anything but for me, that’s usually the sign of a true artist. I am absolutely not artistic and artists have always been an enigma to me. I love them for it. The world needs artists.

[@SOOKIE42069]

What else is there to do after Prince says he loves your song? That's the roof. There's nowhere to go from there.

[@preshvilla5182]

Sure. Prince isn't all that. People didn't even support all his music.

[@CarsonsChannel]

That'd be enough for me to retire on too.

[@meesalikeu]

@@preshvilla5182 prince is more than all that. it isnt just about his music, its about his experience and taste. and that he didn't praise like that lightly, if ever.

[@IrisCrain]

I love Wally's music, and I'm sad to hear there won't me any more. I had read the story behind Bronte, my heart just wept and I knew when my best companion of a cat died I wanted to play it for him. In 2023 I had the misfortune to do just that, after 17 years I had to say goodbye. Holding him as he drew his last breaths, I played the song on my phone and chocking back sobs (unsuccessfully) I sang to him as he slipped away. I still haven't listened to that song a year and a half later, I'm sitting here crying as I type this. But sooner or later the pain will subside and I will be able to listen to it and fondly remember my beautiful friend who passed. Thank you to Gotye for writing such a beautiful song that, while heartbreaking, means so much to those of us who connected to it on a personal level.

[@Mind_Idiot]

He didn't have to cut us off...

[@brianlee360]

You win.

[@creatorsremose]

What a fantastic video, man... I was glued the whole time, the editing, the pacing, the length (what is it with the 5 hour video trend?!) even your voice and delivery. Fantastic. Subbed.

[@matthewparsons7294]

So you're saying that after finding pop success he ( •_•)>⌐■-■ Went back to The Basics. (⌐■_■)

[@smartalek180]

Heh.

[@spacekitt.n]

Not funny

[@weezalicious]

This song was all over the radio after I had just broken up with someone that I truly was very close to. Hearing it now floods me with all of those emotions and now she’s just somebody that I used to know.

[@arfyness]

0:31 still my favorite of his from further back. "hearts a mess" from _like drawing blood_

[@justaguy12345]

The whole album Making Mirrors is amazing. As well as his prior stuff. It's bittersweet he hasn't really released anything since MM (other than the odd cameo and a couple The Basics things) but I also love that he hasn't been 'chasing' that #1 again with a bunch of hastily written singles. It really seems like fame hasn't changed him.

[@Tigerman1143]

i just wanted to say your use of Gotye's music for ambience was excellent. got goosebumps on multiple occasions

[@beankiwi]

I met him in a record shop in Canada when he was touring after the massive success of that song. I actually listened ti his other music and really enjoyed it, but I was not going to the show. We talked about TV shows (breaking bad and sunny) briefly, it was like meeting a friend of a friend rather than a celebrity.

[@TheNathanMChannel]

He made his mark on the music world which is what any artist wants to do. Even if only a one hit wonder he still achieved cultural immortality. Something as simple as a catchy song can become part of someone’s internal life.

[@donjuantrumpetajohnson]

Immortality?? Is that a joke? No it won't. It will die and be forgotten. This music sucks ass. Typical shitty catchy tune.

[@123jeraadtnooitwie]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It is a relief to hear Gotye/Wally is doing what he does best, live a creative life. How many best selling artists have gone down the drain of succes, the public lifestyle tainted with drug and drama stories. I am so happy that some can resist the temptations and stick to what drove them to make the hit record in the first place.

[@filip_aleksander_moen]

2:28 Bro looks exactly like Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon

[@FedericoLucchi]

The one thing that immediately got my attention the first time I heard STIUTK was the sound. So incredibly crisp, clear and dynamic! Nothing in the over-produced mainstream music world sounds like that these days.

[@AaronDavison]

wasn't exactly weird now was it

[@beaumatthews6411]

I absolutely love the heart's a mess in the background, one of my favorite songs

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

On Wikipedia it says that he did have plans for a 4th album, but then says that Gotye most recently discussed it in 2018.

[@yerocb]

I loved the song and did a deep dive on all of his music and his process. It was in constant rotation in my play list. I scored tickets when he came to town, but had to sell them. I sold them to a friend who only knew the one song and liked the venue, ao they figured it would be a good time. She ended up describing it as one of the best shows she'd ever been to (and she'd been to some incredible shows). I'm still jealous to this day. I'm glad to hear he's still making music, even if it's not Gotye. I'm glad it didn't totally ruin him, which i was kind of afraid to hear.

[@AstraVex]

7:47 "Somebody That I Used To Know" literally has the melody of "Baa Baa Black Sheep" in the beginning and I'll never get over how genius that is! 😂❤

[@strangastrigo]

That's all I've ever been able to hear!

[@nope-z5y]

Not the melody, just the phrasing. The ending of the melody does have descending notes that are similar but it is not "literally" the same melody at all. However, the phrasing is identical.

[@Norce555]

"literally has the melody", it literally doesn't

[@mbrsart]

I'm glad he's still doing stuff. Truly a guy who is in it for the passion and artistry and not the fame and fortune.

[@spiderliliez]

I remember when I first heard the song... I was like, "Did Sting finally made a new album?!"

[@bev9708]

I thought it was Peter Gabriel

[@MajorGrooves]

I also thought it was Sting.

[@AnnetteRoughana]

I thought it was Peter Gabriel...even the video is a lot like PG 'Sledgehammer'... I had to ask the store who it was? It certainly stopped me in my tracks.

[@ximenaholzer]

He doesn't sound like Sting... I respect the man as a person, and he was great at The Police, but solo I find him really boring.

[@j0t324]

FANTASTIC compilation, commentary, and presentation about Gotye. Subscribed!

[@tmacmc2984]

He definitely didn't realise how much of a chunk gets taken when you need to sign off on samples on a sample heavy hit, and this was a monster hit. Monster hit means a monster proportion of the money you receive being divvied up to other people, even if it's just a snippet of sound. If it's identifiable it needs to be paid for. He likely didn't care when it was chump change but when it's almost half of what a track brings in it stings. Probably the reason he's switched off adds and returned to a band with instruments. Not saying he's tight, probably more to do with all the bullshit paperwork and lawyer headaches as much as cash.

[@AK-yd9jw]

Turning off monetization just so that regulations don't take financial advantage of you is slaaay

[@SuppersReady8880]

Well it's mixed bag, other peoples' creative IP deserves some level of protection too. Life is a complicated wonder.

[@DawnHub666]

So not explained at all for the first 11 minutes and when explained it isnt weird and he didnt disappear ?

[@typ044]

Pretty much.

[@aperinich]

clickbait but most likely they didn't even realise they did it. this is where we're at now

[@typ044]

@@aperinich I'm sure they realize it. With so many average joes trying to make money off KZbin this will naturally be the kind of crap they pump out since they're competing for eyeballs.

[@DawnHub666]

@@aperinich agreed

[@orrissonpereira1070]

@@aperinich Nah. This is the average KZbin content. Just pick an interesting headline and blabber on for 10 minutes on some looped edit. E.g "Did Elvis REALLY die?" and then start talking about when he was born, talk about the history of his whole family tree and every associate's background and childhood, and then end with "So did Elvis REALLY die? Comment below on your thoughts. Click subscribe if you want to see more videos on Elvis' disappearance."

[@TheTurkaderr]

That song is heartbreakingly beautiful. Tragic that he isn't going forward, because the previous music is amazing. He deserves to be looked at more. His talent is so plentiful. Hope he'll come back.

[@BubboPants]

Luiz Bonfá is Brazilian Portuguese, not French. The z is a hard s sound, and the accent over the a means something.

[@SantannaStudios]

up

[@shadowmixx]

Ironically, Someone That I Used To Know shows up in the suggested videos after this one ends. I still love it and I still play it to this day. Thank you, Wally. 😊 Peace

[@Bytheway-2004]

Hes just somebody that we used to know now.

[@primesspct2]

I found Gotye on Pandora radio, and fell in love. It was so different than anything I had ever heard. Great to hear he is still making music! Dont you think he probably achieved what he wanted and has other artistic pursuits? My father was very much like this. He got as good as he was going to get on guitar, spent a number of years playing in bands, and then got bored. The next was photography, which took all his attention and time for many years. Then he got into music again but on the recording side of it....... He went on kicks.. then soon enough got bored and wanted another challenge, I loved my Dad,

[@larsscholz3762]

Man, you keep delivering really great videos on interesting topics! Very well done!

[@davidhartley94]

That's very kind, thank you!

[@jacquelinevanbierk]

Making Mirrors was the first album I bought after a decade of not buying albums. I loved every track off of it.

[@chriss2295]

He’s a true artist not spoiled by money and fame. Now, he just has the residuals to further his pursuits.

[@TheBlackDogChronicles]

I greatly enjoyed this examination. It was very well put together. I just need to add a small correction: 6:42. "What lay ahead for Gotye."

[@jnixo9900]

and his other song Hearts a mess...its amazing...he has an amazing voice

[@frithfiver]

This video and its story was incredible. It randomly came up on my feed and I didn't think I'd watch it, let alone be glued to it for the entire duration. Before watching this, I didn't even know that Gotye was Australian (I'm Australian so that's saying something). Thank you for sharing!

[@atquinn1975]

Great video. I loved Somebody That I Used to Know and more importantly, it introduced me to Kimbra! But I never knew anything about how the song was constructed or what the artist was up to nowadays.

[@informatist]

Thank you for this informative video that actually concludes the story in a surprising way. I get so tired of clickbait videos using trickery to get views at the expense of the viewers patience. This was not like those at all and I appreciate that. 💙

[@johnhenry4]

Nice documentary, man

[@tylercass2584]

“Baa Black Sheep have you any wool” played on xylophone, as the introduction to the song, shows the genius of Gotye.

[@Major-DoMo]

Thank you for the vid, I had been idly wondering. Your coverage was informative and the visuals were well done 👍

[@restolad]

The hook is the intro .The xylophone melody that is ba ba black sheep, this evokes childhood memories . yes he is P Gabriel influenced and this song reeks of PG style , well done him

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

He's hog tied in my shed

[@tessarae9127]

Kinky 😉🖤

[@g6ter1]

what kinda shed tho?

[@coldacre]

you in Greensborough or Montmorency? I'm coming to set him free! 🤣

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

@@coldacre Nah mate, I'm in outback Western Australia

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

@@g6ter1 A Titan

[@queenvagabond8787]

I heard 'Hearts a Mess' in the mid 2000s and loved it, 'Somebody That I Used to Know' didn't kit me quite the same, tbh.

[@jameshisself9324]

It's not really surprising at all actually. It's quite common for artists to be turned off completely by the commercial aspects of music. I certainly don't want to compare myself to any successful musician, but back in the day my dream was to just make a comfortable living and NOT be mega famous. In the circles I run in this is not that uncommon. In the end I didn't even quite get to that level, but I can take solace in the certainty that you have never heard of me. A bit cheeky at the end there, but I am certain these are common sentiments.

[@pierrebroccoli.9396]

I think the hard part is to make authentic music - genuine, that then becomes successful and not make music for the purpose of success. Even more important now with the advent of AI - although as a creative tool it can be very helpful but as a end to end creative device in its own right - Meh.

[@jameshisself9324]

@@pierrebroccoli.9396 Agreed

[@DrinkingStar]

I would hope that Gotye would make more songs. "Somebody I used to know" is a true classic. The lyrics of Classic songs predict and drescribe one's life as it changes. The meaning and interpretation of the lyrics always remain relevant to you. As for Peter Gabriel, his greatest song is "In Your Eyes"(the version song in Athens). It is a TRUE CLASSIC. I have listened various versions of that song over 40,000 times. As a tribute to my wife, I even made a music video using "In Your Eyes".

[@elsongs]

Wanna know why music sucks so much these days? Because we haven't gotten anything from GOAT-ye.

[@KrazyKobold]

I'd love to see you do a video essay like this about the band "fun." that was created by Jack Antonoff, Andrew Dost , and Nate Ruess. They made three massive hit songs -- "We Are Young" & "Some Nights" & "Carry On" -- effectively proving "we know how to make massive pop hits" -- and then they just went on a hiatus in 2015 that has just lasted and lasted... all while it's propelled already existing careers even further (Jack Antonoff for instance most recently help produce Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department double-album).

[@jazirsoterodavila9385]

Now he is just somebody that we used to know

[@jabrown]

Best comment

[@lankyjuggler]

THANK YOU for doing the research and sharing it. I loved Making Mirrors, top to bottom, and it's made me so sad, for years, that I couldn't find more.

[@delecti]

Thanks for making this video. I knew there hadn't been more "Gotye", but didn't realize he was involved in other projects. I'm definitely going to look into The Basics.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Thank you for that view on this great musician.

[@AncientJetties]

Well done... I've been wondering about this guy for so long.

[@HYPERPEACE]

This was a song I heard in my secondary school years a lot, it was on the radio almost every day. Never heard a song like "somebody that I used to know" before, and it still feels unique today. I had heard of Daft Punk and all that stuff, but they were just coming out of fashion. I think I was 14 when this Gotye song came out. Crazy to think about. Now that I'm a musician myself, I have a new found appreciation and respect for the song as well as Gotye. My dream certainly is to continue making music regardless of the fame or fortune it brings. I doubt it ever will because of the stigma against mental health and such. But music is a language I love most. And I'm a metal musician by the way, lol. I think people are surprised when they hear a metal musician liking pop music, but it really isn't uncommon.

[@plantstho6599]

The world would have so much more creativity if we could figure out how to give everyone permanent housing.

[@strangevisions5162]

it's the struggle that yields the best fruit

[@plantstho6599]

@@strangevisions5162 I would say that's a BS reason. With our technological capabilities at this time, we're creating artificial scarcity in housing because we're holding onto the belief that it's better for people to struggle so they can create better art. Do you see the absurdity?

[@Lauraninjanelson]

I'm a classically trained pianist and now multi-instrumentalist that lived in a car for 10 years with a music studio. I ran away from abuse in my family. I've always been working multiple jobs to survive. I now have a studio apartment and it is the most healing thing ever, but I am still repairing my mental health. You bet I'd have more published music by now if I wasn't fighting to live all the goddamn time. I'm tired of the struggle. I want to have enough energy to make art instead of working all the time and squeezing in scraps when I rarely have the energy to do so.

[@plantstho6599]

@@Lauraninjanelson I feel that on a spiritual level. I live in a van and am trying to make a book and movie here. I am AuDHD and can't keep focused in such a confined space with everything piled on top of everything else. It's reaaaally hard. I'm miserable every day because I'm estranged from my purpose for existing and I don't want to produce anything while in this state of mind because it's not the vibe I want to put out there. Life is beautiful, this planet is amazing, but society has turned this world into a disgusting ish-hole.

[@hpetterson2265]

Where would this permanent housing come from? The house fairy? That's a ridiculous comment. Artists can work and still do their art. I do.

[@malaikamillions]

I wish I could search through the comments for references to his song “Hearts A Mess” to exclude the surface folk. I am so appreciative of David Hartley’s retrospectively deep insight into this artist. AND, There’s more to Gotye’s music garden that is deserving of mention. There’s a genuine cathartic purpose to passing on a reference to his song “Hearts A Mess”. It’s no falsity to say lives could be saved by getting people to hear this song, YET still listen to it again and again. It’s a pure medicine for the soul. Perhaps it’s just me?