Name: __________________________________________________________________________ English – Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye Step 1: Read these lyrics: (the numbers are for later reference) 1 2 3 4 5 [Gotye:] Now and then I think of when we were together Like when you said you felt so happy you could die Told myself that you were right for me But felt so lonely in your company But that was love and it's an ache I still remember 6 7 8 9 10 You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness Like resignation to the end, always the end So when we found that we could not make sense Well you said that we would still be friends But I'll admit that I was glad it was over 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 But you didn't have to cut me off Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing And I don't even need your love But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough No you didn't have to stoop so low Have your friends collect your records and then change your number I guess that I don't need that though Now you're just somebody that I used to know 19 20 Now you're just somebody that I used to know Now you're just somebody that I used to know 21 22 23 24 25 26 [Kimbra:] Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over Part of me believing it was always something that I'd done But I don't want to live that way Reading into every word you say You said that you could let it go And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know 27 28 29 30 31 32 [Gotye:] But you didn't have to cut me off Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing And I don't even need your love But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough No you didn't have to stoop so low Have your friends collect your records and then change your number 1 33 34 I guess that I don't need that though Now you're just somebody that I used to know 35 36 37 38 [x2] Somebody (I used to know) Somebody (Now you're just somebody that I used to know) 39 40 41 42 (I used to know) (That I used to know) (I used to know) Somebody Step 2: Listen to the song and watch the video. Explain what you liked about the video. Did something help get the song’s message across? Was something visually interesting to you? (3 points.) __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Explain something you didn’t like. Was something inappropriate? Distracting to the song? Was there something that made you uncomfortable? Something you didn’t understand? (3 points.) __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Step 3: In this section, answer these questions in as much detail as possible. What is this song about? How does Gotye feel? How does Kimbra feel? Write anything and everything that’s going through your mind regarding this song. Write about the emotions that both singers are experiencing. Write about what you think happened way before the song, what happened just before the song, and what you think happened after the song. Can you relate to the song? Why or why not? (5 points.) __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 3 Step 4: Going deep Answer these questions in complete sentences. (2 points each.) 1. (Lines 1 and 2.) What particular event is especially memorable to Gotye as he reflects on his relationship with Kimbra? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. (Lines 3-5.) Describe the conflict that Gotye felt in these lines only. What differing emotions contributed to his conflict? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 3. (Lines 6 and 7.) What does resignation mean? What was Gotye feeling? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 4 4. (Lines 6 – 10, especially line 10.) Gotye is feeling emotions that contrast with each other. What are the two contrasting emotions he’s feeling? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 5. (Line 11.) What does “cut me off” mean? Give an example of how someone might “cut off” another person. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Do you think that lines 13 and 14 contradict each other? Why or why not? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 5 7. (Lines 15 and 16.) What’s the connection between the words “stoop so low” and what he describes on line 16? Explain what it means to “stoop low.” __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 8. The line “Now you’re just somebody that I used to know” rings loud bells in a lot of people’s heads, especially in the heads of people who have been in love. (If you notice, you can replace the word “just” with “only” in that line.) What do you think is the powerful and painful message behind that line? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 9. (Line 21.) From Kimbra’s perspective, what sort of a boyfriend was Gotye? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 6 10. (Line 23 and 24.) What exactly is Kimbra talking about? What does she mean by, “reading into every word you say”? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Read Kimbra’s words on line 25 and 26. Then, notice Gotye’s repeated message on 27 through 34. Would you say that this is evidence of ongoing contact between them after the breakup? Justify your answer with a quote from the song. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ (continued on next page) 7 12. This video has received about 250,000,000 views on YouTube. Part of this appeal lies within Gotye’s and Kimbra’s formidable vocal talent; part of it lies within the clever and visually arresting stop-motion artwork. But, in your teacher’s opinion, the main reason for the song’s popularity is the bittersweet and heartbreaking message within its lyrics. Explain why you agree with me or disagree with me, and go into detail. (7 points.) __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Total points: 40 Your score: _______________ Comments: 8