58. Gotye “Somebody That I Used to Know” Making Mirrors [Samples ‘n’ Seconds]
“You said you felt so happy you could die.”
This is not a story of a break-up. Break-ups imply the two pieces are separate, but still alive. Suffering maybe, throbbing in a puddle temporarily maybe, but still with hearts (or metaphorically “broken” hearts, depending on your level of histrionics) beating and pulsing blood through veins and capillaries. No; this is not a story of two hearts that became one and then became two again. This is a story of two hearts that became one and then became a half. The other heart did not stroll away, run away, or saunter away to leave its counterpart crippled or impaired. Instead, it withered and died. It was sudden or it was prolonged or it was kind of both. The guy or the girl that was left behind (if you haven’t caught on, this is a story about everyone) gets a home visit or a phone call or if the news breaker is a real dick, a text or email. The words that are said, typed, or in rare cases, handwritten, says that the other guy or girl is dead. “No longer with us” is a bullshit phrase cowards like to use. Or “gone to a better place” if you’re a real asshole. Sure, the two still communicate. But it’s only in the living one’s head. It’s a ghost and it’s a psychological trick and it’s a permanent scar, but it’s communication. Guilt. Screaming. Tears. These things happen and the guy or girl grips a pillow or steering wheel or picture frame until he or she realizes the other person is done talking back. The voices have stopped. The heart is still only a half.
