Coming Back
Gotye Lyrics


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You've been gone much longer than you
Ever said you had the plan to
I'm just gonna wait 'till you come home

Though I count the days, they're grey without you
The weather's much better when I think about you
I'm just gonna wait till you come home
Empty glasses, burnt out matches
Curtains drawn on near-full blackness
I'm sleeping through the day, you're coming home
To reclaim this heart you owned

Lover, leave me
Make me burn
You're coming back!
You're coming back!

I'll wait patiently for your return
You're coming back!
You're coming back!

I'm clutching at straws
I'm climbing up the walls
But every time I fall
Back into my hole
I'm feeling like a wretch
I'm looking for a catch
But you're an itch that I can't scratch
I know you're coming back

You've been gone so long you're fading
And it takes all the time I can find just retaining




Thoughts of things we did while you were here
But I know you will return my dear

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gotye's song Coming Back describe a heartfelt longing for a lost love. The singer expresses the pain of being separated from someone who has been gone for much longer than they initially communicated, and recounts the emptiness that has taken hold in their absence. Despite counting the days until their return, the singer finds solace in the thought of their love, which seems to brighten the weather even as it darkens their surroundings. The chorus insists that the lover is indeed "coming back", with the repetition of this phrase underscoring the singer's tenacity in holding onto hope.


As the song progresses, the lyrics become more vivid and urgent in expressing the singer's deep desire for their lover's return. The image of "empty glasses, burnt out matches" evokes a sense of self-destructive behavior in the singer's loneliness, while the "curtains drawn on near-full blackness" paints a bleak picture of isolation. The singer finds themselves sleeping through the day, unable to function without their beloved, and declares that their heart still belongs to them. The second half of the song sees the singer become more desperate in their insistence that their lover will return, culminating in the repeated refrain "I know you're coming back".


Overall, the lyrics to Coming Back are a poignant expression of love and loss, and the power of hope to sustain us through difficult times. The singer's determination to wait for their lover's return, despite the uncertainty of when or if it will happen, reveals the strength of their feelings and the depth of their commitment.


Line by Line Meaning

You've been gone much longer than you
You've been gone for a long time, way longer than you said you would be gone


Ever said you had the plan to
I knew you had a plan to come back sooner, but you didn't keep up your end of the plan


I'm just gonna wait 'till you come home
I'll wait patiently for you to come back


Though I count the days, they're grey without you
I keep track of the days you've been gone, but they all feel the same and dreary without you


The weather's much better when I think about you
Thinking of you makes me feel better, like I've seen the bright side of life again


Empty glasses, burnt out matches
My days feel empty and lonely, like I have no one to share my joy or my pain with


Curtains drawn on near-full blackness
I prefer to stay in my room and keep the curtains drawn to sustain the illusion of your presence


I'm sleeping through the day, you're coming home
I sleep through the day, anticipating your return and your comforting presence


To reclaim this heart you owned
You left with my heart when you left, but I trust you'll return it to me when you come back


Lover, leave me
I wish you didn't leave, but since you did, I ask you to come back and make it right


Make me burn
Make me feel, make me come alive


You're coming back!
I keep telling myself that you're coming back, that you will come back to me soon


I'll wait patiently for your return
I'll be patient for as long as it takes for you to come back to me


I'm clutching at straws
I'm desperate to hold on to any hope or any chance of seeing you again


I'm climbing up the walls
I'm so restless and anxious without you that I'm climbing up the walls of my room


But every time I fall
Every time I lose hope or feel defeated,


Back into my hole
I retreat back into my room and into my despair


I'm feeling like a wretch
I feel like a miserable and pathetic person without you here


I'm looking for a catch
I'm searching for a way to bring you back to me


But you're an itch that I can't scratch
You're the one thing that I need, but I can't seem to reach you or hold on to you


I know you're coming back
Despite my doubts and my fears, I know deep down that you will come back to me


You've been gone so long you're fading
The longer you're gone, the less vivid my memories of you become


And it takes all the time I can find just retaining
I have to keep reminding myself of our time together and holding on to that memory


Thoughts of things we did while you were here
I cherish the memories of the moments we shared and the things we did together


But I know you will return my dear
I have faith that you will come back to me, my love




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Walter Andre De Backer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@devin334

You've been gone much longer than you
Ever said you had the plan to
I'm just gonna wait 'till you come home

Though I count the days, they're grey without you
The weather's much better when I think about you
I'm just gonna wait till you come home

Empty glasses, burnt out matches
Curtains drawn on near-full blackness
I'm sleeping through the day, you're coming home
To reclaim this heart you owned

Lover, leave me
Make me burn
You're coming back!
You're coming back!

I'll wait patiently for your return
You're coming back!
You're coming back!

I'm clutching at straws
I'm climbing up the walls
But every time I fall
Back into my hole
I'm feeling like a wretch
I'm looking for a catch
But you're an itch that I can't scratch
I know you're coming back

You've been gone so long you're fading
And it takes all the time I can find just retaining
Thoughts of things we did while you were here
But I know you will return my dear



All comments from YouTube:

@lostfoundrescued

Love how all his songs sound so different which is so unique about him

@itscky2007

lmaoo

@LoveIzKind

If people would only actually listen to the lyrics of Gotye's music... deep & meaningful. I really appreciate his work. 🤗🤩

@jamesr1891

Yeah hearts a mess is the best imo

@Kirbyfemur1

I do wish this song would get more plays. It has a fantastic mood, feel and sound. The lyrics and way he presents them are great. This is amongst my favorite songs. But i have a feeling that a lot of people seem to be put off by the absurdity and strangeness of some of his videos.

@MissEmg2000

I like it but the full version is way better I seriously wouldn't mind having the six minute version played on the radio Cool video as well I always love his videos

@senpay9997

Live?

@MrsGiovanellaAline

This song is and always will be so special to me. A heartbroken classic!

@xmarksthefilms6161

I honestly really enjoy Gotye a lot even though there other songs aren’t as popular as somebody that I used to know.

@Andjela912

I remember when I was in my teens and worked in two shifts. I would work in the morning and then in the evening. Hot summer it was. The little time I had in between, I would put my Gotye playlist on, everyday, and sleep away until I had to go to work again. That was my only remedy!

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