Backer was born in Belgium, but moved with his family to Melbourne, Australia when he was two. Originally a member of the indie band Downstares, Backer began performing under the name Gotye in 2001 when the band disbanded. Aside from his solo work, De Backer has been a member of the indie band The Basics since its formation in 2002.
Gotye's second album Like Drawing Blood was featured by Triple J in May 2006 and was voted Number 1 in the listeners poll of the Best Album of 2006 . The album was also nominated for a J Award that year. Two tracks from that album, Learnalilgivinanlovin and Heart's A Mess, were ranked 94 and 8 respectively in Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2006. Like Drawing Blood has been certified Platinum.
In September 2006, Gotye was nominated for an Australian Recording Industry Music Award (ARIA award) for best independent release for his album Like Drawing Blood, and won 'Most Outstanding New Independent Artist' at the inaugural Australian Independent Record (AIR) Chart Awards.
In 2007, Gotye won the ARIA for best male artist. As a result of the publicity of the nomination, Like Drawing Blood re-entered the ARIA album chart and was named iTunes UK Album of the Year in 2008.
In 2009, Heart's A Mess came in at #77 in Triple J Hottest 100 of all time, voted by the Australian public.
Amidst the lead-up to Gotye's third album, Like Drawing Blood re-entered the ARIA charts in mid 2011, peaking at its highest ever position of 13.
After the success of Like Drawing Blood, De Backer was able to establish a permanent home, still in Melbourne's South East. In 2010, De Backer set up a recording studio in a barn at his parents' farm and set about recording tracks for his third album. He released a new single, Eyes Wide Open, in mid-October 2010, online and on 10" vinyl. The single received generally positive reviews and reached number 25 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2010. It was also shortlisted for the 2011 APRA Music Awards in the Song of the Year category.
In late March 2011, De Backer revealed the album's title to be Making Mirrors. This title was inspired by an artwork, painted by De Backer's father in the 1980s, discovered by De Backer amongst old bills and newspapers in his parents' barn, which was later edited in Photoshop to become the album artwork. "The mirror reflects on artwork and it is all very related to self-reflection and introspection on the album."
On 19 May, it was announced that the album would be released on 19 August 2011, with the album launch the following day at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Graphic Festival which will feature animators and a 10-piece orchestra as part of Gotye's performance. De Backer also released a follow-up single to Eyes Wide Open titled Somebody That I Used to Know, which was released 6 July 2011, and debuted at #27 on the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart. The single became something of a sensation, quickly moving up the ARIA singles chart despite comparatively low airplay to many other charting singles at the time. The track was further boosted by endorsements from well-known celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Lily Allen via Twitter, exposing Gotye's music to their millions of followers. The single has gone on to reach 6× Platinum (420,000 units sold) status.
On 15 July 2011, it was announced that Gotye's single Somebody That I Used to Know had come third in the 2011 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. As part of the prize, Gotye won a spot to perform at Song Summit 2012 at Darling Harbour, 26–28 May 2012.
On its first week of release, Making Mirrors came in at number one on the ARIA Australian album chart, making Gotye the first Australian act to simultaneously hold both the number one single and album since Silverchair, who achieved the same feat in 2007.
On 11 October 2011, it was announced that Gotye had been nominated for seven ARIA Awards. Due to the release date restrictions of the eligibility period, Making Mirrors could not be nominated, and the seven nominations all related to the single Somebody That I Used to Know. Gotye was nominated for Highest Selling Single, Single of the Year, Best Pop Release, Best Male Artist and three awards in the ARIA Artisan category: Best Video (Natasha Pincus), Engineer of the Year (Francois Tetaz) and Producer of the Year (Wally De Backer). On the same day the nominations were revealed, the winners of the Artisan categories were announced, with Gotye and the album personnel winning all three. On 27 November 2011, Gotye took out three of the four remaining ARIA Award nominations. Single of the Year, Best Male Artist and Best Pop Release.
"Somebody That I Used To Know" has become an international hit, reaching #1 in Australia, Belgium, United Kingdom, Poland, Austria, Ireland, Norway, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Germany, and also reached #1 on the alternative radio airplay charts in The United States and Canada (on the pop charts in those countries, the song has reached #5 and #11, respectively).
I Feel Better
Gotye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't know what to do
I was just stumbling around, around
Thinking things could not improve
I couldn't look on the bright side
Of anything at all
That's when you gave me a call
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
And there were times I was sure, so sure
I couldn't turn it around
I couldn't care any more
About the good things I found
That's when you gave me a reason
To make me smile again
I only have to see you and then
I feel better, better, better than before
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
I feel better, better, better than before
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
Life sometimes seems to get the best of you
Like everything just brings you down
Just when you think there's nothing you can do
A friendly face will bring you around
And you'll feel better
You'll feel better, you'll feel better,
Better than before
You'll feel better, much better
No you won't get down any more
The lyrics to Gotye's "I Feel Better" describe someone who was once down and struggling to find meaning or improvement in their life, until they received a call from someone who helped them see the brighter side of things again. The first verse talks about how the singer was "stumbling around" and unable to see any good in the world, until that person provided some kind of support or encouragement that helped turn their mood around. The chorus then emphasizes this feeling of improvement and renewal, repeating the line "I feel better" multiple times and celebrating the fact that the singer is no longer down and out.
The second verse starts off with the singer reflecting on how they used to feel "sure" that things couldn't get better - a sense of hopelessness that can be all too relatable during tough times. But once again, this person who reached out to them gave them a reason to smile and be positive again. The bridge then offers some broader reflections on life's ups and downs, suggesting that even when things seem impossible, a "friendly face" can turn everything around and make everything seem more manageable. The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus, driving home the hopeful message that everyone can feel better and overcome their struggles.
In a way, "I Feel Better" is a song about the power of human connection and support. By emphasizing the role that others can play in lifting us up during our toughest times, the lyrics offer a hopeful message of resilience and remind us that we are not alone in our struggles. The upbeat instrumentation and catchy melody also help to create a sense of joy and celebration, making the song both fun to listen to and emotionally resonant.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time I was down, down
I was going through a tough time emotionally and I felt hopeless and lost.
I didn't know what to do
I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't see any way out of my situation.
I was just stumbling around, around
I felt like I was wandering aimlessly without any purpose or direction.
Thinking things could not improve
I had reached a point where I didn't believe that my situation could get any better.
I couldn't look on the bright side
I was unable to see any positives in my life or my situation.
Of anything at all
I couldn't find anything to be optimistic about.
That's when you gave me a call
Someone reached out to me and offered me support and encouragement.
Now I feel better, better, better than before
Thanks to the intervention of a caring person, I feel much happier and more positive.
And there were times I was sure, so sure
There were moments when I was convinced that things would never improve and that I was doomed to unhappiness.
I couldn't turn it around
I felt powerless to change my circumstances.
I couldn't care any more
I had become apathetic and resigned to my situation.
About the good things I found
I had lost sight of any positives in my life.
That's when you gave me a reason
Someone helped me to find a sense of purpose and hope again.
To make me smile again
I rediscovered the ability to experience joy and contentment.
I only have to see you and then
My happiness is tied to the presence of this supportive person in my life.
Life sometimes seems to get the best of you
Sometimes it feels like life is more than you can handle and there is no way out.
Like everything just brings you down
Every challenge seems insurmountable and every setback feels like a failure.
Just when you think there's nothing you can do
When it seems like you are out of options and there is no hope in sight.
A friendly face will bring you around
A supportive person can help you to see your situation in a different light and gain perspective.
And you'll feel better
With the help of someone who cares, you can regain a sense of hope and positivity about your future.
You'll feel better, you'll feel better,
Your mood and outlook will improve with time and support.
Better than before
You may even feel better than you did before experiencing any difficulties.
You'll feel better, much better
Your emotional well-being can be greatly improved with the help of a supportive person.
No you won't get down any more
With a renewed sense of hope and positivity, you will be less likely to experience bouts of depression or hopelessness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ARY BARROSO, WALTER ANDRE DE BACKER, Walter Andre De Backer, Sidney Keith Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Rajat_1010
There was a time I was down, down
I didn't know what to do
I was just stumbling around, around
Thinking things could not improve
I couldn't look on the bright side
Of anything at all
That's when you gave me a call
Now I feel better, better, better than before
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
And there were times I was sure, so sure
I couldn't turn it around
I couldn't care any more
About the good things I found
That's when you gave me a reason
To make me smile again
I only have to see you and then
I feel better, better, better than before
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
I feel better, better, better than before
I feel better, better, better, now I'm not down any more
Life sometimes seems to get the best of you
Like everything just brings you down
Just when you think there's nothing you can do
A friendly face will bring you around
And you'll feel better
You'll feel better, you'll feel better,
Better than before
You'll feel better, much better
No you won't get down any more
@BillyxRansom
I literally thought this was from the early 60s for the first four months I worked at my job and I kept hearing this song.
Unreal.
@pepito15561
same here, it sounds timeless
@devster117
Hahaha i work at Rona and i legit was like this is some 60s song that I'm really liking. he blew me away with "in your light" too cause that sounds totally 80s
@bilingualtongue
It's because of the tambourine and it also has that "loud" quality that the 50s and 60s songs have. Seriously though, if you play a 50s/60s song on the same volume as any other era, they are obnoxiously loud.
@LummusMaximus
it's because of the way that songs from that era are recorded. They're recorded onto tape at a volume that distorts the sound. Unlike digital distortion, which sounds harsh and nasty, tape distortion sounds quite good - you can hear that kind of distortion all over this song.
@opticgritz
I've never said this before but...this is literally me. I've worked at a hotel for the past 3 months. When I tried to look this song up and saw Gotye as one of the search options I kept looking because no way was Gotye making music back in the 60's.
@chuckbatman5
It's amazing how much variety Gotye's songs have. Just listen to this compared to Heart's A Mess, Eyes Wide Open, Thanks For Your Time, and his most famous song, Somebody That I Used To Know. Truly one of the most underrated and best musicians out there
@yunggudn8676
+Coolman Hahn yeah, cause he copies everyone
@B0SSNINE
+gustavo guimaraes You mean Meghan Trainor?
@zetsubougigi9098
i agree, he has so much variety, definetly one of my favorite solo artists.