The Only Thing I Know
Gotye Lyrics


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I'm living with your memory
In the attic in my mind
And you've been getting by without me
But I've been spending all my time
With a girl that I remember
Who'll never leave or need to grow
'cause when you left you left your memory
Now it's the only thing I know

When the past gives me no comfort
And though the future is the cost
The way I'm choosing to remember
I'll forever be the man I never was

And you, you fade
But the memory remains the same
And I, I can't change
And I think that living with your memory
Is slowly driving me insane

You are perfect but you're empty
And it gets so lonely in my mind
'cause your image in my memory's
The only shred of you that's left behind
You were real but then you left me
And that's the part I can't accept




So I'll keep on living with your memory
Because it's all that I've got left

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gotye's song The Only Thing I Know portrays the struggle of the singer in coping with the loss of someone who has left him behind. The opening line, "I'm living with your memory in the attic in my mind," paints a picture of the person's memory living within his mind, a place that he cannot get rid of. The singer is living with the memory of the person who has left him, a memory that he has to deal with day and night.


The agony of separation and distance is evident as the singer mentions that the person who left him is "getting by without [him]." However, he is stuck in the past and is "spending all [his] time with a girl that [he] remembers." The only way he can cope with the pain he feels is by living in that memory, a world that he knows very well, and where the girl he remembers will never leave him.


The chorus is a testament to his pain, where he explains that his memories are slowly driving him insane. The truth is that he cannot change the fact that the person who left is gone, and he must live with it. This constant battle between living in the past and moving on is further emphasized in the last lines, where the singer chooses to keep living with his memory because it's all that he has left.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm living with your memory
My mind is filled with thoughts of you from the past


In the attic in my mind
These memories are tucked away deep in my psyche


And you've been getting by without me
You have moved on and don't need me anymore


But I've been spending all my time
I can't stop thinking about you


With a girl that I remember
I am with someone else, but I am reminded of you


Who'll never leave or need to grow
This girl will never be as important to me as you were


'cause when you left you left your memory
Your memory is all I have left of you


Now it's the only thing I know
My memories of you are all I have left and they are consuming me


When the past gives me no comfort
I am unable to find peace in my past memories of you


And though the future is the cost
The pain of losing you has made me uncertain about my future


The way I'm choosing to remember
I am purposely holding onto the memories that are causing me pain


I'll forever be the man I never was
Losing you has changed me and I will never be the same again


And you, you fade
Your memory is slowly fading away


But the memory remains the same
Despite fading, your memory is still strong in my mind


And I, I can't change
I am unable to let go of my memories of you


And I think that living with your memory
My constant focus on my memories of you is taking a toll on me


Is slowly driving me insane
My obsession with you is causing me to lose my mind


You are perfect but you're empty
Although you were perfect to me, you are no longer here and there is nothing I can do about it


And it gets so lonely in my mind
The constant thoughts of you are making me feel lonely


'cause your image in my memory's
Your image is the only thing left of you in my mind


The only shred of you that's left behind
You are gone and all that remains is my memory of you


You were real but then you left me
Our relationship was real, but it ended when you left


And that's the part I can't accept
I am unable to come to terms with the fact that you are gone


So I'll keep on living with your memory
I will continue to hold onto my memories of you, even though they hurt


Because it's all that I've got left
Your memory is now the most important thing to me




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

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

yeezy

I'm living with your memory
In the attic in my mind
And you've been getting by without me
But I've been spending all my time
With a girl that I remember
Who'll never leave or need to grow
'cause when you left you left your memory
Now it's the only thing I know

When the past gives me no comfort
And though the future is the cost
The way I'm choosing to remember
I'll forever be the man I never was

And you, you fade
But the memory remains the same
And I, I can't change
And I think that living with your memory
Is slowly driving me insane

You are perfect but you're empty
And it gets so lonely in my mind
'cause your image in my memory's
The only shred of you that's left behind
You were real but then you left me
And that's the part I can't accept
So I'll keep on living with your memory
Because it's all that I've got left



Peter Bik

Memories broken
The truth goes unspoken
I’ve even forgotten my name

I don’t know the season
Or what is the reason
I’m standing here holding my blade

A desolate place
Without any trace
It’s only the cold wind I feel

It’s me that I spite
As I stand up and fight
The only thing I know for real

There will be blood-shed
The man in the mirror nods his head

The only one left
Will ride upon the dragon’s back

Because the mountains don’t give back what they take
Oh no
There will be blood-shed
It’s the only thing I’ve ever known

Losing my identity
Wondering have I gone insane
To find the truth in front of me
I must climb this mountain range
Looking downward from this deadly height
And never realizing why I fight



All comments from YouTube:

Aline Giovanella

I keep coming back to this song over and over again, year after year, for nearly a decade. And it gets me every damn time, everything about it, from the instrumental to the production, to the lyrics, all of it. Truly one of his best songs If not THE best.

Sam Gautreau

Gotye is now somebody that we used to know

Dragon Ball Teorias y Más

+Sam Gautreau Yes he is :(

Dragon Ball Teorias y Más

Richard Phist :V

Alvin Olinsky

What do you mean by that lol?

A

GET OUT

32 More Replies...

AshleyArtsco

Lol some people don't realize it takes a while to write and record art. A lot of work goes into it. Love it :) you're great.

MrBukket

I'm sure it took a while for Miley Cyrus too, to write and record the disgusting excuse of art people call "Bangerz". 

JBtheExplorer

MrBukket Some people want to release art, others want to receive money as quickly as possible. Sad, ain't it? 

deselise

MrBukket Bangerz is actually an okay album, it's just Miley's attitude that's trash.

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