The Only Way

Sounds like it’s about death. Gotye uses lyrics such as ‘end of the journey’s in sight’ as a metaphor for death, ie the end of the journey of life. Leaving your life’s no easy ride could also be taken literally.

“All the grief you gave All the love you made All your yesterdays Everything you were Will fade”

When you die, all of that doesn’t matter any more. This is the same with “Nothing matters now that your time is through”.

“All the things you thought you came here for Everything you thought you knew for sure No meandering No more wondering Everything is true”

I’m having trouble deciding on what perspective the song is taking. The singer is perhaps a murderer luring the other into death and delusional in his own mind – “this is the only way” gives that image and “don’t you fight” as well as ‘say goodbye’ also strengthen the image of a murderer.

Or maybe the person Gotye is singing to is deciding to take their own life, which would give more meaning to ‘leaving your life’s no easy ride’. These words suggest that the person is leaving their life of their own accord. ‘This is the only way’ also fits into this, as when you reach a stage where suicide is the only option, it seems that it’s the only way out of the dark pit you’ve found yourself unable to get out of.

Also, the part about all the stars being aligned could signify a ritualistic killing (The Zodiac Killer?) or could be taken less literally and taken to mean simply as a ‘it’s now or never’ kind of thing.

It sounds like it could be about death, but it also sounds like it could be about the end of a relationship. I don't think it has anything to do with suicide, however.

I think it's very much about change and loss. Maybe it can be open to interpretation.

I just think it's generally about a journey coming to an end due to some form of change, and it's hard for the person to accept the change, perhaps.

I could even relate this song to my journey of ending school soon, I think it will be hard to leave it behind, it will be "no easy ride" but it's "the only way" and I cannot dodge it.

However I think the song is either about a relationship ending (through divorce) or a nearing death, maybe of an elderly person or cancer victim, for example.

The line "Say goodbye (I don’t want to)" suggests the person is not ready to accept the change and let go. The following line "Don’t you fight (I don’t want to)" seems to hint it might be about a relationship, rather than a death. The line after that, "Leaving your life’s no easy ride", could be taken literally in the seanse that the song is about death, or taken metaphorically in the sense that the song is about a loss of relationship.

If the song is about a loss of a relationship, then you dont leave your life literally, you leave your lifestyle, it changes because you are no longer with your partner (and it might feel like you've left your life literally because of the emotional pain involved).

I also think, the line "Now all of the stars are aligned" has something to do with fate and destiny. Anyways I could go on for another half hour talking about this song, but I probably shouldn't. Don't listen to me anyhow lol, these are just my own opinions. Hope they were insightful to an extent. =]

i absolutely love this song and is it just me, or does he sound a lot like trent reznor (NIN) in this song?

wow, no comments. surprising, as this is a fantastic song. beautiful and catchy and this is constantly getting stuck in my head.

Yes, but what does it mean? Intriguing. Is "leaving your life" a metaphor for something?

I think it is too easy to say that this is about the end of a relationship, and consequently I don't believe it is. Perhaps the person he's speaking to is leaving the country, or something similar that would warrant a "new life".

I can't even figure out whether its positive or not. You're right, the song is so damned catchy! It sounds happy, and general sentiment seems to be one of 'things have to change, so this is how its going to happen, and its going to be good' (ie. the stars have aligned, calm down because its nearly over, etc) yet having "everything you were...fade" seems like a pretty massive thing to be dismissive of. Unless you were a real dickhead to begin with.

But anyway I'm clearly talking out my arse here so if anyone wants to shed some light on this one, I'd love to hear more of people's thoughts.

I thought it was about the end of a relationship. It's a combination of desire, anger and logic. He wants his partner to be happy "all the stars are aligned" but he's still angry at her, he's wishing her the best in a way, but there's still that desirable effect that the end of a relationship brings, like the partner is still clinging on but "the only way" is to let go. It's the most logical thing to do even though the other person may be fighting it.

Karnivool does this song, i think its also on the mixed blood album.

clever yet so simple, like drawing blood and then mixed blood wally is so lovely

it throught this song would be too depressing for gotye but he pulled it off coz he that god it dose suit karnavol well.

i disagree about the death thing i think its about growing up theres the traveling metafor and not wanting to say good bye

what ya think

I think this is a nice, romanticized story of death, and what happens. Be calm baby, it's the end of the journey. You've come so far, and I know it's not easy... but everything will fade. Everything you thought you knew... you did. It's all true. But nothing matter's once your time is through, so say goodbybe, love. In short.

I love this song, I think it's about transition though. Leaving your life behind and starting afresh, and everything you've done in the past doesn't matter anymore.