Somebody That I Used To Know
Love's Echo: Nostalgia and Liberation in Somebody's Past
Lyrics
Now and then I think of when we were together
Reflecting on past moments when the speaker and the other person were in a relationship.
Like when you said you felt so happy you could cry
Recalling a moment when the other person expressed extreme happiness.
I told myself that you were right for me
Convincing oneself that the other person was the right match.
But felt so lonely in your company
Feeling lonely despite being in the company of the other person.
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember
Describing the pain of past love and how it is still remembered.
You can be addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Exploring the idea that one can become addicted to a specific type of sadness.
Like resignation to the end always the end
Accepting the inevitability of the relationship's end.
So when we found that we could not make sense
Realizing that the relationship doesn't make sense.
Well you said that we would still be friends
Acknowledging the suggestion of remaining friends after the breakup.
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over
Admitting relief when the relationship ended.
But you didn't have to cut me off
Expressing hurt at being abruptly cut off by the other person.
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
Feeling dismissed and devalued, as if the relationship meant nothing.
And I don't even need your love
Asserting independence and not needing the other person's love.
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
Being treated like a stranger, causing emotional distress.
You didn't have to stoop so low
Expressing disapproval of the other person's actions.
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
Noting the extreme step of having friends retrieve belongings and changing the phone number.
I guess that I don't need that though
Realizing that such extreme measures are unnecessary.
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Concluding that the other person is now just a memory and not actively part of life.
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
-Now you're just somebody that I used to know
-Now and then I think of all the times you passed me over
Recalling instances of being ignored or passed over by the other person.
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
Believing falsely that the speaker was always at fault for the relationship issues.
But I don't wanna live that way
Expressing a desire to avoid living in a way that causes emotional distress.
Reading into every word you say
Being cautious and analyzing every word spoken by the other person.
You said that you could let it go
Recalling the other person's assurance that they could move on.
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know
Discovering the other person still being emotionally attached to someone from the past.
But you didn't have to cut me off
Reiterating the hurt caused by the abrupt cutoff.
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
Feeling invalidated as the other person pretends the relationship never existed.
And I don't even need your love
Declaring independence from needing the other person's love.
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
Expressing the emotional difficulty of being treated like a stranger.
You didn't have to stoop so low
Condemning the other person's actions as unnecessarily hurtful.
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
Highlighting the extreme steps taken by the other person to sever ties.
I guess that I don't need that though
Realizing that such drastic measures are not needed.
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Repeating the realization that the other person is now just a memory.
Somebody (I used to know)
Reinforcing the idea that the other person is now just a memory.
(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
-Somebody (I used to know)
-(Somebody) now you're just somebody that I used to know
-I used to know (somebody)
Reaffirming the speaker's past connection with the now-forgotten person.
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