Lyrically, the song is an "amalgam" of Gotye's past relationship experiences. It captures the frustration of a partner who feels discarded and the counter-perspective of a partner who feels gaslit or suffocated.
: The painting symbolizes the shared history of the relationship, with Kimbra eventually "washing clean" of the paint as she breaks away. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)
: The song features a sparse xylophone melody based on the first nine notes of the nursery rhyme "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep". Lyrically, the song is an "amalgam" of Gotye's
The track is celebrated for its minimalist yet hypnotic instrumentation, which notably includes: Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)
: Gotye and Kimbra appear naked and are gradually painted into a geometric background inspired by Gotye's father's artwork.