Difference between revisions of "Want You Gone"

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|songlink=Want You Gone (Elegant Too Remix)
 
|songlink=Want You Gone (Elegant Too Remix)
 
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"Want You Gone" is a song that [[Jonathan Coulton]] wrote for the Valve video game, ''Portal 2''. The song is considered more "spoiler-heavy" than [[Still Alive]] in that it makes direct reference to revelations in the game, such as the name of the woman whose consciousness formed GLaDOS' matrix.  
+
"Want You Gone" is a song that [[Jonathan Coulton]] wrote for the Valve video game, ''[[Wikipedia: Portal 2| Portal 2]]''. The song is considered more "spoiler-heavy" than [[Still Alive]] in that it makes direct reference to revelations in the game, such as the name of the woman whose consciousness formed GLaDOS' matrix.  
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
After the success of the [[Still Alive | closing credits song]] that Coulton composed for the first installment in the series, Valve asked him to return as the writer for a song on the sequel. As with the previous song, voice actress and opera singer Ellen McLain performs the song in character as the insane artificial intelligence GLaDOS, with her voice digitally filtered to simulate the computer sound of the game.
+
After the success of the [[Still Alive | closing credits song]] that Coulton composed for Portal, Valve asked him to return as the writer for the credits song on Portal 2. As with the previous song, voice actress and opera singer [[Wikipedia: Ellen McLain| Ellen McLain]] performs the song in character as the insane artificial intelligence GLaDOS, with her voice digitally filtered to simulate the computer sound of the game.
  
The song was met with popular approval rivaling that of its predecessor. Both the game and the song were hotly anticipated, and "Want You Gone" immediately spawned many fan videos and covers.
+
The song was met with popular approval rivaling that of its predecessor. Both the game and the song were hotly anticipated, and "Want You Gone" immediately spawned many fan videos and covers.  
  
Coulton recorded his own version of "Want You Gone" for his album [[Artificial Heart (album)|Artificial Heart]]. This studio recording is very similar to the game version but features Coulton on lead vocals instead of Ellen McLain.
+
Coulton recorded his own version of "Want You Gone" for his album [[Artificial Heart (album)|Artificial Heart]]. This studio recording is very similar to the game version but features Coulton on lead vocals instead of Ellen McLain. Coulton's version features work by Elegant Too, known for working with They Might Be Giants. His version also has less of a synthetic tone, sounding more like an original studio recording with a few effects. Want You Gone is different from Still Alive in that Coulton never released Still Alive on his own album. Still Alive was released with Coulton's and McLain's versions on The Orange Box's soundtrack. McLain's version of Want You Gone is on the Portal 2 soundtrack while Coulton's is exclusive to Artificial Heart.
  
 
== Live performance ==
 
== Live performance ==
An acoustic version "Want You Gone" debuted in [[Ottawa%2C_ON:_2011-05-27|Ottawa, ON on May 27 2011]]. Coulton often performs the song in medley with "Still Alive".
+
An acoustic version of "Want You Gone" debuted in [[Ottawa%2C_ON:_2011-05-27|Ottawa, ON on May 27 2011]]. Coulton often performs the song in medley with "Still Alive".
  
 
At [[Seattle,_WA:_2011-08-27|PAX Prime 2011]] Coulton debuted a live version of the song on Zendrum instead of acoustic guitar, resulting in a performance much closer to the album version.
 
At [[Seattle,_WA:_2011-08-27|PAX Prime 2011]] Coulton debuted a live version of the song on Zendrum instead of acoustic guitar, resulting in a performance much closer to the album version.
Line 26: Line 26:
 
A studio version performed by Coulton appears on the album [[Artificial Heart (album)|Artificial Heart]], which can be ordered through [https://secure.jonathancoulton.com/ArtificialHeart/ Coulton's website] or on iTunes.
 
A studio version performed by Coulton appears on the album [[Artificial Heart (album)|Artificial Heart]], which can be ordered through [https://secure.jonathancoulton.com/ArtificialHeart/ Coulton's website] or on iTunes.
  
Additionally, numerous clips of Coulton performing "Want You Gone" are available on YouTube, as well as a clip of Ellen McLain performing the song at an event in her normal singing voice.
+
Additionally, numerous clips of Coulton performing "Want You Gone" are available on YouTube<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpfcibJyjQg</ref>, as well as a clip of Ellen McLain performing the song at an event in her normal singing voice.
 +
 
 +
Unofficially, many versions of the song have been circulated, primarily through YouTube. British composer [http://syntheticorchestra.com/ Blake Robinson (and his Synthetic Orchestra)] creates orchestrated renditions of many popular video game themes. In April 2012 he released an orchestrated cover of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLNlhZxozTY Want You Gone]
  
 
== Themes ==
 
== Themes ==
 +
 +
Primary Theme:
 +
 +
* [[Distrust]]
 +
 +
Secondary Themes:
 +
 +
* [[Freedom]]
 +
* [[Surrender]]
 +
* [[Nostalgia]]
 +
 +
Other Themes:
 +
 
* [[Not Dead Yet]]
 
* [[Not Dead Yet]]
 
* Sarcasm
 
* Sarcasm
  
 +
== References ==
 +
 +
<references/>
  
 
{{AHnav}}
 
{{AHnav}}

Latest revision as of 13:37, 5 March 2016


Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Want You Gone
ReleaseArtificial Heart
Length2:22
Release date04-19-2011
Related Pages

Lyrics
Tabs
Videos
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Other media
{{#song:Want You Gone (Elegant Too Remix) }}


"Want You Gone" is a song that Jonathan Coulton wrote for the Valve video game, Portal 2. The song is considered more "spoiler-heavy" than Still Alive in that it makes direct reference to revelations in the game, such as the name of the woman whose consciousness formed GLaDOS' matrix.

History[edit]

After the success of the closing credits song that Coulton composed for Portal, Valve asked him to return as the writer for the credits song on Portal 2. As with the previous song, voice actress and opera singer Ellen McLain performs the song in character as the insane artificial intelligence GLaDOS, with her voice digitally filtered to simulate the computer sound of the game.

The song was met with popular approval rivaling that of its predecessor. Both the game and the song were hotly anticipated, and "Want You Gone" immediately spawned many fan videos and covers.

Coulton recorded his own version of "Want You Gone" for his album Artificial Heart. This studio recording is very similar to the game version but features Coulton on lead vocals instead of Ellen McLain. Coulton's version features work by Elegant Too, known for working with They Might Be Giants. His version also has less of a synthetic tone, sounding more like an original studio recording with a few effects. Want You Gone is different from Still Alive in that Coulton never released Still Alive on his own album. Still Alive was released with Coulton's and McLain's versions on The Orange Box's soundtrack. McLain's version of Want You Gone is on the Portal 2 soundtrack while Coulton's is exclusive to Artificial Heart.

Live performance[edit]

An acoustic version of "Want You Gone" debuted in Ottawa, ON on May 27 2011. Coulton often performs the song in medley with "Still Alive".

At PAX Prime 2011 Coulton debuted a live version of the song on Zendrum instead of acoustic guitar, resulting in a performance much closer to the album version.

Availability[edit]

"Want You Gone" is available in the credits of the video game Portal 2. The song can be downloaded for free as part of the Portal 2 Soundtrack at the game's website.

A studio version performed by Coulton appears on the album Artificial Heart, which can be ordered through Coulton's website or on iTunes.

Additionally, numerous clips of Coulton performing "Want You Gone" are available on YouTube[1], as well as a clip of Ellen McLain performing the song at an event in her normal singing voice.

Unofficially, many versions of the song have been circulated, primarily through YouTube. British composer Blake Robinson (and his Synthetic Orchestra) creates orchestrated renditions of many popular video game themes. In April 2012 he released an orchestrated cover of Want You Gone

Themes[edit]

Primary Theme:

Secondary Themes:

Other Themes:

References[edit]

Artificial Heart
1. Sticking It To Myself · 2. Artificial Heart · 3. Nemeses · 4. The World Belongs to You · 5. Today With Your Wife · 6. Sucker Punch · 7. Glasses · 8. Je Suis Rick Springfield · 9. Alone at Home · 10. Fraud · 11. Good Morning Tucson · 12. Now I Am An Arsonist · 13. Down Today · 14. Dissolve · 15. Nobody Loves You Like Me · 16. Still Alive · 17. Want You Gone · 18. The Stache