Well, in my opinion this song is about being a young & maybe a little naive &/or introverted girl and finding yourself loving a man who is at first very charming, carefree & outgoing, and seems at first to be without limits, as in
"There was a time
you opened up every doorway
you didn't mind if everything
wasn't your way"
then that man starts to gradually become more introverted & shows their more possessive/obsessive side to you as the relationship progresses, even while they keep up the appearance of being carefree & outgoing to everyone else,
"Don't pull away
that goes against what you told me
I look in your eyes
I realize what you've sold me
is love in a vacuum"
so you confront them about the way they're acting and of course they deny it,
"I think you've changed
but you insist that
that's not true"
quite possibly they are an addict of some sort, my guess would be cocaine, &/or showing very obsessive behavior towards you (early on in the video for this song we see the man hanging a picture up, it is a very large portrait of Aimee & it is prominently displayed in his/their apartment for the duration of the song), thus their "love in a vacuum",
"You look so strange, so distant
that you're hardly you
Now I can see
how you have been acting different
You say it's me
but I know
that it isn't
it's love in a vacuum"
but still you are in love with them and don't want to leave them and you know that they are truly in love with you and they don't want you to leave them either, maybe they are convinced you can save them from themself, maybe they are so broken that the possibility of an overdose &/or suicide attempt is very real and you want to get through to them that their behavior not only dangerous but it is also just pissing you off and if they don't wise up they run the risk of loosing you, as in the lines
"You will be lonely
if you leave me alone", so you want to save them but can't get through to them due to the addiction &/or emotional problems they have,
"Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
love in a vacuum
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
You will be lonely
if you leave me alone
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough"
you want them to understand that the love they are giving you is not enough when it is filtered through the vacuum of their drug addiction &/or emotional impairment,
"You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough
and just wait
you will be lonely
Love in a vacuum
Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
Love in a vacuum".
'Love In A Vacuum' for me is a hauntingly truthful acute argument on the loneliness of obsession and almost inevitable loss of love that follows people who are broken in some way or another; the obsessives, the coke heads, the drunks, addicts or the just-plain-old emotionally broken; a razor sharp, lyrically driven, deceptively poppy, yet ultimately-depressing-in-the-best-way song.
Quintessential Aimee Mann.
There's something you don't know
I've walked you off to keep you on your toes
There's something you didn't know
I've grown some bones, so I can walk you off
Tonight, tonight, everything's alright, tonight, tonight
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
I would tell you
There's something you didn't know
You've got your teeth in me and it hurts
And I'm a lie away from saying what I really think
This is the bottom of the bottle saying swim or sink
And you don't even need me now
Tonight, tonight, everything's alright, tonight, tonight
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
If I were in your shoes (If I were in your)
And I'm a lie away from saying what I really think
This is the bottom of the bottle saying swim or sink
And you don't even need me now
I've walked you off to keep you on your toes
There's something you didn't know
I've grown some bones, so I can walk you off
Tonight, tonight, everything's alright, tonight, tonight
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
I would tell you
There's something you didn't know
You've got your teeth in me and it hurts
And I'm a lie away from saying what I really think
This is the bottom of the bottle saying swim or sink
And you don't even need me now
Tonight, tonight, everything's alright, tonight, tonight
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
If I were in your shoes I'd run a thousand miles just to tell you
If I were in your room, using just my eyes I would tell you
If I were in your shoes (If I were in your)
And I'm a lie away from saying what I really think
This is the bottom of the bottle saying swim or sink
And you don't even need me now
Lyrics submitted by TrashyZombieWhore
If I Were in Your Shoes Lyrics as written by Dan Flint Chris Miller
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I liked this song more when i thought he said "and im a lier for saying what i really think, this is the bottom of a bottle and im too deep in" cuz it just sounds more confusingly poetic.