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.
I first saw you.
You had on blue jeans.
Your eyes couldn't hide anything.
I saw you breathing.
And I saw you staring out in space.
I next saw you, you was at a party.
Though you was a queen, oh so flirty.
I cam against.
Didn't say excuse.
You knew what I was doing.
We looked very fine 'cause we were leaving.
Like Saint Joan, doing a cool, cool, jerk.
Oh I want you, Oh I want you...
Like a kangaroo...
You had on blue jeans.
Your eyes couldn't hide anything.
I saw you breathing.
And I saw you staring out in space.
I next saw you, you was at a party.
Though you was a queen, oh so flirty.
I cam against.
Didn't say excuse.
You knew what I was doing.
We looked very fine 'cause we were leaving.
Like Saint Joan, doing a cool, cool, jerk.
Oh I want you, Oh I want you...
Like a kangaroo...
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
Jesse with the long hair....
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Classic love story true to his western tx roots. One of my favorites as a story, but I think there are alot of songs that are amazing not even listed on this site. I guess I should figure out how to add them, because I have about 8 REK cd's.
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
"I first saw you You had on blue jeans Your eyes couldn't hide anything"
The lyrics are describing a man's first encounter with a woman he is attracted to. He first sees her wearing blue jeans, and they are struck by her eyes, which seem to reveal her thoughts.
"I saw you leaving And I saw you staring out in space I next saw you, it was at a party"
He saw her leaving and looking off into the distance, possibly lost in her thoughts or daydreaming. He later encountered her at a party.
"Thought you was uncool, oh so flirty I came again You didn't say excuse You knew what I was doing"
He thought she was "uncool" and "flirty," but he was still drawn to her and came to see her again. He noticed that she was aware of his presence but didn't say anything.
"You looked very fine, as we were leaving Like Saint Joan, doing a cool, cool jerk Oh I want you, Oh I want you"
As they were leaving the party, he thought she looked fine and was doing the "cool jerk" dance. The singer expresses his love for her. The woman appears to be compared to Joan Seberg in the lyrics, particularly in reference to her portrayal of St. Joan in the song. This woman might have resembled Joan Seberg.
"Like a kangaroo"
Possibly a reference to the creature's peculiar movement, which represents the singer's intense desire for the woman.