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.
The curtain's a sea anemone
In the way it sways to the slow breeze
I lie spread out on the floor, looking at these things
Most of them are yours
And it's so nice
Sitting very still
Without those old shoes
I could never fill
Starfish with its arms out in a daze
Staring at the stars through an ocean haze
Was I one you wished upon, burned out like a light bulb
When you turned me on
And it's so nice
Sleeping here all alone
With my ashtray
White courtesy telephone
Now I'm making out the shapes
Like the shower rod, can it take my weight?
I will tell you I am fine
I got some news, friend, feels like I'm dying
Turtle on its back in the desert sea
And you look like a cool drink just slightly out of reach
Draw myself into the shell
Waiting on a sign from God or a nod from hell
And it's so nice
Sitting very still
Without those old shoes
I could never fill
Now we're turning on the lights
It's the first day of my second life
Take my name off of the lease
You can even keep the name, it never suited me
In the way it sways to the slow breeze
I lie spread out on the floor, looking at these things
Most of them are yours
And it's so nice
Sitting very still
Without those old shoes
I could never fill
Starfish with its arms out in a daze
Staring at the stars through an ocean haze
Was I one you wished upon, burned out like a light bulb
When you turned me on
And it's so nice
Sleeping here all alone
With my ashtray
White courtesy telephone
Now I'm making out the shapes
Like the shower rod, can it take my weight?
I will tell you I am fine
I got some news, friend, feels like I'm dying
Turtle on its back in the desert sea
And you look like a cool drink just slightly out of reach
Draw myself into the shell
Waiting on a sign from God or a nod from hell
And it's so nice
Sitting very still
Without those old shoes
I could never fill
Now we're turning on the lights
It's the first day of my second life
Take my name off of the lease
You can even keep the name, it never suited me
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Love in a Vacuum
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Gadjits, The
Gadjits, The
He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
when rules change
Life in Your Way
Life in Your Way
High life
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
This really is a great song... so sad... so good.
I think the most interesting line here is "it's the first day of my second life"
I think it's pretty clear that the author is contemplating suicide -- "now I'm making out the shapes / like the shower rod - can it take my weight?"
But back to the "first day of my second life," this could mean either that the author did kill himself and is now starting his second life (after life) or that he is picking himself up and moving on to start a new phase of his life.
I prefer the latter interpretation. Basically, times can be hard but eventually you will move on and have an opportunity to start over again. Beautiful song.
"turtle on its back in the desert sea and you look like a cool drink...just slightly out of reach" awesome mental image. i love jets to brazil for that...
this song is so relaxing =) and its my name. heh.
So well written and just gives you this lonely feeling. I love it.
i dont think there's ever been a more depressing song written...ever. when i feel so lonely and depressed that i can't even move, i listen to this song.
Elliott Smith.
i love the line "i will tell you i am fine. i've got some news friend, feels like i'm dying." goodness, there are so many times thats been true. this is possibly my favorite jtb song. i can't wait for the new cd!
this is definetly the greatest jtb song ever. i can listen to this song for hours and at a time on replay. the lyrics are so powerful, raw, and uncensored. its what im sure so many of us have felt in some time of our lives / it's the first day of my second life / take my name off of the lease / you can even keep the name it never suited me/ that line means so much.. to me, of walking away, kind of shedding your skin. instead of the talk of suicide /now im making out the shapes, like the shower rod, can it take my weight?// im not sure if this song was meant to be sad or just relaxing. either way im in love with this song
I actually made a picture of the "Turtle on its back in the desert sea, and you look like a cool drink slightly out of reach", same with the "starfish with its arms out in a daze, staring at the stars through an ocean haze"
i can honestly say that i have never heard a more depressing song in my life. i used to be afraid to listen to this song because of the emotions that arise when i do. not too long ago, i was that starfish with a wishing on a burnt out star.