So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong and I learned how to get along
And now you're back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that, that look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
Did you think I'd crumble, did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, not I, I will survive
As long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive, I will survive, hey, hey, hey
I asked the Lord, give me strength and don't let me fall apart
I'm trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
And I spent oh many nights just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high
And now you see me (see me) somebody new
I'm not that tender little person, still sweat for you
So you felt like dropping by and you expected me to be free
Well, I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me
Oh, no (oh no) walk out the door (walk out the door)
Just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbyes
Did you think I'd crumble, ha ha ha
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, oh no (I will survive)
(As long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive)
I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive (survive), I will survive, hey, hey
I, I, I will, will
I'm a survivor (oh)
I'm gon' to make it
I'm not gon' stop
I'm gonna get stronger
I'm a survivor (survivor) I'm gonna make it (make)
I'm not gon' stop
I'm gonna get stronger
(I'm a survivor, I'm not gon' give up)
(Not gonna stop)
(I'm gon' worker harder)
Are you listing?
Now you know I took all of the strength that I had
Not to fall apart
I kept trying hard
To mend the pieces of my broken heart
But I will survive
It took all of the strength I had
Not to fall apart
I tried hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
I spent so many nights feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high
And now you see me ( and see me) somebody new
I'm not that tender little person still in love with you
Oh so you felt like stopping by and expected me to be free?
Yeah, well, I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me
Beat it (beat it) get to steppin' (get to steppin')
Keep it moving, get it on down the road, alright (get on down the road)
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbyes?
Did you think I'd crumble, he he ha ha
Thought I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, this is me (I will survive)
Sure 'nuff, me (as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive)
(I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give)
And I'll survive (survive), I will survive, hey, hey, hey
Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong and I learned how to get along
And now you're back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that, that look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
Did you think I'd crumble, did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, not I, I will survive
As long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive, I will survive, hey, hey, hey
I asked the Lord, give me strength and don't let me fall apart
I'm trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
And I spent oh many nights just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high
And now you see me (see me) somebody new
I'm not that tender little person, still sweat for you
So you felt like dropping by and you expected me to be free
Well, I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me
Oh, no (oh no) walk out the door (walk out the door)
Just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbyes
Did you think I'd crumble, ha ha ha
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, oh no (I will survive)
(As long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive)
I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive (survive), I will survive, hey, hey
I, I, I will, will
I'm a survivor (oh)
I'm gon' to make it
I'm not gon' stop
I'm gonna get stronger
I'm a survivor (survivor) I'm gonna make it (make)
I'm not gon' stop
I'm gonna get stronger
(I'm a survivor, I'm not gon' give up)
(Not gonna stop)
(I'm gon' worker harder)
Are you listing?
Now you know I took all of the strength that I had
Not to fall apart
I kept trying hard
To mend the pieces of my broken heart
But I will survive
It took all of the strength I had
Not to fall apart
I tried hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
I spent so many nights feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high
And now you see me ( and see me) somebody new
I'm not that tender little person still in love with you
Oh so you felt like stopping by and expected me to be free?
Yeah, well, I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me
Beat it (beat it) get to steppin' (get to steppin')
Keep it moving, get it on down the road, alright (get on down the road)
Weren't you the one who tried to crush me with goodbyes?
Did you think I'd crumble, he he ha ha
Thought I'd lay down and die?
Oh, no, this is me (I will survive)
Sure 'nuff, me (as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive)
(I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give)
And I'll survive (survive), I will survive, hey, hey, hey
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More Featured Meanings
Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
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.
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.
Grand Theft Auto
Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
Fortnight
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
I know it's not hers but I love the little alien video online to this song. LOL