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.
Well I, see you got your
Brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Yes I, see you got your
Brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you must tell me, baby how your
Head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well you, look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
Yes, I just wanna see
If it's really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head just like a
Mattress balances on a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well if you, wanna see the sun rise
Honey, I know where
We'll go out and see it sometime
We'll both just sit there and stare
Me with my belt wrapped around my head
And you just sittin' there
In your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, I asked the doctor if I could see you
It's bad for your health, he said
Yes, I disobeyed his orders
I came to see you but I found him there instead
You know, I don't mind him cheatin' on me, but I
Sure wish he'd take that off his head
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well I, see you got a new boyfriend
You know, I never seen him before
Well, I saw you makin' love with him
He forgot to close the garage door
You might think he loves you for your money, but
I know what he really loves you for
It's your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Yes I, see you got your
Brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you must tell me, baby how your
Head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well you, look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
Yes, I just wanna see
If it's really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head just like a
Mattress balances on a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well if you, wanna see the sun rise
Honey, I know where
We'll go out and see it sometime
We'll both just sit there and stare
Me with my belt wrapped around my head
And you just sittin' there
In your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, I asked the doctor if I could see you
It's bad for your health, he said
Yes, I disobeyed his orders
I came to see you but I found him there instead
You know, I don't mind him cheatin' on me, but I
Sure wish he'd take that off his head
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well I, see you got a new boyfriend
You know, I never seen him before
Well, I saw you makin' love with him
He forgot to close the garage door
You might think he loves you for your money, but
I know what he really loves you for
It's your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
"It's just about a hat, man." - Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan was not a topical song writer. People like to read into his songs and poetry like its cryptic. ITs not a code you have to crack! Recognize it for it's poetic value and what it means to you, but do not try to force his songs into meaning something that you think it means.
@HandfulofDust like when he sings in "A Hard Rain..."<br /> I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin'<br /> <br /> surely he is speaking just about a black tree
Like A Rolling Stone isnt about Edie, they didn't meet until 1966 after Highway 61 had been written and released. [check out wikipedia!]
This is just such an unfriendly song. I believe it is about Edie, and whether it is or not, it's still offensive. Dylan is such a coldhearted bastard.
@whatadrag Maybe, but I thing "Just like a Women" is definately about Edie, Maybe...
in this song the greatest poet on earth is using all of his poetic abilities to make fun of some chicks hat... that wood be like the US using its entire nuclear arsenal on a dude a donkey... by far the most freakin hilarious thing ive ever heard
Nico said this song is about Edie, and it makes some sense.
Edie used to wear a lot of leopard clothes, also a leopard hat, you can search it and you will find it, I think is from the Ciao Manhattan footage. And who else would wear a leopard skin-pill-box hat if is not Edie?
Bobby talks about her money,
Yes, I just wanna see If it's really that expensive kind
You might think he loves you for your money
Edie came from a rich family, and was a socialite but she lost all her money with clothes, drugs, and all kind of expensive stuff.
Well, I asked the doctor if I could see you ... You know, I don't mind him cheatin' on me But I sure wish he'd take that off his head Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
I think there he's talking bout Warhol, it's well known that Bob didn't like Andy, cause he thought he ruined people lives. Lot of people says Andy ruined pretty girls lives just cause he was jealous. So maybe he's making a reference or something like that. Or just telling Edie to be careful.
Well, I see you got a new boyfriend You know, I never seen him before
He's being ironical. Sure he has seen her new boyfriend, Bob Neuwirth, friend and the left hand of Dylan. Edie and Neurwith had a short-kind-of-relationship, so he's talking about him.
Well, I saw him Makin' love to you You forgot to close the garage door
Here maybe he's talking about Chelsea Hotel. It wouldn't be too strange to see them making love in one of those 'garage' rooms. It seems he doesn't care but to be honest if he doesn't care about her he wouldn't have write the song.
So I think it's pretty clear. I hope it'll be helpful.
i have a type my father made of bob dylans best that has this song on it. I think its been over looked because while people are off being proud of themselves just for knowing axel rose didn't write "knocking on heavens door" I'm singing this, some of dlans best work has been forgotten over the years and its just sad.
I have read that this song is about actress Edie Sedgwick (as is 'Like A Rolling Stone)
haha. great quote.
Bob Dylan is most definitely not an idiot, and thus he is not going to tell you what he is writing about. shiznaz_kurtaz, maybe next tuesday night you should watch "Don't Look Back", he tells reporters all sorts of fake truths; and the truth is the song is about a hat . . .