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.
And it's only doubts that we're counting
On fingers broken long ago
I read with every broken heart
We should become more adventurous
And if you banish me from your profits
And if I get banished from the kingdom up above
I'd sacrifice money and heaven all for love
Let me be loved
Let me be loved
And if my brain quits
Well I guess then that's just it
And if my hands stop workin'
You can call me lazy
And if I get pregnant
I guess I'll just have the baby
Let it be loved
Let me be loved
I've been tryin' to nod my head
But it's like I've got a broken neck
I want to say I will
As my last testament
For me to be saved and you to be brave
We don't have to walk down that aisle
Because if marriage ain't enough well
At least we'll be loved
I felt the wind on my cheek
Comin' down from the east
And thought about how we are all
As numerous as leaves on trees
And maybe ours is the cause of all
Mankind getting love make more
And try to stay alive
I've been tryin' to nod my head
But it's like I've got a broken neck
I want to say I will
As my last testament
For me to be saved and you to be brave
We don't have to walk down that isle
Because if marriage ain't enough well
At least we'll be loved
On fingers broken long ago
I read with every broken heart
We should become more adventurous
And if you banish me from your profits
And if I get banished from the kingdom up above
I'd sacrifice money and heaven all for love
Let me be loved
Let me be loved
And if my brain quits
Well I guess then that's just it
And if my hands stop workin'
You can call me lazy
And if I get pregnant
I guess I'll just have the baby
Let it be loved
Let me be loved
I've been tryin' to nod my head
But it's like I've got a broken neck
I want to say I will
As my last testament
For me to be saved and you to be brave
We don't have to walk down that aisle
Because if marriage ain't enough well
At least we'll be loved
I felt the wind on my cheek
Comin' down from the east
And thought about how we are all
As numerous as leaves on trees
And maybe ours is the cause of all
Mankind getting love make more
And try to stay alive
I've been tryin' to nod my head
But it's like I've got a broken neck
I want to say I will
As my last testament
For me to be saved and you to be brave
We don't have to walk down that isle
Because if marriage ain't enough well
At least we'll be loved
Lyrics submitted by waitingforbas
More Adventurous Lyrics as written by Jenny Diane Lewis Blake Sennett
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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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.
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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.
it sounds to me like "i've been trying to nod my head" not "knock"
and if i get pregnant i guess i'll just have the baby - best line. don't know why. the song is all about how marriage is legalized prostitution. in simpler terms. i very much enjoy this song. she doesn't need a ring to know it's love.
I thought the song was about not worrying what might happen and just...love. :) Maybe I'm silly.
I agree with "And if I get pregnant I guess I'll just have the baby" being a great lyric. I think it's because, most people I know, myself included, if we were to get pregnant we'd freak thinking what we were going to die. But she says simply, well I guess I'll just have it and hope for the best. Many people have a hard time answering that question, but she makes it seem easy.
My favorite line, by far, is 'let me be loved'. I suppose because I think the very same quite often
"each time my heart is broken it makes me feel more adventurous" -meditations in an emergency by frank o'hara (great poem, great poet)
i don't know if the song is actually referencing this poem, but it seems that it could be. either way, it is a beautiful song. her voice is perfect throughout.
I think this song is about the struggle of deciding if she should marry a man she loves to make him happy, or stay true to her own beliefs which go against marriage.
"It's only doubts that we're counting on fingers broken long ago." This seems to be saying that she doubts marriage based on past broken hearts.
"if you banish me from your profits and if i get banished from the kingdom up above i'll sacrifice money and heaven all for love let me be loved let me be loved" If she doesn't get married she won't have financial security from him and won't get into heaven, but she doesn't find those things important.
"if my brain quits well i guess then that's just it and if my hands stop working you can call me lazy and if i get pregnant i guess i'll just have the baby" This sounds like reasons why she is afraid of getting married: she doesn't want to become a complacent housewife who doesn't work or think for herself and just has babies.
"i've been trying to nod my head but it's like i've got a broken neck" She wants to say yes but she can't.
"wanting to say i will as my last testament for me to be saved and you to be brave we don't have to walk down that aisle" Referring to religious reasons for getting married and that they don't worry her.
"cause if marriage ain't enough well at least we'll be loved" Sounds like she is trying to convince herself to marry him: if marriage isn't enough to fulfill her, at least she'll be loved.
"and maybe ours is the cause of all mankind. get loved, make more, try to stay alive" more trying to convince herself to marry him.
Absolutely. There is something mysteriously wise in "And if I get pregnant, I guess I'll just have the baby" - it is the prettiest nugget of nihilistic optimism in this song.
Which is what this song is. There isn't much self-assuredness going on here with the "I guess"es and the supplications for love, but there is the brave attempt at it. At trying to cut away all the BS of what people think they need or are told they need - marriage, babies, all symbols in place of what they represent: the ability to love and be loved. Jenny is so mature.
The atheism in this song also comes innocently from a similar place: It's hard to know what to make of the supposedly tried and tested institutions (religion, marriage) - "I've been trying to nod my head but it's like I've got a broken neck" - they have merits and they have flaws and it's all so complicated. All she knows is simple: that they are supposed to provide love, and that's really all people go for.
It comes off as selfish or simple-minded but it's the feeling of not wanting to hide from the truth of it - that's it, just be loved be loved be loved be loved. and keep trying.
I am curious about what book she is alluding to when she says "I read with every broken heart we should become more adventurous" ... anyone know?
these lyrics are all wrong.
it's only doubts that we're counting on fingers broken long ago i read with every broken heart we should become more adventurous
if you banish me from your profits and if i get banished from the kingdom up above i'll sacrifice money and heaven all for love let me be loved let me be loved
if my brain quits well i guess then that's just it and if my hands stop working you can call me lazy and if i get pregnant i guess i'll just have the baby let it be loved let me be loved
i've been trying to nod my head but it's like i've got a broken neck wanting to say i will as my last testament for me to be saved and you to be brave we don't have to walk down that aisle cause if marriage ain't enough well at least we'll be loved
i've felt the wind on my cheek coming down from the east and thought about how we are all as numerous as leave on trees and maybe ours is the cause of all mankind get loved, make more try to stay alive
i've been trying to nod my head but it's like i've got a broken neck wanting to say i will as my last testament for you to be saved and me to be brave we don't have to walk down that aisle cause if marriage ain't enough well at least we'll be loved
What a beautiful song. Jenny is telling us to get over stupid relationships and move on and better yet become "more adventurous." However, do not force love "let me be loved" such that love binds the marriage. This song represents a sort of atheist view that maybe love is greater than heaven. Something about recreation is in here too. Neat stuff.
My favorite line: "thought about how we are all as numerous as leaves on trees and maybe ours is the cause of all mankind get loved, make more try to stay alive"
So gorgeous. It sounds to me like Jenny is in two minds about getting married; she wants it as her "last testament", maybe because she thinks they'll be more accepted if they are married, especially if they have a baby. But she also says it's okay with her if they don't. I think she thinks marriage will ruin the love.