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.
A old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day.
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way.
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
ploughing through the ragged skys and up the cloudy draws.
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel.
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel.
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky.
For he saw the riders comming hard and he heard their mournful cry.
Yippee-I-Oh...
Yippee-I-Ay...
Ghost riders in the sky.
Their faces gone, theirs eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat.
He's riding hard to catch that herd but he aint caught them yet.
Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky.
All horses snorting fire as they ride on hear their cry.
As the riders look on by him he heard one call his name.
"If you want to save your soul from hell riding on our range,
then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride.
Trying to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies.
Yippee-I-Oh...
Yippee-I-Ay...
Ghost riders in the sky.(x3)
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way.
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
ploughing through the ragged skys and up the cloudy draws.
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel.
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel.
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky.
For he saw the riders comming hard and he heard their mournful cry.
Yippee-I-Oh...
Yippee-I-Ay...
Ghost riders in the sky.
Their faces gone, theirs eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat.
He's riding hard to catch that herd but he aint caught them yet.
Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky.
All horses snorting fire as they ride on hear their cry.
As the riders look on by him he heard one call his name.
"If you want to save your soul from hell riding on our range,
then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride.
Trying to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies.
Yippee-I-Oh...
Yippee-I-Ay...
Ghost riders in the sky.(x3)
Lyrics submitted by snc8698
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Love in a Vacuum
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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.
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
@Durango I don't think the cows are real "cows" - I guess they are just lesser demons that took on the shape of cows to match the eternal torment of the cowboys; I mean, I also don't think the horses of those cowboys are the spirits of "sinful horses" - most probably they are nightmares (the evil spirits, "Nachtmahr" in German language), and that makes it even more hard to keep up with the "cows", because those "horses" sure are wild and unfriendly.
I really like this song - because it makes me "see" what happens in the lyrics (not so many songs achieve that). But I always wondered what sins did the "old cowboy" commit? Though it's probably a really good thing we never learn about it - because that means everyone of us could be the cowboy, and every now and then we should re-think our way of living.