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.
I need someone to take some joy in something I do
You need a man who's either rich or losing a screw
You know I love you here's the irony
You're going to walk away intact
I think you never liked me anyway
You like yourself and you like
Men to kiss your arse
Expensive clothes
Please stop me there
I think I'm waking up to us
We're a disaster
You don't want to know me
'cause you move in circles of the brave
Where art defines their lives
She was the one love of my life, and I let her go
And if I look like death today
Then please let her know
I never wanted to do harm to her
I only wanted her to see
The beauty of the world surrounding her
But when she opened up her eyes
It's much too late
Our chance has gone
She's with a guy
Who takes the price for everything I ever showed her
Digging all the fun
Because she's older
I fed her with a spoon
I made her mother smile
I helped the kid survive
She was the one love of my life
She showed me the road
I loved her dog, her steady gaze, the chapter is closed
I always wanted all the best for her
The best thing was to stay away
She grew up and she left the rest of us
And now the understanding's gone
I haven't changed, how could I
I'm pretty much the same person
I cannot keep the anger hidden anymore
But lucky for you, you are not around
My anger turns to pity and to love
The season has arrived
The season has arrived
You need a man who's either rich or losing a screw
You know I love you here's the irony
You're going to walk away intact
I think you never liked me anyway
You like yourself and you like
Men to kiss your arse
Expensive clothes
Please stop me there
I think I'm waking up to us
We're a disaster
You don't want to know me
'cause you move in circles of the brave
Where art defines their lives
She was the one love of my life, and I let her go
And if I look like death today
Then please let her know
I never wanted to do harm to her
I only wanted her to see
The beauty of the world surrounding her
But when she opened up her eyes
It's much too late
Our chance has gone
She's with a guy
Who takes the price for everything I ever showed her
Digging all the fun
Because she's older
I fed her with a spoon
I made her mother smile
I helped the kid survive
She was the one love of my life
She showed me the road
I loved her dog, her steady gaze, the chapter is closed
I always wanted all the best for her
The best thing was to stay away
She grew up and she left the rest of us
And now the understanding's gone
I haven't changed, how could I
I'm pretty much the same person
I cannot keep the anger hidden anymore
But lucky for you, you are not around
My anger turns to pity and to love
The season has arrived
The season has arrived
Lyrics submitted by michaelbondy
I'm Waking Up to Us Lyrics as written by Christopher Geddes Campbe
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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