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 know you had a fucked up life
Growing up in a stupid town
Your mother was a mixed up jerk,
And your father he just fucked around
A little too much for his own good
I'll kill the bastard if I could
I'll kill all the boys with their fucked-up noise
And all the bullshit they seem to enjoy
The kids at school
Called you slut
Nothing but
What the fuck are they into
The stupid fools
Losers assholes suck all the luck
Out of the world the world for you
If I can get it back to you I will,
And kick their asses all over town
All over town I'll turn it over
I don't even know you that well
What the hell, summer spell
What's it like
Going out
And no one knows what you're about
Abused and used and cut in two
By hollow men with nothing to do
Laugh all the time try to get high
Try to hide behind no lie
They fucked your head up
That's for sure
Your heart is ripped now wrapped in fur
But you know that sex is pretty insane
And magic seems to kill the pain
And the things that go on inside your brain
Make you seem to think that you're to blame
Don't think about it, throw it out
Love 'em all and say it loud
Fight the scumbags that slap you around
Scream your crazy lost and found
We don't have to tell you what is right
We have all the faith it was not right
Sadness is and sadness was,
And sadness will always be because
Comfort comes around from the strangest of men
I got no time for sad songs, baby
Don't need you to say I'm crazy
Stick your tongue and you look at me
And I will bite it off you see
Push you down onto your knees
Do you laugh away the sleaze
You're not the only girl in town
But you're the only one that's got me down
Psychic hearts go out to you
A psychic heart go right to you
My prayer to you
Is that you do all the things you set out to do
Live your life the way you love
But will you remember one thing for me
I will always love you
I will always love you
Growing up in a stupid town
Your mother was a mixed up jerk,
And your father he just fucked around
A little too much for his own good
I'll kill the bastard if I could
I'll kill all the boys with their fucked-up noise
And all the bullshit they seem to enjoy
The kids at school
Called you slut
Nothing but
What the fuck are they into
The stupid fools
Losers assholes suck all the luck
Out of the world the world for you
If I can get it back to you I will,
And kick their asses all over town
All over town I'll turn it over
I don't even know you that well
What the hell, summer spell
What's it like
Going out
And no one knows what you're about
Abused and used and cut in two
By hollow men with nothing to do
Laugh all the time try to get high
Try to hide behind no lie
They fucked your head up
That's for sure
Your heart is ripped now wrapped in fur
But you know that sex is pretty insane
And magic seems to kill the pain
And the things that go on inside your brain
Make you seem to think that you're to blame
Don't think about it, throw it out
Love 'em all and say it loud
Fight the scumbags that slap you around
Scream your crazy lost and found
We don't have to tell you what is right
We have all the faith it was not right
Sadness is and sadness was,
And sadness will always be because
Comfort comes around from the strangest of men
I got no time for sad songs, baby
Don't need you to say I'm crazy
Stick your tongue and you look at me
And I will bite it off you see
Push you down onto your knees
Do you laugh away the sleaze
You're not the only girl in town
But you're the only one that's got me down
Psychic hearts go out to you
A psychic heart go right to you
My prayer to you
Is that you do all the things you set out to do
Live your life the way you love
But will you remember one thing for me
I will always love you
I will always love you
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Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
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Show Me a Little Shame
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
He certainly did earn that reputation.
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
it's funny, coz only thurston could have written this song.