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.
You're pretty, oh so pretty
Why waste your time just sitting
Here a-listening to that dullard bitch?
Do nothing, eat your chocolate,
Drink your wine, she won't let you
Make your way across her empire line
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
Watch movies with the lights on
Sit still, keep her tights on
Didn’t you see this one sometime last week?
Go on say something clever
Just accept she will never
Take you higher than her attic room
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
Your mother, call your mother
Even she's surprised that this is
How you want to spend your nights indoors
You never call too often
What's up, have you forgotten
What it's like to have her on all fours?
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
There's a train at
The station
It's leaving
This morning
It'll take you
Away from
This girl that's
So boring
Don't turn around just walk away
Don't turn around just walk away
Don't turn around just walk away
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
Why waste your time just sitting
Here a-listening to that dullard bitch?
Do nothing, eat your chocolate,
Drink your wine, she won't let you
Make your way across her empire line
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
Watch movies with the lights on
Sit still, keep her tights on
Didn’t you see this one sometime last week?
Go on say something clever
Just accept she will never
Take you higher than her attic room
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
Your mother, call your mother
Even she's surprised that this is
How you want to spend your nights indoors
You never call too often
What's up, have you forgotten
What it's like to have her on all fours?
What's eating you is a mystery
But go home with her one more time
And you know you'll be history
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
There's a train at
The station
It's leaving
This morning
It'll take you
Away from
This girl that's
So boring
Don't turn around just walk away
Don't turn around just walk away
Don't turn around just walk away
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
She'll never take you to giddy stratospheres
I’ll confirm your fears
Is she a femme fatale?
That's what she wants you to think
She'll never lead him astray
But it's the best she can do
But is she going away?
No she'll always be here,
Waiting for you
Back here on earth
Lyrics submitted by _ellie
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On the newer version of this song it goes: Watch movies with the lights on, sit still, keep her tights on. Didn't you see this one some time last week?
Fab song. Love love love this band.