So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Now for the question
That just won't go away
"So what are we
Gonna do today?"
Cause it seems like
For the last four years
We've had far much
Less of a say
I know I always come out
Like a pessimist
But there is always something else
That's leading up to this
Chris used to come
To all the local shows
Back when the days were simpler
Do you remember?
[Chorus]
Those days are gone but Chris is not
And now he's got green hair
And in fact along with that
He's developed a severe disliking for
For the band! [Repeat: x4]
And I don't like, how it seems like
Anything and everything is always
For the band
For the band! [Repeat: x4]
I don't like, how it seems like
Anything and everything is always
For the band
So don't think I'm going to
Sit and complain
When there's so many
Good things left to say
But watch closely
As I refrain
From forgetting who I am along the way
[Chorus]
She sat me down and said to me
I think you've misplaced your identity
Cause what you do isn't all of who
You really are
Cause everyday is just the same to me
We'll play it sloppily
And sing it out of key
Everyday is just the same to me
We'll play it sloppily
We'll sing it out of key
[Chorus]
That just won't go away
"So what are we
Gonna do today?"
Cause it seems like
For the last four years
We've had far much
Less of a say
I know I always come out
Like a pessimist
But there is always something else
That's leading up to this
Chris used to come
To all the local shows
Back when the days were simpler
Do you remember?
[Chorus]
Those days are gone but Chris is not
And now he's got green hair
And in fact along with that
He's developed a severe disliking for
For the band! [Repeat: x4]
And I don't like, how it seems like
Anything and everything is always
For the band
For the band! [Repeat: x4]
I don't like, how it seems like
Anything and everything is always
For the band
So don't think I'm going to
Sit and complain
When there's so many
Good things left to say
But watch closely
As I refrain
From forgetting who I am along the way
[Chorus]
She sat me down and said to me
I think you've misplaced your identity
Cause what you do isn't all of who
You really are
Cause everyday is just the same to me
We'll play it sloppily
And sing it out of key
Everyday is just the same to me
We'll play it sloppily
We'll sing it out of key
[Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by SwimAndy013
For the Band Lyrics as written by Matthew Arnold Thiessen
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
I don't really know what this song is about, it's all over the place. There is chris, who used to go to all the shows, but i guess he doesn't anymore. Maybe he thinks the guys are getting to into the band and don't care about their friends anymore. Then Matt is saying he doesn't care if Chris doesn't come to the show, but then some girl says you've gotten so caught up with the band you've forgot who you really are and who your real friends are maybe...? i don't know tell me what ya think! I can't believe no one had posted these lyrics, great song