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.
Mr. Telephone man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
When I dial 611 Computer Service
She said "Hello may I help you, please?"
I told her something must be wrong with my phone
'Cause my baby wouldn't hang up on me
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
She let the phone ring twenty times before she answered
Let me tell you what happened then
A minute later I got the operator
Saying "please hang up and place your call again"
Mr. Telephone man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
Something's wrong with my line
I thought I dialed her number
But I get a click every time
Some strange man is on the telephone
He keeps telling me my baby ain't home
She got no party line
This situation's blowing my mind
Oh, I just can't take this anymore
"Please operator
See what you can do
I dialed the right number
But I still couldn't get through
Could you just check the line
Just one more time, if you can
I'm pretty sure her phone wouldn't be answered by no man"
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
Something's wrong with my line
I'm trying to dial her number
But I get a click every time
Must be a bad connection
I give her my love and affection
I just can't take this no more
This situation's blowing my mind (blowing my mind)
Can't get my baby on the line
I tried dialing information (Mr. Telephone Man)
I can't get no cooperation (Mr. Telephone Man)
Her sister's on the phone telling me my baby ain't at home
Come on baby, I just can't take it no more
Help me out
Please Mr. Telephone Man
Help me out
Please Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
When I dial 611 Computer Service
She said "Hello may I help you, please?"
I told her something must be wrong with my phone
'Cause my baby wouldn't hang up on me
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
She let the phone ring twenty times before she answered
Let me tell you what happened then
A minute later I got the operator
Saying "please hang up and place your call again"
Mr. Telephone man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number
I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
Something's wrong with my line
I thought I dialed her number
But I get a click every time
Some strange man is on the telephone
He keeps telling me my baby ain't home
She got no party line
This situation's blowing my mind
Oh, I just can't take this anymore
"Please operator
See what you can do
I dialed the right number
But I still couldn't get through
Could you just check the line
Just one more time, if you can
I'm pretty sure her phone wouldn't be answered by no man"
Mr. Telephone Man
There's something wrong with my line
When I dial my baby's number I get a click every time
Mr. Telephone Man
Something's wrong with my line
I'm trying to dial her number
But I get a click every time
Must be a bad connection
I give her my love and affection
I just can't take this no more
This situation's blowing my mind (blowing my mind)
Can't get my baby on the line
I tried dialing information (Mr. Telephone Man)
I can't get no cooperation (Mr. Telephone Man)
Her sister's on the phone telling me my baby ain't at home
Come on baby, I just can't take it no more
Help me out
Please Mr. Telephone Man
Help me out
Please Mr. Telephone Man
Lyrics submitted by intothegrinder2
Mr. Telephone Man Lyrics as written by Ray Erskine Jr. Parker
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
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?
when rules change
Life in Your Way
Life in Your Way
High life
Techno Ted
Audioslave
Audioslave
Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Actually, this being by a boy band, I'd say the singer must have done something to tick off his girlfriend's father; he's almost certainly the strange man who keeps answering the phone and telling him the girl isn't there. He's also probably getting very annoyed with the repeated calling by now.