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.
I remember when
I remember, when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that face
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space
And when you're out there
Without care
I was out of touch
It wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Probably
An I hope that you are having the time of your life
Oh but think twice
That's my only advice
Come on now
Who do you
Who do you think you are
Woah Woah
Bless your soul
Do you really think that you're in control
Well I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me, yeah
My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
An all I remember
Is thinking I wanna be like them
Ever since I was little it looked like fun
It was no coincidence that I've come
I can die when I'm done
Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably
A la la la la la la
a la la, a la la, a la la, a la la
yeah, yeah, yeah
wo-ah, woah, woah, woah, woah
lay lay lay lay
a la la, a la la, a la la, a la la
I remember, when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that face
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space
And when you're out there
Without care
I was out of touch
It wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Probably
An I hope that you are having the time of your life
Oh but think twice
That's my only advice
Come on now
Who do you
Who do you think you are
Woah Woah
Bless your soul
Do you really think that you're in control
Well I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me, yeah
My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
An all I remember
Is thinking I wanna be like them
Ever since I was little it looked like fun
It was no coincidence that I've come
I can die when I'm done
Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably
A la la la la la la
a la la, a la la, a la la, a la la
yeah, yeah, yeah
wo-ah, woah, woah, woah, woah
lay lay lay lay
a la la, a la la, a la la, a la la
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Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
Thee More Shallows
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Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
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.
![Album art](../../../images/art-default.png)
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?
![Album art](../../../images/art-default.png)
Grand Theft Auto
Insane Ian
Insane Ian
The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
![Album art](../../../images/art-default.png)
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.
Turns a wretched song beautiful. That's his power...
Ray changes the song just slightly. His lyrics are actually:
I remember when I remember when I lost my mind There was something so pleasant about that phase Even your emotions have an echo in so much space
And when you’re out there, without care I was out of touch It wasn’t because I didn’t know enough I just knew too much
Does that make me crazy? Does that make me crazy? Does that make me crazy? Probably
And that you are having the time of your life Oh, but think twice That’s my only advice
Come on now, Who do you, Who do you think you are? Oh, Bless your soul Do you really think you’re in control?
Well, I think you’re crazy I think you’re crazy I think you’re crazy Just like me, yeah
My heroes have the heart To lose their lives out on their own And all I remember, is thinking I wanna be like them Mmmm Ever since I was little it looked like fun It no coincidence I’ve come I can die when I’m done
Maybe I’m crazy Baby, you’re crazy Baby, we’re crazy Probably
actually, he says, "my heroes have the heart to lose their lives, i wanna live."
LOVELY
My favorite of all the covers of this song.
technicolor_dreams, my thoughts exactly.
What a great version! Here are the chords so you can play along:
Gm F Cm7 D7
The first verse after the chorus, you play "G" instead of the minor. Enjoy!