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.
Falling, I'm falling
Have you ever walked through a room
But it was more like the room passed around you
Like there was a leash around your neck that pulled you through
Have you ever been at someplace
Recognizing everybody's face
Until you realized that there was no one there you knew
Well I know
Some days, my soul's confined and out of mind
Sleep forever
Some days, I'm so outshined and out of time
Have you ever
Falling, I'm falling
Have you ever buried your face in your hands
Cause no one around you understands
Or has the slightest idea what it is that makes you be
Have you ever felt like there was more
Like someone else was keeping score
And what could make you whole was simply out of reach
Well I know
Someday I'll try again and not pretend
This time forever
Someday I'll get it straight but not today
Have you ever
Falling, I'm falling
Some days, my soul's confined and out of mind
Sleep forever
Some days, my darkest friend is me again
Have you ever
Someday I'll try again and not pretend
This time forever
Someday I'll get it straight but not today
Have you ever
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to think the world is a better place
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to make the world be a better place
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to think the world is a better place
I'd like to leave the world as a better place
I'd like to think the world
Have you ever walked through a room
But it was more like the room passed around you
Like there was a leash around your neck that pulled you through
Have you ever been at someplace
Recognizing everybody's face
Until you realized that there was no one there you knew
Well I know
Some days, my soul's confined and out of mind
Sleep forever
Some days, I'm so outshined and out of time
Have you ever
Falling, I'm falling
Have you ever buried your face in your hands
Cause no one around you understands
Or has the slightest idea what it is that makes you be
Have you ever felt like there was more
Like someone else was keeping score
And what could make you whole was simply out of reach
Well I know
Someday I'll try again and not pretend
This time forever
Someday I'll get it straight but not today
Have you ever
Falling, I'm falling
Some days, my soul's confined and out of mind
Sleep forever
Some days, my darkest friend is me again
Have you ever
Someday I'll try again and not pretend
This time forever
Someday I'll get it straight but not today
Have you ever
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to think the world is a better place
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to make the world be a better place
When the truth walks away
Everybody stays
Cause the truth about the world is that crime does pay
So if you walk away
Who is gonna stay
Cause I'd like to think the world is a better place
I'd like to leave the world as a better place
I'd like to think the world
Lyrics submitted by sawg
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The first part of the song makes me believe that he's like very drunk or maybe even stoned. Dunno..I kinda get exact feeling, when I'm drunk. But then the song developes into something..kinda like kmb13 said, I guess? Well wtw..when i was younger I liked that song very much, I've even listened offspring back then. But now I haven't heard them for ages. Americana was good, though as far as I remember.