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.
My mind's an ashtray full of ashes
Lick the tears from my eyelashes
Oh, whatever will I see that's good
He plays a really mean guitar
She smokes a really big cigar
I'd love to love ya, if only I could
Her love is, oh so, shiny wet
Keeps a bald peacock for a pet
Can you ever understand how I feel?
Miss Jenifa, my private dancer
Miss Nina, to whom I answer
Kari says we're the only ones who are real
So, when I dream on Sunday mornin'
And my lover right beside me keeps on snorin'
I wonder if my dog's in heaven,
And I wonder when I'll see her again
Psycho-pharmacology
Has never found a friend in me,
But I'll eat sugar cubes all day and night
Those ducklings are never ugly
So, she sells herself by the sea
I'll bake her a cake, be it wrong or right
The caterpillar and the spider
Turn the screws a little tighter
Can you ever understand my feeling?
Gail G., my inspiration,
Miss Denise should run the nation
Isabel tortures me with sex appeal
So, when I dream on Sunday mornin'
And my lover right beside me keeps on snorin'
I wonder if my dog's in heaven,
And I wonder when I'll see her again
(Yer really takin' me fer a ride
Yer a wise guy, anyway
I never had a place to hide except my brain!)
Lick the tears from my eyelashes
Oh, whatever will I see that's good
He plays a really mean guitar
She smokes a really big cigar
I'd love to love ya, if only I could
Her love is, oh so, shiny wet
Keeps a bald peacock for a pet
Can you ever understand how I feel?
Miss Jenifa, my private dancer
Miss Nina, to whom I answer
Kari says we're the only ones who are real
So, when I dream on Sunday mornin'
And my lover right beside me keeps on snorin'
I wonder if my dog's in heaven,
And I wonder when I'll see her again
Psycho-pharmacology
Has never found a friend in me,
But I'll eat sugar cubes all day and night
Those ducklings are never ugly
So, she sells herself by the sea
I'll bake her a cake, be it wrong or right
The caterpillar and the spider
Turn the screws a little tighter
Can you ever understand my feeling?
Gail G., my inspiration,
Miss Denise should run the nation
Isabel tortures me with sex appeal
So, when I dream on Sunday mornin'
And my lover right beside me keeps on snorin'
I wonder if my dog's in heaven,
And I wonder when I'll see her again
(Yer really takin' me fer a ride
Yer a wise guy, anyway
I never had a place to hide except my brain!)
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
The Peacock Song Lyrics as written by Peter Karroll Beth Nicole Hopkins
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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?
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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.
It's about the fact that the best friend that she's ever had was her dog. She can't wait for the day when she gets to be with her true companion again.