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.
Turn the lights down low
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
All that's here in me
Say you want to go
So we can both break free, lady lady
You won't open up wide (oh oh)
How can you not open up wide (oh oh)
How could you do that to me, child
When you know, know I love you girl (oh oh)
Turn the lights down low
Tell me what you could see, yeah
Tell me what you know
About everything you and me
'Cause baby if you want to go
I got a place we can be, lady lady
How could you not want to want to want to
Open open wide (oh oh)
How could you make me ride (oh oh oh)
How could you, how could you do that to me, why
When you know that I love you, girl
(Know I love you girl)
Love you girl
Turn the lights down low
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
All that's here in me
Say you want to go
So we can both break free, lady lady
You won't open up wide (oh oh)
How can you not open up wide (oh oh)
How could you do that to me, child
When you know, know I love you girl (oh oh)
Turn the lights down low
Tell me what you could see, yeah
Tell me what you know
About everything you and me
'Cause baby if you want to go
I got a place we can be, lady lady
How could you not want to want to want to
Open open wide (oh oh)
How could you make me ride (oh oh oh)
How could you, how could you do that to me, why
When you know that I love you, girl
(Know I love you girl)
Love you girl
Turn the lights down low
Something you gotta see, yeah
Gotta let you know
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
W/As My Girl Lyrics as written by Maxwell Menard Hod David
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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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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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
Wow, I'm surprised no one has commented on this song. It's one of my favorite Maxwell songs.
In my opinion, the song is about yearning. He's pleading with a woman to open up and bare her soul to him, but she has her guard up. She wants to end things (possibly due to fear of getting her heart broken again?), but he feels that things are unfinished and he wants to show her how much he truly does love her.
"Turn the lights down low tell me what you could see, yeah tell me what you know about everything you and me"
This song and lyrics are so personal; I'm totally feeling Max on this one