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.
I can see how you are beautiful, can you feel my eyes on you,
I'm shy and turn my head away
Working late in diner Citylite, I see that you get home alright
Make sure that you can't see me, hoping you will see me
Sometimes I'm Wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana (can you?)
I see you in Citylite diner serving all those meals and then
I see reflection of me in your eye, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
Obsessed by you, your looks, well, anyway "I would any day die for you",
I write on paper & erased away
Still I sit in diner Citylite, drinking coffee or reading lies
Turn my head and I can see you, could that really be you
Sometimes I'm wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana?
I see your beautiful smile and I would like to run away from
Reflections of me in your eyes, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
I see, can't have you, can't leave you there 'cause I must sometimes see you
And I don't understand how you can keep me in chains
And every waken hour, I feel you taking power from me and I can't leave
Repeating the scenery over again
Sometimes I'm wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana?
I see your pityful smile and I would like to run away from
Reflections of me in your eyes, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
Oh baby talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you
I'm shy can't you
I'm shy can't you see
I'm shy and turn my head away
Working late in diner Citylite, I see that you get home alright
Make sure that you can't see me, hoping you will see me
Sometimes I'm Wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana (can you?)
I see you in Citylite diner serving all those meals and then
I see reflection of me in your eye, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
Obsessed by you, your looks, well, anyway "I would any day die for you",
I write on paper & erased away
Still I sit in diner Citylite, drinking coffee or reading lies
Turn my head and I can see you, could that really be you
Sometimes I'm wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana?
I see your beautiful smile and I would like to run away from
Reflections of me in your eyes, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
I see, can't have you, can't leave you there 'cause I must sometimes see you
And I don't understand how you can keep me in chains
And every waken hour, I feel you taking power from me and I can't leave
Repeating the scenery over again
Sometimes I'm wondering why you look me and you blink your eye
You can't be acting like my Dana?
I see your pityful smile and I would like to run away from
Reflections of me in your eyes, oh please
Talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you see
Oh baby talk to me, show some pity
You touch me in many, many ways
But I'm shy can't you
I'm shy can't you
I'm shy can't you see
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
hey there everybody....well in this part of the song "You can't be acting like my Dana.."dose this have any relation to the sone Letter to Dana?! and also the song Last Drop Falls? in this 2 songs he seem's to talk about a girl that had lost her way and gone with the sin....any hints or clues?.....is this Dana mean's anything to Tony Kakko the vocal?