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.
You're so happy now
Burning the candle at both ends
Your self-loving soothes
And softens the blows you've invented
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
The crack's healing up
Future self, forgive this mess
You waste twenty years
And wind up alone, demented
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
Burning the candle at both ends
Your self-loving soothes
And softens the blows you've invented
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
The crack's healing up
Future self, forgive this mess
You waste twenty years
And wind up alone, demented
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
Breathe in deep
And cleanse away our sins
And we'll pray that there's no God
To punish us and make a fuss
Lyrics submitted by TheColombianGod
Fury Lyrics as written by Matthew James Bellamy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
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i sort of agree with both russellhg and cowardm; i think matt bellamy is saying well how do these people know there is a god they sin and then they pray never really knowing if there is a god. praying that there is no god to punish them for thier sins. like who would they be praying to? like just making sure they will get into heaven just in case there is one but still not really believing in god. well thats that bit over... i think the rest of the song is about someone going through a period of rehabilitation or (erm waddaya call it) like seeing the right way and making up for the bad things they have done. like a criminal or a druggie. cleansing thier sins and making them feel better about themselves ("softening the blows youve invented") letting go all the shite and fear of rejection. ah well just how i interpret it...
I'm amazed at how few people get the irony in the chorus.
I personally love it. "We'll pray there's no God" is one of my favourite lines, ever.
i totally agree. i love how paradoxical that line is.
Actually, I had the same thought about a homosexual relationship.
It's kind of like two people of the same gender are in love and their sort of picking fun at the fact that religion and "God" says it's a "sin" to be the way they are.
All in all.. I think it's just saying that no matter what religious idiots think, homosexuality isn't something God will punish us for.
i think there is intentional irony when matt says "we'll PRAY that there's no god". well, who are you going to pray to? he could have used the word "hope" just as easily (no it wouldn't sound right to us, but had he done it we would have thought "pray" wouldn't sound right). i think it's an acknowledgement of humanities depravity. bellamy is saying that if there's no god then our actions are existential and relative and there is no "wrong", but if there is a god then he will punish us for our right and wrong even though he put pain in the world. religiously i would probably ahve to disagree with bellamy, but that's none the less what i got out of the lyrics.
Er...Computer glitch. Can't delete comments, unfortunately. Sorry for the repost.
lets hope its not about gay/lesbian relationships....
wow thats a really original thought of the song....i like it
It's some sort of illicit relationship anyway, not necessarily homosexual. The ultimate agnostic's chorus: And we'll pray that there's no God to punish us... Love it.
Right no offence but this song is not about gay/lesbian relationships. At all. I recon its about someone who is in a bit of a state. Their obsessed about themselves excluding everyone and everything. They know what they are doing "Future soul forgive this mess" but cant stop. They cant even look to God for guidance or help as they are so messed up.
I would have ot say this song has a more general meaning which happens to be quite obvious. To me this sounds to be the song for dying masses if you will. A discription of the thoughts of all. If you believe in God or not I am sure there is some sort of doubt in your mind. The sins of today will most likely be forgotten but you pray you will not have to have an eternity of suffering for something so miniscule.