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.
Life goes on day after day, after day, after day
Who-ha who-ha
Who-ha who-ha
Ha
The animals are winding me up
The jungle call
The jungle call
Who-ha who-ha who-ha who-ha
In Xanadu did Kublai Khan
A pleasure dome erect
Moving on keep moving on, yeah
Moving at one million miles an hour
Using my power
I sell it by the hour
I have it so I market it
You really can't afford it, yeah
Really can't afford it
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasure dome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasure dome
Moving on, keep moving on
I will give you diamonds by the shower
Love your body even when it's old
Do it just as only I can do it
And never, ever doing what I'm told
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top, yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome
Keep moving on
Gotta reach the top
Don't stop
Lay lovin' light, all mine
Keep moving on
Yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
There goes a supernova
Who-ha who-ha
Welcome to the pleasure dome
Who-ha who-ha
Going home where lovers roam
Who-ha who-ha
Welcome to the pleasure dome
(erect)
Who-ha who-ha
War is won
Who-ha who-ha
War is won
Uh, uh, uh
Boy, boy, boy
Uh, uh, uh
Keep moving on
Gotta reach the top
Don't stop
Layin' love in lines, all mine
Keep moving on, oh yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Who-ha who-ha
There goes a supernova
Who-ha who-ha
What a pushover
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
Ha, we're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
On your way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome (who-ha who-ha)
(Who-ha who-ha)
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Welcome
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha ha
Welcome
Who-ha who-ha
Who-ha who-ha
Ha
The animals are winding me up
The jungle call
The jungle call
Who-ha who-ha who-ha who-ha
In Xanadu did Kublai Khan
A pleasure dome erect
Moving on keep moving on, yeah
Moving at one million miles an hour
Using my power
I sell it by the hour
I have it so I market it
You really can't afford it, yeah
Really can't afford it
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasure dome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasure dome
Moving on, keep moving on
I will give you diamonds by the shower
Love your body even when it's old
Do it just as only I can do it
And never, ever doing what I'm told
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top, yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome
Keep moving on
Gotta reach the top
Don't stop
Lay lovin' light, all mine
Keep moving on
Yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
There goes a supernova
Who-ha who-ha
Welcome to the pleasure dome
Who-ha who-ha
Going home where lovers roam
Who-ha who-ha
Welcome to the pleasure dome
(erect)
Who-ha who-ha
War is won
Who-ha who-ha
War is won
Uh, uh, uh
Boy, boy, boy
Uh, uh, uh
Keep moving on
Gotta reach the top
Don't stop
Layin' love in lines, all mine
Keep moving on, oh yeah
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Shooting stars never stop
Who-ha who-ha
There goes a supernova
Who-ha who-ha
What a pushover
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top
There goes a supernova
What a pushover
There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah
Ha, we're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
On your way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the pleasure dome (who-ha who-ha)
(Who-ha who-ha)
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Welcome
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
The world is my oyster
Ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha ha
Welcome
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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.
Oh damn, my English teacher always says. "Welcome to the pleaserdome" But now i know how he got with that line. Just sick Cause if this isn't about sex?what is it about?
Actually, that the pleasure dome reference in this is from a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is trippy and illegedly inspired by a morphene (?) dream. So... You're English teacher is making a drug reference, too.
Or he's just calling your class surreal, which would be my guess.
"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasuredome decree" (in Coleridge's original!)
Colerdige actually made up the song during an opium dream.
wow, so heard this song for the first time today and wondering WHY this band wasn't more popular in the United States! Relax, Two Tribes, and this one are all great songs
Actually Two Tribes and Relax were hits in the US. Just and FYI from someone who lived during those years.