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.
Torment the tortured, teach me things
I'm so alive
Speak to the speechless
Seek the things
You have inside
You can hunt for the hunter
He's got nowhere to hide
You can seek with the seeker
But hold on for the ride
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Give me a half a chance
From throwing it all away
Run to the place that hides the pain
You have inside
Cover my chain it hides the strain
Only to glide
You can hunt for the hunter
He's got nowhere to hide
You can seek with the seeker
But hold on for the ride
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Give me a half a chance
From throwing it all away
There's nowhere to turn to nowhere
There's nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
There is nowhere to turn to nowhere
There is nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
Oh-oh, oh-oh
It's too late, time is gone
Later on again 'cause no one's leaving
It's too late, time is gone
Later on again 'cause no one's leaving
Now
Look away
There's nowhere to turn to nowhere
There's nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
There is nowhere to turn to nowhere
There is nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
Oh-oh, oh-oh
I'm so alive
Speak to the speechless
Seek the things
You have inside
You can hunt for the hunter
He's got nowhere to hide
You can seek with the seeker
But hold on for the ride
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Give me a half a chance
From throwing it all away
Run to the place that hides the pain
You have inside
Cover my chain it hides the strain
Only to glide
You can hunt for the hunter
He's got nowhere to hide
You can seek with the seeker
But hold on for the ride
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Keep it coming I'm going all the way
Give me a half a chance
From throwing it all away
There's nowhere to turn to nowhere
There's nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
There is nowhere to turn to nowhere
There is nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
Oh-oh, oh-oh
It's too late, time is gone
Later on again 'cause no one's leaving
It's too late, time is gone
Later on again 'cause no one's leaving
Now
Look away
There's nowhere to turn to nowhere
There's nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
There is nowhere to turn to nowhere
There is nowhere to run
You can fly with the fader, fly it
Fly it on the run
Oh-oh, oh-oh
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This song is purely amazing! I think it's the 'Still Remains' version for the No.4 album lol, it really reminds me of that song but it's still just beautiful
i have to agree with some of the people here i believe this song is about overcoming something/someone who is holding you back from reaching your full potential
however id like to point out the irony of the title of the song the fact that one is gliding instead of flying says alot when you glide you are up high but you are not flying and will eventually hit the bottom and thats what i think this song is about
one of scotts best vocal performances
You made it. You're flying so high. You reached the sun. The fucking sun! But you know when you get there that the crash will be insane as well. Everyone who reached a super high point in life but had to come down afterwards will relate to this. Back to "normal life".
@FeelingShred Yes, the most amazing highs lead to the lowest of lows, in a cycle of abuse. There is nowhere to run to, nowhere / Fly it all on the run
i can definetly relate to what he's sayin here
It sounds like maybe referring to anything that helps you leave life behind not just drugs but anything else.
agreed
This is a beautiful songs really just make me fall in love with this one gurl ive liked for about 5 years now and her name is kirstie and i just cry when i hear this song cuz its toooo beautiful i just keep prayin fro Scott cuz his a good man
OMG! From the operning riff to the last bar this song scoops u up and elevates u to a place not on this earth. STP #4 is an album partially recorded while Scott was in prison and it's a miracle it even exists. Yeah, it's no Purple but has some of their best ever tracks. True they are mostly about skag addiction but the sheer intensity of them almost makes u feel like u are on drugs. Pruno, Sour Girl, Atlanta and especially Glide just take me away some place else and it's close to where Scott was at the time. I also believe he is a good man and I hope one day STP will refom and headline a rock festival.
looks like you got your wish
I love the haunting end of the song especially. This song really gives me hope for what I'm not sure. next to "I Got You" this is my fav song on No. 4
Well these lyrics above are incomplete and incorrect in numerous places but nm that... this is in my top 5 songs EVER. Amazing falcetto, beautiful musicianship (as always)... it's almost enough to make me believe in God. Probably about trying to beat addiction and save his own life.
Fuck god. We are gods. Music like this is the creation of beings from flesh and bones, not some invisible being. If there is this god they talk about, it's the ultimate absent father. Fuck him.