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.
A surf rock man from the land of plenty
Surf rock mess with no surf but pine trees
Struck by being ashamed of your old space
Just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair
And you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the
Shade of the palm tree scene
And said, "Of what a drag!
Oh what a backwards scheme,
'cause here things go from gray
To gray and back to gray again
And they get green and go to gray
And back to gray again"
[Repeat: x12]
So he said," Head south!"
Struck by being ashamed of your old space
Just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair
And you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the
Shape of the palm tree scene
Surrounded, cut off jeans
And cut off jeans and cut off
Jeans are what you mean
[Repeat: x12]
When you say, "Head south!"
Surf rock mess with no surf but pine trees
Struck by being ashamed of your old space
Just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair
And you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the
Shade of the palm tree scene
And said, "Of what a drag!
Oh what a backwards scheme,
'cause here things go from gray
To gray and back to gray again
And they get green and go to gray
And back to gray again"
[Repeat: x12]
So he said," Head south!"
Struck by being ashamed of your old space
Just wanting that mean heat
You bleached your hair
And you pawned your skis
And then you sold out for the
Shape of the palm tree scene
Surrounded, cut off jeans
And cut off jeans and cut off
Jeans are what you mean
[Repeat: x12]
When you say, "Head south!"
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Holiday
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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.
The lyrics posted here are incorrect. I believe the correct lyrics are as follows:
A surf rock band from the land of plenty Surf rock bands with no surf, just pine trees Start by being ashamed of your old space Just wanting that mean heat You bleached your hair and you pawned your skis And then you sold out for the shade of the palm tree scene And said, "Oh what a drag! Oh what a backwards scheme!" Cuz here things go from grey to grey and back to grey again And they get green and go to grey and go back to grey again So he said,
"Head south!" [x16]
Struck by being ashamed of your old space Just wanting that mean heat You bleached your hair and you pawned your skis And then you sold out for the shade of the palm tree scene Sit around in cut-off jeans and cut-off jeans are What you mean when you say,
"Head south!" [x12]
I'm not sure about a few parts.......in the third line, the word "start" might be "stuck" or "struck", and the word "shade"(first section, sixth line/second section, fourth line) might be "shape" or "shake". Other than that, I think it's all correct.
@To Xi Ci Ty Definitely "struck" and "shade".
maybe i'm just locked in the PNW theme, but it seems to me to be criticizing all those bands (or whatever else) that bailed on the PNW for CA. HERE (in the pnw) shit goes from grey to grey to green (clouds, more clouds, lots of green from the rain). things happen slow here and the action is all down south. even norcal (not mention socal) has more going on, it seems like sometimes, than seattle or portland or auburn or issaquah or the aroma (tacoma). we got rallies for nader and long grey beat down winter. you probably got crappy surf rock cred if your band practices in a place evergreen trees cover the hills, shorts are a no-no, where beaches are made of rock and only maniac try swimming in 40 degree water. socal is where THE SHIT for showbiz happens. people want to bail on the pacific northwest and head for browner but hipper pastures--for where the action is rather than working your shit out at home. head for the warm climate and the hot scene--and pretend like you've been there the whole time. you sold out for palm tree seen. socal maybe where the shit is but where your soul ain't.
i wear shorts all the time and i live in auburn lol. but im pretty sure this is how about people and bands head to socal or phx to make it big. and it doesn't hurt to sleep outside there haha like it does here
We have a good indie scene here. If you are some shitty poprock (i think "surf rock" is a way of saying generic popular rock that wont be popular for very long) band maybe moving to LA would do you good, but Seattle and PDX are just as good (if not better) of places for indie bands.
kpt, I think bands' sound changing is a tricky topic. Obviously good bands will have something unique which is what endears them to us, and it's sad and shit when they lose that special something. At the same time, you can't expect or want them to just remain static and not develop at all.
If a band intentionally decided to write more poppy music for monetary reasons then I agree that we should scorn such a move, but the tricky thing is discerning whether or not this is the situation. In the case of Modest Mouse, I think it's more likely just a reflection of Isaac's changing world view.
If you look at his early career, he's driving round the PNW, he's living in a flooded house with his parents divorced, he's questioning the point of his existence. These emotions are reflected in the rough emotional early music.
In later albums though, it seems evident to me that his world view has changed. Lyrics from songs such as "Float On", "We've Got Everything" and "People as Places as People" really suggest to me that he's mellowed out a lot and moved to a state of being grateful for everything he's got and loving of the people around him.
If you're not filled with doubt and longing it's ingenuous and fake to keep writing music as if you are, just to keep the original fans happy. Personally, I'm happy for Isaac if my interpretation's correct and he really has found himself at a good point in life.
I think the song is about leaving the seasonal depression of the the north, for the stagnant depression of the south. It's a grass is always greener on the other side mentality that alot of people have. All the interesting people leave the place the grew up in. Interesting people want change and a change of environment from the places you grew up to the places where you end up, The problem is losing what makes you, you in the proceses of moving around.
Coming from Ohio, I have to listen to all the whiners saying how "this state is so boring, I can't wait to get out of here!" And that's what this song is all about. People bailing out of Washington because (sarcastically) it's a "backward scheme." Gotta love the Mouse.
to me this song means being ashamed of who you are so you try to be someone your not then possibly realizing its crappy trying to not be yourself ,by the lyrics----- " And said, "Of what a drag! Oh what a backwards scheme, Cuz here things go from grey To grey and back to grey again And they get green and go to grey And back to grey again"
well its simple it makes me fel good so yeah good way to sum it up ya ?
its one of the most light songs on long drive.
just making fun of all the wananbe surfer kids in WA. it perfectly describes the weather there. but yeah basically its about going south to cali. because theres no surf in washington, just pine trees. really.
mousefan pretty much got it right from my point of view.
I agree with you kingleroythompson. I'm to from Ohio and I know all the whiners.. hell i'm one. What there trieng to say is no matter where you go your going to feel the same way about yourself. plus everyone likes a change of scenery. It makes them feel good.. temporaraly. Untill they get bored of it again and realize that wasn't there problem in the first place.