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.
There's nothing I can say to you
Nothing I could ever do to make you see
What you mean to me
All the pain the tears I cried
Still you never said goodbye and now I know how far you'd go
I know I let you down but its not like that now
This time I'll never let you go
I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life I'll be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
I thought that I had every thing I didn't know what life could bring
But now I see honestly
You're the one thing I got right
The only one I let inside
Now I can breathe 'cause you're here with me
And if I let you down I'll turn it all around
Cause I would never let you go
I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life I'll be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
'Cause with out you I can't sleep
I'm not gonna ever ever let you leave
You're all I got
You're all I want
Yeah
And with out you I don't know what I'll do
I could never ever live a day with out you
Here with me do you see you're all I need
And I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life (my life) I will be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
I will be (I'll be) all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
And all my life you know I will be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
Nothing I could ever do to make you see
What you mean to me
All the pain the tears I cried
Still you never said goodbye and now I know how far you'd go
I know I let you down but its not like that now
This time I'll never let you go
I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life I'll be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
I thought that I had every thing I didn't know what life could bring
But now I see honestly
You're the one thing I got right
The only one I let inside
Now I can breathe 'cause you're here with me
And if I let you down I'll turn it all around
Cause I would never let you go
I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life I'll be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
'Cause with out you I can't sleep
I'm not gonna ever ever let you leave
You're all I got
You're all I want
Yeah
And with out you I don't know what I'll do
I could never ever live a day with out you
Here with me do you see you're all I need
And I will be all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life (my life) I will be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
I will be (I'll be) all that you want and get my self together
'Cause you keep me from falling apart
And all my life you know I will be with you forever
To get you through the day and make every thing OK
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Wow I have only heard Leona's version, but I really like Avril's.
This song is amazing. I signed up just to add the lyrics... you only got this song if you pre-ordered the CD on iTunes, but I have a feeling she'll release it as a single. If you can get your hands on a copy of this song, do so. It's just simply amazing.
A side story -- Dr. Luke co-wrote this song with Avril, and I heard it in the very very beginning stages of recording. I know Luke and he played it for me when all they had was the chorus, and I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it. It was instantly stuck in my head for months, and I've been waiting for the CD to be released so I could get the finished copy of it. It doesn't disappoint!!
I agree bscsinge, I don't usally listen to avril, but I have to admit this song did it for me, It pulled me in. Can't get enough of Avril, she really does have skill, and I like this type of music she has applyed to herself.
Great song!
I really love this song. after me and my girlfriend got back together, she asked me to listen to it, and it pretty much describes what was going on. like how yeah she did let me down, and now that we're together again, she's going to change and stuff. but the lyrics do pretty much explain the song.
the song is amazing, and i really love it. it's one of her best. =]
the girl that ive been dating loves this song. sana ako naiisip nya dito. i would be the happiest guy in the world!! hehe..
This could've been on the album.
Well I'm one of the lucky people that have this song. Also, it is pretty self explanatory, just read the lyrics.
Avril is amazing :)
i love this song from her. does anyone know where i can download it and put it on my ipod? i tried both itunes and limewire and neither of them has it.
i love this song from her. it one of my favorites. but it said that it was on itunes as a extra track i think? i hope i got it right. anyway, i couldn't find. i type in her name and clicked on all the best damn thing albums they had. the explict, clean version and the regular version. none of them had it.
this song makes me cry...mainly because my girlfriend sang it to me cause she felt bad for hurting me emotionally.....plus she gave me the lyrics and as soon as i heard her sing them i immediatly wanted this song and every now and then i cry to it... i guess it's because when Jade (gf) sang it she sounded exactly like avril lavigne.....which is awsome since avril lavigne reminds me of my girlfriend except my girlfriend is a tomboy.