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.
Let me wrap myself around you
You'll show me how I see it
And when you come back in from nowhere
Do you ever think of me?
Your heart, not able
Let me show you how much I care
I need those eyes to tide me over
I'll take your picture when I go
Gives me strength and gives me patience
But I'll never let you know
I got nothing on you, babe
But I always said I'll try
Let me show you
How much I care
Sometimes it gets hard
Don't you know?
[Chorus x 3]
Don't give the ghost up
Just clench your fist
You should know by now
You were on my list
Your heart, not able
Your ways - they're not able
Let me show you
How much I care
Sometimes it gets hard
And don't ya know?
[Chorus x 3]
When you rock and roll with me
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
When you rock and roll with me
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
You'll show me how I see it
And when you come back in from nowhere
Do you ever think of me?
Your heart, not able
Let me show you how much I care
I need those eyes to tide me over
I'll take your picture when I go
Gives me strength and gives me patience
But I'll never let you know
I got nothing on you, babe
But I always said I'll try
Let me show you
How much I care
Sometimes it gets hard
Don't you know?
[Chorus x 3]
Don't give the ghost up
Just clench your fist
You should know by now
You were on my list
Your heart, not able
Your ways - they're not able
Let me show you
How much I care
Sometimes it gets hard
And don't ya know?
[Chorus x 3]
When you rock and roll with me
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
When you rock and roll with me
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
Lyrics submitted by foldsbaldwin, edited by Calibron, reapthedream
My List Lyrics as written by Dave Brent Keuning Brandon Flowers
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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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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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
I finally understand this song after going through probably the biggest heartbreak of my entire life. I see it as these two people were horribly in love and now something happened between them and the other person is trying their best to get them back and to show them how much they mean to them. The line about the eyes gets to me more than any other phrase ever could. So here is my very personal and emo interpretation of "My List".
Let me wrap myself around you Let show me show you how I see it And when you come back in from nowhere Do you ever think of me? Your heart, not able Let me show you, how much I care
[Let me hold you and love you and I can show you where you've gone wrong. I can show you the way I see; I see we can be happy if you'd let me explain to you how I feel. Now that you've left me, do you think of me as much as I think of you? I know that your heart isn't able to love me like it was able and I know you're scared to love me again, but I could fix it if you could give me a chance to show you how much you mean to me.]
I need those eyes to tide me over I'll take your picture when I go Gives me strength and gives me patience But I'll never let you know I got nothing on you babe But I always said I'll try Let me show you How much I care Sometimes it gets hard Don't you know?
[Your eyes are, and have always been, the one thing that could pull me through the worst. I'll take your picture with me now that I can't have those eyes. I need them give me strength and hope in life and you could never understand what they mean to me. Even though you've hurt me, I've got nothing on you. I don't want to get back at you. I always told you I'd always love you and I'd always try to keep you, so I'm going to hold up to my word and do whatever I can to keep you by my side. We both know that love is hard, but you have to try when things seem the bleakest.]
Don’t give the ghost up just clench your fist You should have known by now You were on my list (x3)
Your heart, not able Your ways, they're not able Let me show you (x3) How much I care
[Please, just don't give up on us. Be strong and I know we can make it. After all this time, you should've know that I love you more than anything. Again, I know your heart is scared to love me and you don't know if you can anymore. But I can show you something new if you'd give me and us one more chance.]
Lyndz
Brandon said he wrote it for his wife so basically it's a love song.
some corrections
"let you show me how I see" "your heart, is not able" "i got nothing on you, baby" "sometimes it gets hard and dont you know" " your heart is not able and your prayers, theyre not fables"
Makes me cry every time
mtv.com/music/the_leak/
i think this song is about a man who has gone to war and how a lot of soldiers make a death letter before they die, he talks about this girl and how she is the reason he is perservering....
also, i think it could be about a criminal going to prison and is missing his girl
these lyrics are wrong, well at least the chorus is...i think these are right
Let me wrap myself around you Let you show me how I see it And when you come back in from nowhere Do you ever think of me? Your heart, is not able Let me show you, how much I care I need those eyes to tide me over I'll take your picture when I go Gives me strength and gives me patience But I'll never let you know I got nothing on you baby But I always said I'll try Let me show you How much I care Sometimes it gets hard Don't you know?
Don't give the ghost ??? just clench your fist touch your face You should know by now You were on my list (x3)
Your heart, is not able Your prayers, they're not fables Let me show you (x3) How much I care
When you rock and roll with me There's nowhere else I'd rather be When you rock and roll with me There's nowhere else I'd rather be
some parts are not spot on but it sounds like the right lines
When you rock and roll with me There's nowhere else I'd rather be When you rock and roll with me There's nowhere else I'd rather be
This bit isnt in the copy i have
Wow the new album is awesome.. this song is beautiful, probably my favourite so far
The 'when you rock and roll with me' part is only sung in live versions...