So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
It's crazy but I'm frightened by the sound of the telephone, oh yeah
I'm worried that the caller might have awful news, oh my'
Who knows these days where on earth the money goes, oh yeah
No doubt we could put it to a better use, oh my
You keep insisting that nobody showed you how to keep relationships, oh yeah
Your daddy made a real good try, oh my
You said you knew all along
We could work it out, oh yeah
Do you have to make a fuss every time we fly
Oh I'm looking for clues
I have to make an effort now I just to be serious, oh yeah
Nobody's gonna give you the benefit of the doubt, oh my
Every time I pick a paper up it's harder to believe the news, oh yeah
I'm gonna have to shake it up and twist and shout, oh my
You can't do nothing that you don't put your mind to, oh yeah
I suspected all along you were a dream come true, oh my
I'm never in the dark 'cause my heart keeps me well informed, oh yeah
I'm convinced that there's a way of getting through to you
Ooh I'm looking for clues
It's crazy but I'm frightened by the sound of relationships, oh yeah
I swear we could put it to a better use, oh my
Do hurry baby you've forgotten how to catch a night groove, oh yeah
You told all the callers you were not amused oh I'm looking for clues
You keep insisting that nobody showed you how to use a telephone, oh yeah
Nobody's gonna give you a second chance, oh my
I don't have to make an effort now to find out where the money goes, oh yeah
Do you have to make a fuss every time we dance
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Do ya do ya do ya do ya
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Do ya do ya do ya do ya
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
I'm worried that the caller might have awful news, oh my'
Who knows these days where on earth the money goes, oh yeah
No doubt we could put it to a better use, oh my
You keep insisting that nobody showed you how to keep relationships, oh yeah
Your daddy made a real good try, oh my
You said you knew all along
We could work it out, oh yeah
Do you have to make a fuss every time we fly
Oh I'm looking for clues
I have to make an effort now I just to be serious, oh yeah
Nobody's gonna give you the benefit of the doubt, oh my
Every time I pick a paper up it's harder to believe the news, oh yeah
I'm gonna have to shake it up and twist and shout, oh my
You can't do nothing that you don't put your mind to, oh yeah
I suspected all along you were a dream come true, oh my
I'm never in the dark 'cause my heart keeps me well informed, oh yeah
I'm convinced that there's a way of getting through to you
Ooh I'm looking for clues
It's crazy but I'm frightened by the sound of relationships, oh yeah
I swear we could put it to a better use, oh my
Do hurry baby you've forgotten how to catch a night groove, oh yeah
You told all the callers you were not amused oh I'm looking for clues
You keep insisting that nobody showed you how to use a telephone, oh yeah
Nobody's gonna give you a second chance, oh my
I don't have to make an effort now to find out where the money goes, oh yeah
Do you have to make a fuss every time we dance
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Do ya do ya do ya do ya
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Do ya do ya do ya do ya
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Ooh I'm looking for clues
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Looking for Clues Lyrics as written by Robert Allan Palmer
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
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.
Jesse with the long hair....
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Robert Earl Keen, Jr.
Classic love story true to his western tx roots. One of my favorites as a story, but I think there are alot of songs that are amazing not even listed on this site. I guess I should figure out how to add them, because I have about 8 REK cd's.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
This song (released 31 October 1980) sounds a lot like Paul McCartney's "Coming Up" (released 11 April 1980). Subconscious plagiarism?
@revolver314 how strange. Today I heard coming up by Paul McCartney and thought this sounds an awful lot like Looking For Clues by Robert Palmer. I also came here to see which song came out first! Nice to know someone else had the same thought as me in 2021.
Great Unique song