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.
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
I hate a jealous man, one who doesn't understand
That I'm attractive so of course men want to take my hand
And lead me off around the corner or maybe to their place
But when they speak, you get mad jumping all up in they face
But on the other hand when women come and speak to you
You kiss and hug 'em like it's something that you let me do
You're only jealous 'cause you know that ish you put me through
I might turn right around and do that ish to you
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
I hate a lying dude, one who doesn't know the rules
If you goin' cheat, burn the receipt from the hotel room
But instead you're up in my face saying you were at friends
But they all call, asking me where the hell you been
Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place (what would you do?)
(What if) was all up in my face? (what would you say, baby?)
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
I hate a jealous man, one who doesn't understand
That I'm attractive so of course men want to take my hand
And lead me off around the corner or maybe to their place
But when they speak, you get mad jumping all up in they face
But on the other hand when women come and speak to you
You kiss and hug 'em like it's something that you let me do
You're only jealous 'cause you know that ish you put me through
I might turn right around and do that ish to you
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
I hate a lying dude, one who doesn't know the rules
If you goin' cheat, burn the receipt from the hotel room
But instead you're up in my face saying you were at friends
But they all call, asking me where the hell you been
Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place (what would you do?)
(What if) was all up in my face? (what would you say, baby?)
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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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.
This is about a woman who is in a relationship with a man. the woman is fed up with him cuz he is being unfair. the man gets all jealous when guyz even talk to her but when he talks to woman, he is all over them. and he cheats on her and doesnt even bother gettin rid of the evidence. and aaliyah is speaking for all the woman who r going through the same stuff she is. and during the chorus, she is asking her man all these what ifs. like what would he do if this happened.
@Tribabe2007 Omg you explained this perfectly!!!
i agree with tribabe but that is only half of the story. there is another story on an allegorical level, a technique that has its roots way back to negroe spirituals and soul music. she uses the guise of a bad relationship to tell about the bigger relationship between black people and the racism that still exists although many people dont see it. she most explicitly makes reference to this in the lyrics:
Why they keep treatin us this way I guess it's a little game we play We'll burn you (oh), we'll cut you (oh) We'll kill you (oh) We don't have to take it no more
many r & B and souls artists tend to sing about love but if you know the history you can hear what they are really talking about.
It's actually "Hot grits is a new game we play". PERFECTION.