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.
The things you do, aren't good for my health
The moves you make, you make for yourself
The means you use, aren't meant to confuse
Although they do, they're the ones that I would choose
And I wouldn't want it any other way
You wouldn't let me anyway
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
The lies you tell, aren't meant to deceive
They're not there for me to believe
I've heard, your vicious words
You know by now, it takes a lot to see me hurt
And I couldn't take it any other way
But there's a price I have to pay
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
The moves you make, you make for yourself
The means you use, aren't meant to confuse
Although they do, they're the ones that I would choose
And I wouldn't want it any other way
You wouldn't let me anyway
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
The lies you tell, aren't meant to deceive
They're not there for me to believe
I've heard, your vicious words
You know by now, it takes a lot to see me hurt
And I couldn't take it any other way
But there's a price I have to pay
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
Dangerous
When I am in your arms
Dangerous
Know I will come to harm
Dangerous
The way you leave me wanting more
Dangerous
That's what I want you for
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its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
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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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Love the song. I think it's about being in an abusive relationship, but almost enjoying it. The person just keeps bringing you down, but it's like a breath of fresh air. Even knowing that it's going to hurt you, you go on with it.
It' about being in a harmful relationship. But, as he's smitten with her, even though he knows he shouldn't be with her, he's so drawn to her that he won't dare leave. If anything, her callous, devious ways make him want her even more.
He is claerly a cheater, who is falling in love with his misstress. He knows he can´t have her, but wants her anyway. He knows that their love is impossible, and must end some day, and when the day comes, he will get hurt, but his feelings for her, are to powerfull to stop in time. Very powerfull song, hope he gets her some day.
I think it's about two people who are having an affair for different reasons and with different motives. The cheater always longing for something better, is completely driven by his immediate emotions, and is hunting the short moments in life, where everything makes sense. He has the wrong eyes on the wrong prize.<br /> <br /> The mistress sees what he is doing, and understands him and his motives, but she just can’t help falling in love with him anyway. She knows that whatever short moments of true happiness they share, and whatever love they think they feel, could never be converted to the real life. <br /> <br /> <br /> It was just a dreaming. <br />
I share and understand your point of view, FreudianSkank, it sound very professional. I personally think that he are so lost in the mistress, that he is ready to do everything, just to have her, maby even for live, hopeing that she will one day realize, that she have moore too gain, than loose, and that live is short, and before you know it, its over. So if you get a shot at what you think is real love, grab the chance.
i think song is incredibly sexy. ironically, it describes a person who is aware of the damaging dynamics of a relationship with this person who is Dangerous. the speaker knows very well that this is not a good thing for him, but he cannot help himself to want more and more... entirely at his expense.
it is certainly a sucky situation, but i love this song for it's ability to describe that crazy love/addiction to someone that leads a person to make bad choices for themselves, while draped in incredibly hot sounds and tone. so often, it's that risky arousal that drives us to this level of passionate self-desctruction.
one of my friends started singing this song except slower and off key... and then we all got addicted to it it's a great song, though, now that I know it.