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.
Once upon a time, not so long ago
Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike
He's down on his luck, it's tough, so tough
Gina works the diner all day, working for her man
She brings home her pay, for love, mmm, for love
She says, "We've gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot"
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Tommy's got his six string in hock, now he's holding in
When he used to make it talk so tough, ooh, it's tough
Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers
"Baby, it's okay, someday"
We've gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Livin' on a prayer
Oh, we've gotta hold on, ready or not
You live for the fight when that's all that you've got
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh
Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike
He's down on his luck, it's tough, so tough
Gina works the diner all day, working for her man
She brings home her pay, for love, mmm, for love
She says, "We've gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot"
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Tommy's got his six string in hock, now he's holding in
When he used to make it talk so tough, ooh, it's tough
Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers
"Baby, it's okay, someday"
We've gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Livin' on a prayer
Oh, we've gotta hold on, ready or not
You live for the fight when that's all that you've got
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa oh
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by bigthiccboi
Livin' On a Prayer Lyrics as written by Desmond Child Jon Bon Jovi
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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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”
Nothin like "Livin on a Prayer" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" when the girls get sloppy drunk at a party, the girls get up on the table and clothes go flying... ah I love life :)
Thanks Jon, you've got me laid quite a few times with your cheesy 80s rock, I appreciate it more then you'll ever know