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.
Oh, I've just come from the land of the sun
From a war that must be won in the name of truth
With our soldiers so brave your freedom we will save
With our rifles and grenades and some help from God
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
You just can't believe the joy I did receive
When I finally got my leave and I was going home
Oh, I flew through the sky, my convictions could not lie
For my country I would die, and I will see it soon
And I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
When I walked through the door my wife she lay upon the floor
And with tears her eyes did soar, I did not know why
Then I looked into her hand and I saw the telegram
Said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
From a war that must be won in the name of truth
With our soldiers so brave your freedom we will save
With our rifles and grenades and some help from God
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
You just can't believe the joy I did receive
When I finally got my leave and I was going home
Oh, I flew through the sky, my convictions could not lie
For my country I would die, and I will see it soon
And I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
When I walked through the door my wife she lay upon the floor
And with tears her eyes did soar, I did not know why
Then I looked into her hand and I saw the telegram
Said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Love Vigilantes Lyrics as written by Peter Hook Stephen Paul David Morris
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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he just came from the "Land of the Sun" - that's Argentina, this song is about a soldier who died fighting in the Malvina's (Falkland Islands) war between Argentina and Britain in 1982. the song was my favorite song back then, being the child of a warrior myself, and now that i travel to Argentina regularly it really has meaning.
Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner! This is by far the most logical war they were singing about. I was confused into thinking "Land of the Sun" meant Japan (Land of the Rising Sun), which would have meant the justifiable WWII (if any war can indeed be justifiable). Another point of confusion was Britain was largely not a part of the Pacific theater. <br /> <br /> But now you've helped me realize the hint of sarcasm in the lyrics is there because the Falkland War was fought by the British Empire and was highly unjustifiable. Plus consider that New Order was British and that that CD was released in 1985, the Falkland wars being fought 3 years earlier and fresh on the minds of the British people.
Argentina is called the Land of the Sun, because of the sun on it's flag. So this answer is definitely correct. Also, based on the end of the song I believe the soldier did in fact die, and came home as a spirit to see his family one last time.