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.
I can't stand it, I know you planned it
I'mma set it straight, this Watergate
I can't stand rockin' when I'm in here
'Cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this fuckin' thorn in my side
Oh my god, it's a mirage
I'm tellin' y'all, it's sabotage
So, so, so, so listen up, 'cause you can't say nothin'
You'll shut me down with a push of your button
But, yo, I'm out and I'm gone
I'll tell you now, I keep it on and on
'Cause what you see, you might not get
And we can bet, so don't you get souped yet
Scheming on a thing, that's a mirage
I'm trying to tell you now, it's sabotage
Why
Our backs are now against the wall
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
I can't stand it, I know you planned it
I'mma set it straight, this Watergate
But I can't stand rockin' when I'm in this place
Because I feel disgrace because you're all in my face
But make no mistakes and switch up my channel
I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle
What could it be, it's a mirage
You're scheming on a thing, that's sabotage
I'mma set it straight, this Watergate
I can't stand rockin' when I'm in here
'Cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this fuckin' thorn in my side
Oh my god, it's a mirage
I'm tellin' y'all, it's sabotage
So, so, so, so listen up, 'cause you can't say nothin'
You'll shut me down with a push of your button
But, yo, I'm out and I'm gone
I'll tell you now, I keep it on and on
'Cause what you see, you might not get
And we can bet, so don't you get souped yet
Scheming on a thing, that's a mirage
I'm trying to tell you now, it's sabotage
Why
Our backs are now against the wall
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
Listen all y'all, it's a sabotage
I can't stand it, I know you planned it
I'mma set it straight, this Watergate
But I can't stand rockin' when I'm in this place
Because I feel disgrace because you're all in my face
But make no mistakes and switch up my channel
I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle
What could it be, it's a mirage
You're scheming on a thing, that's sabotage
Lyrics submitted by piesupreme, edited by ExitLight7
Sabotage Lyrics as written by Adam Nathaniel Yauch Adam Horovitz
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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First of all, i dont think that "My favorite song by The Beastie Boys" and "This songs rocks!" are anything to do with the meanings of songs. You are destroying this site.
The song to me, is talking about a partner of his who is being drawn away by another guy who is using smoke and mirrors to get her away from him. He is aware of this but does she know he knows?
I agree that those 2 phrases have nothing to do with what the song is about & I think it's probably wrong to leave such a simple comment about a great song like Sabotage. But when It comes to the Beasties, anything is valid. Beastie songs are usually a collage of ideas, quotes, references, samples,........<br /> <br /> Foe example:<br /> <br /> "I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle"<br /> <br /> This line is in reference to famous drummer Buddy Rich & his "Bus Tapes". The bus tapes are recordings that a band member made secretly while riding on the tour bus with Buddy Rich. These tapes are of Buddy Rich going off on his band, telling them that they aren't good enough to keep up with him. Cursing & berating members of his band for making mistakes on stage. In one of them he actually kicks a guy off the bus in the middle of nowhere. These tapes were passed around for years & can now be heard on youtube. Quite hilarious. Worth a listen.<br /> <br /> That is for just one line in this song & I could tell you a lot more about the meaning of this song that might make you think twice about the meaning that you have drawn from Sabotage. I agree with KRS's interpretation. It's kinda like his Buddy Rich style rant. But instead of going off on his bandmates, Ad Rock is talking shit to all rapper, wanna be MC's. But whatever this song means to YOU is what's important & it doesn't necessarily have to match up with what the artist meant when they wrote it. Also, in '94 I heard this song & knew that I really liked it. But I had no idea what the song was about. Saying nothing but "this song rocks" doesn't take away from the meaning of this song or diminish this site in any way. I'm happy to know that so many other people like this song. It's definitely worthy of being a favorite by anyone. Any random comment is OK here, I think.
@Pharaoh I think it could easily mean what you said. It could also be about politics, former business partners or business rivals...basically, anyone with a power trip trying to sabotage someone else who clearly sees it for what it is.