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'm sick and tired of the damn TV
I'm gonna make my own movie
I want to star in a late night show
And all I need is my video
(Shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) make it last
Curtain up let the camera roll
It's automatic it's in control
Got no script baby, ain't no lines
Just me and you and a real good time
Oh (shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) make I'll it last
(Shock me) gimme thunder 'n' lightning
(Shock me) whoa babe I need it fast
'Cause all I want is some action
Action, action, not words
Gimme action, action, action not words
C'mon and shock me
Let the cameras roll
I'll be the hero, you be the star
With your wine and your caviar
No audition, a starring roll
I'll be your Bogart 'n' you be Monroe, yeah
(Shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) whoa bump and grind
(Shock me) make a night to remember
(Shock me) do it one more time
So cut me in on the action
Lights, camera, sound, I need action
Action, action,
Gimme action, action, action not words
Let the camera roll (action, action)
Action, not words
I need a little action, action, action, action, action not words
Well, shake a little piece of your
Action, action, action, action not words
Come on, talk to me with your body
Action
I'm gonna make my own movie
I want to star in a late night show
And all I need is my video
(Shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) make it last
Curtain up let the camera roll
It's automatic it's in control
Got no script baby, ain't no lines
Just me and you and a real good time
Oh (shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) make I'll it last
(Shock me) gimme thunder 'n' lightning
(Shock me) whoa babe I need it fast
'Cause all I want is some action
Action, action, not words
Gimme action, action, action not words
C'mon and shock me
Let the cameras roll
I'll be the hero, you be the star
With your wine and your caviar
No audition, a starring roll
I'll be your Bogart 'n' you be Monroe, yeah
(Shock me) make it electric
(Shock me) whoa bump and grind
(Shock me) make a night to remember
(Shock me) do it one more time
So cut me in on the action
Lights, camera, sound, I need action
Action, action,
Gimme action, action, action not words
Let the camera roll (action, action)
Action, not words
I need a little action, action, action, action, action not words
Well, shake a little piece of your
Action, action, action, action not words
Come on, talk to me with your body
Action
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Action! Not Words Lyrics as written by Stephen Maynard Clark Robert John Lange
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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