‘Vapor’ is yet another track from 5SOS’ sophomore studio album, Sounds Good Feels Good. It is enlisted as the ninth track from the album. The song is co-written by the band along with their producer, John Feldmann, and Simon Wilcox.
After the album’s release, ‘Vapor’ immediately became one of the fans’ favourite tracks of all time. It became a hit because of its sentimental tune and relatable lyrics.
The song tells a story about a relationship’s fall-out. Although we all look at it in different points of view, it is the story that the lyrics convey. Musically, the London Symphony Orchestra’s strings make a great combination with the band’s sound. Hence, why this track is loved and cherished greatly by the fans.
Before we get started on delving deeper into this song, we would like to state that songs are down to interpretation, and this is just one of them. The meaning we think is behind this song is not fact, and we simply would hope that you enjoy reading it; taking ideas and inspiration from it, possibly looking at the song in a different light to before.
I’ll take what you got, I know it’s not a lot, cause I just need another hit you’re the thing that I can’t quit. You got what I want, here but then you’re gone if you told me that we were through you know that I would break the truth.
The first verse of the song tells about how the other half of the couple can’t seem to get enough of his significant other. The usage of ‘I’ throughout the whole song refers to the guy speaking out his thoughts. This verse shows that he will take anything that his partner has to offer, emotion-wise. It doesn’t matter if it’d be a relationship with him or just friends, he’ll take whatever as long as he’s got to keep that person with him. He also speaks out how he needs the other person badly. Since the setting of the song is in the fall-out process, the guys try to convince the person to stay. He speaks out all these reasons in hopes of convincing his significant other to stay.
I want to breathe you in like a vapor, I want to be the one you remember, I want to feel your love like the weather all over me. I want to print our hands in the pavement, savor your words I won’t ever waste them, look in your eyes and know just what you meant, so lie to me, just lie to me.
The chorus tells how the guy feels towards his significant other. Although desperation may come into your mind when you’re reading the verse, it doesn’t sound like that at all in the song. This part is more of expressing his feelings for the person in a strong manner. The strong emotions are evident by the figurative language used in the entirety of the chorus. It seems like he just wants to be taken over by his love for the person that other senses becomes numb because of the feeling.
So talk, well tell me what I want, if I don’t look into your eyes it’s almost like a perfect lie. So don’t stop, we’ll take another shot, cause you know you’ve got perfect aim, I wanna feel you in my veins.
In the second verse, he asks the person to tell him what he wants to hear. Even if it means that the person is lying, the guy wants them to speak out about the untruth. Lies become a vice. In the later part, he also asks for another ‘shot’ or another chance. This is referring to their relationship and tells about how he wants another chance to make things right again.
You make it sound so sweet when you lie to me. Make it sound so sweet when you lie to me.
This part tells about the emotions that are masking their words towards each other. More specifically pertaining to the other person’s lies to him. He describes how their words are convincing enough to make it look real. But in reality, they’re both in their broken state and resort to words to make the pain more bearable.
Summary
Overall, the song is quite an emotional track. It shows us real life situations between couples and partners. On the other hand, it also shows us how one person can mean so much to another. How the person in the song realises how much the other means to him and recognises his mistakes. Just like what we experience in real life. Whether it’d be a relationship or just someone we truly care about. We don’t realise how much they mean to us not until they’ve left us behind to mend the broken pieces.