but Vanessa said in an interview that the song is about jealousy
Vanessa Carlton is reclaiming her love of ballet through a song that takes her back to her teenage years. 'White Houses', the first single off her upcoming 'Harmonium', due October 19th, tells the tale of a girl coming of age, experiencing her first passions and reflecting on what she's gained and lost in the process. "It's about jealousy, it's about losing your virginity, it's about living on your own," she tells MTV News. "It's a story that most people can relate to, that chapter in your life from 16 to 25, where you're trying to figure out who you are, and you go through all these triumphs and tragedies on a daily basis, and how they shape you. It's really the journey of one girl and her perception of her environment and how she starts out as a wide-eyed person, but everyone gets hardened by life, but not necessarily to the point where you can't feel anymore — all these things, in one little snapshot of a song."
Of course, I, personally, would like my own interpretation of it, so I guess it can mean whatever you want.
Amanda