By Request: Suedehead's Authoritative Tori Amos Top 50

:bad:

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

You may, however, be surprised at some of the more recent cuts that have made it..
 
A quick glance says 'not that many' but there will be a couple. I was more strict with their inclusion for obvious reasons.

For the time being, though, I will be giving you 5 Tori 'classics' that have not made the cut..
 
obviously it should have been a Sarah or Sheryl one.

Can't join in on this I'M AFRAID
 
I've given up on Tor after a less than thrilling attempt to get into ADP, so I'll be with Funk on the SUBS BENCH
 
Missing out..

"Me and a Gun"

"Professional Widow"

"China"

"God"

"1,000 Oceans"
 
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I am nonchalant about four of the five (although I have an ON-OFF SECRET LOVE AFFAIR with 1,000 Oceans)

But no Me and a Gun - WELL
 
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Loufoque said:
But no Me and a Gun - WELL
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I know. But what can I say, I just can't bear to listen to it unless it's in the context of the album.. and even then, it's an excruciating listen. Perhaps ten years ago it would have been in my top 20. I think I'm channeling Tori in a way - notice that she has tellingly scrapped it altogether from her live set over the past few years whereas it previously was a regular fixture. I think having a family has finally helped her overcome the whole thing. Or at least I hope so.
 
Quickly then, 53-51.

53. "Cool on Your Island"
From the ill-fated Y Kant Tori Read album, the '80s production may have dated rather badly but the lyrics are trademark Tori ("If you don't treat me better/ Baby, I'll just run away.. I'm much stronger than you know") and if anything it proves that she was at some point capable of writing 3-minute pop songs at the drop of a hat. She may look back at this period with immense disdain but even she can't deny this song, frequently popping up in her live sets in the form of a haunting, solo version.

52. Lovesong
Her take on The Cure song is beautiful and poignant, performed without Robert Smith's annoying bravado and the band's cheesy panpipe rubbish (yes, I hate them). Again, this must be heard live to be properly appreciated. She performed it when I saw her in Paris 2 years ago and it was absolutely one of the highlights.

51. Spring Haze
I was rather obsessed with this when I first heard it on To Venus and Back - it really is rather unsetling, especially when it builds up to the menacing bridge of "Why does it always end up like this?" Over the past few years, however, I have fallen out of love with it. I can appreciate it and occasionally listen to it but it doesn't have the gobsmacking effect it once did - like much of Venus, really.
 
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Suedehead said:
Quickly then, 53-51.

52. Lovesong
Her take on The Cure song is beautiful and poignant, performed without Robert Smith's annoying bravado and the band's cheesy panpipe rubbish (yes, I hate them). Again, this must be heard live to be properly appreciated. She performed it when I saw her in Paris 2 years ago and it was absolutely one of the highlights.
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Scandalous. Robert Smith's delivery of those lyrics is sublime, and captures the emotional poise of the words beautifully. Tori can KOOK OFF.
 
YAY!
And I'm much in agreement with Suedey when it comes to M&AG.
 
Suedehead said:
Missing out..

"Me and a Gun"

"Professional Widow"

"China"

"God"

"1,000 Oceans"
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I love "1,000 Oceans" but the rest I can happily live without. I've never liked M&AG or PW for the reason that, while I can appreciate them, I just don't enjoy listening to them.
 
Suedehead said:
Quickly then, 53-51.

53. "Cool on Your Island"
From the ill-fated Y Kant Tori Read album, the '80s production may have dated rather badly but the lyrics are trademark Tori ("If you don't treat me better/ Baby, I'll just run away.. I'm much stronger than you know") and if anything it proves that she was at some point capable of writing 3-minute pop songs at the drop of a hat. She may look back at this period with immense disdain but even she can't deny this song, frequently popping up in her live sets in the form of a haunting, solo version.

52. Lovesong
Her take on The Cure song is beautiful and poignant, performed without Robert Smith's annoying bravado and the band's cheesy panpipe rubbish (yes, I hate them). Again, this must be heard live to be properly appreciated. She performed it when I saw her in Paris 2 years ago and it was absolutely one of the highlights.

51. Spring Haze
I was rather obsessed with this when I first heard it on To Venus and Back - it really is rather unsetling, especially when it builds up to the menacing bridge of "Why does it always end up like this?" Over the past few years, however, I have fallen out of love with it. I can appreciate it and occasionally listen to it but it doesn't have the gobsmacking effect it once did - like much of Venus, really.
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Oh 'Spring Haze' is great, I'd place it much higher - but then again 'Venus...' is my favourite album of hers too.

And how can you not like The Cure's original - Tori's is ok but the original is practically faultless to these ears.
 
Suedey, even by your own high standards, this has fizzled out incredibly quickly.

I can't possibly continue in this life if I don't know what the #50 song is. :(
 
I assume that all 50 songs are just SO Toritastic that you are struggling to order them?
 
And so it begins!

50. Real Men
(Album track from Strange Little Girls - 2001)

Don't call me a faggot, not unless you are a friend
Then if you're tall, handsome and strong
You can wear the uniform and I can play along

real.jpg


The countdown kicks off with typical Tori-contrary style with this version of a Joe Jackson track from her all covers album Strange Little Girls. The premise of the album was a rather simple 'Trademark Tori' concept: 12 cover versions of 12 songs originally sung by male artists and given a unique female spin. Each track came with its own character. For this, she went all the way and gave us Tori in male drag which fitted in beautifully with the track's puzzling and poignant take on sexual politics and confusion. Most fans agree that the album was better in principle than theory, but closing it with this song was nothing short of a stroke of genius.
 
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49. Sweet the Sting
(From The Beekeeper - 2005; also available on A Piano - boxset)

Somebody shake, shake, shake me sane
Cause I'm inching ever closer to the tip of this scorpion's tail

toriamos_clanek1.jpg


Most definitely the stand-out track on 2005's lacklustre career-low of an album that was The Beekeeper, "Sweet the Sting" is a sensual, hip-swivelling number that ebbs, bursts and drips with pure aural lust. Her pure, yet somewhat strumpety vocals, are accompanied with a gospel choir and driven underneath with a rich organ base that immediately conjures up images of the Boys for Pele-era Tori (dirty Southern girl) minus the piglets, of course. Beekeeper fans may be pleased with this inclusion but they shouldn't hold their breath for any more tracks from that album...
 
VoR said:
There's at least 5 Beekeeper tracks I prefer to that one...
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Really? Name them!

It was always my favourite right from the start.. I do like some of the other songs like "Original Sinsuality", "Jamaica Inn" and "Power of Orange Knickers" but they wouldn't be anywhere near my top 75, let alone top 50, Tori songs.. :gross:
 
48. Pancake
(Album track from Scarlet's Walk - 2002)

It seems in vogue to be a closet misogynist homophobe

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Scarlet's Walk was Tori's "Americana" album, released in that peculiar 'post-9/11 but pre-Gulf War 2' window. The album serves a perfect snap shot of the political climate at the time, and the artwork that is composed of a series of Polaroid-style photographs of Tori Amos in the vast American landscape captures that sentiment wonderfully. In some ways, "Pancake" can be seen as the political centrepiece of the album; and for once, whilst many complained about her opaque lyrics in the past, on this track she is somewhat frighteningly frank and sharp. She addresses all the obvious adversaries, from organised religion ("You and your tribe decided to re-write the law/ Segregate the mind from body from soul") to the Taliban/fundamentalist Muslims ("You could have spared her, but no - messiahs need people dying in their name"). She later points the finger squarely at American icons (possibly Eminem) as referenced in the first quoted lyric. Musically, it's eerie and unsettling throughout, particularly so when she sings "I can look your God right in the eye."
 
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Parasol
Cars & Guitars
The Power Of Orange Knickers
Witness
Sleeps With Butterflies

Maybe Hoochie Woman too :D
 
"Hoochie Woman" is utterly, utterly abysmal. Not even acceptable in a 'it's so shit it's fun' way..
 
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Well among all the ho-humness of the second half of that album something a bit different comes as a blessed relief for me!
 
VoR said:
Parasol is definitely the high point of that album for me though.
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Now I like a bit of "Parasol" but it just reeks of the self-important Tori of recent-year that I have fallen out of love with.

But less about that..
 
I can't put my finger on why exactly, but I kinda relate to Parasol.

Obviously I've always dreamed of being a seated woman. :(
 
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47. Father's Son
(Album track from American Doll Posse - 2007)

So it ends, so it begins
I am my father's son
Plant another seed of hate
In a trusting virgin gun

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Whereas Scarlet's Walk offered a more introspective, critical but at times sympathetic and warm view of her native country, American Doll Posse is far harsher, and unsurprisingly so in view of the consequences of the second Gulf War. "Father's Son" paints a frighteningly bleak, dystopian picture of the modern world and her melancholic vocal is the ideal vehicle - in fact, her softer, less shrill manner of singing that has permeated her more recent albums is just right. Again, the lyrics are rather straightforward and the metaphor of 'father's son' can be interpreted on many levels, but the Bush clan instantly springs to mind..
 
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YAY!
I am enjoying this thoroughly already Suedey, thank you!
I'd have to agree Parasol is my favourite Beekeeper track but I like Sweet the Sting as well. The love for 'The Power Of Orange Knickers' has always baffled me. Apart from its horrendous title it's never been anything more than just 'nice' for me.
 
And just looking at that pic for 'Father's son', why the fuck was THAT not the album cover?? The only truly striking image to come out of the ghastliness of her image at the moment.
 
Suedehead said:
By the way, if anyone wants a song at any time just give me a shout and I'll upload!
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I would love you forever if I could get 'Butterfly' as an mp3. Through sheer laziness I've simply been replaying the live youtube version ad infinitum.
 
VoR said:
There's at least 5 Beekeeper tracks I prefer to that one...
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Me too, I've never been a huge 'Sweet The Sting' fan. For some reason I really like the title track and 'Toast' (which is hated by most on here isn't it?)...


Glad you included 'Real Men' Suedey, the covers album has actually grown on me of late and that's definitely one of it's stand out moments. 'Pancake' is fine too, as is 'Father's Son' - I really need to listen to ADP again, it's my least listened to Tori album to date even though I do like it.
 
46. Cooling
(B-Side to "Spark" - 1998; also available on A Piano; live version on To Venus and Back - 1999)

Is your place in heaven worth giving up these kisses?

toribaby1a.jpg


This will probably be the first major upset for the hardcore fans, but fear not - at one point it was in my all time top 10, and I wouldn't be surprised if it made a return at some point, I'm just a bit over it at the moment. Anyway, so we all know the story from the live version - it was intended for Pele, debuted it on the tour but never released it in studio form as it was intended then for Choirgirl but ultimately it surfaced on the "Spark" single. It is indeed a big live favourite ("She's one of my best friends of all the songs.") It is a bittersweet little Tori song that is most probably about one of the miscarriages. I tend to interpret the quoted lyric as her plea to her unborn child, as she bitterly asks whether heaven is such a great substitute for her mother's love. She never really goes into frank anger, which is probably the single most beautiful thing about the song if you look at it from the miscarriage point of view. It breaks my heart every time.
 
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