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Tori Amos — Wednesday
Album: Scarlet's Walk
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 707









Released: 2002
Length: 2:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Nothing here to fear
I'm just sitting around being foolish when there is work to be done
Just a hang-up call
And the quiet breathing of our Persian we call Cajun on a Wednesday

So we go from year to year with secrets we've been keeping
Though you say you're not a Templar man
Seems as if we're circling for very different reasons
But one day the eagle has to land

Out past the fountain, a left by the station
I start the day in the usual way
Then think, well, why not, and stop for a coffee
And begin to recall things that you say

No one's at the door
You suggest a ghost, perhaps a phantom, I agree with this in part
Something is with us
I can't put my finger on, is Thumbelina size ten on a Wednesday

So we go from year to year with secrets we've been keeping
Though you say you're not a Templar man
You tell me to cheer up, you suspect we're oddly even
Even still the eagle has to land

Out past the fountain, a left by the station
I start the day in the usual way
Then think, well, why not, and stop for a coffee
And begin to recall things that you say

Pluck up the courage and snap, it's gone again
I start humming ''"[[Prince:When Doves Cry|When Doves Cry]]"''
Can someone help me, I think that I'm lost here
Lost in a place called America
Comments (30)add comment
 Vespertine82 wrote:

The Kate Bush/Tori Amos comparisons are so hackneyed by this point. It's lazy, and I warrant they would not have been bandied around for this many years if the comparison was between two male artists of similar career longevity. Perhaps this is just an issue of convenience though, as I suppose there are undeniably less female artists with large canons of solo output. The comparison was perhaps fair enough for album or two, as there were few direct/obvious peer-comparisons to make when Amos began releasing solo work in 1991/2.

Sure, they're both female singer-songwriter-producers who primarily write on/play piano and have distinctive soprano/mezzo-soprano voices. But beyond being unusually in control of their musical outputs, there isn't really a huge overlap. Bush remains much more introspective and dream-like in her writing, has rarely played live (beyond her London residency) and has largely continued within her own idiosyncratic (and excellent) aesthetic throughout her career. Amos has been much more productive in terms of records, has been (and continues to be) a hugely influential touring musician, and has engaged much more broadly with different styles, musical projects and outside influences. Amos' work has increasingly been outward-looking over the years, and has often been overtly political.

Anyway, they're both excellent artists, and I do wish people would judge them individually rather than as if Tori is simply some Kate clone. It still astonishes me that any artist could have Amos' output (14 studio albums and counting) and still effectively operate under the insinuation of being derivative. An artist's work isn't going to be for every one and that's fine - but the critique should be fair!



Beautifully and succinctly said. Completely agree.
Reminds me of Mary Hopkins
HORRID
I thought for a moment this was Vienna Teng. Partly the voice, partly the piano.
Not a bad thing, I like 'em both.
c.
It would be a tautology if we were to assume the 90's = pretentious

But sounds like it's you trying to survive your own paradox
More Sarah Sleanish. This piece anyway.
 Vespertine82 wrote:
The Kate Bush/Tori Amos comparisons are so hackneyed by this point. It's lazy, and I warrant they would not have been bandied around for this many years if the comparison was between two male artists of similar career longevity. 

I suspect the same and lazy is a good word for it. Having listened to Kate for many years before hearing Tori, I never got the similarity beyond the soprano aspect. High voices, piano players, female, the end. It would be like endlessly comparing Queen and Rush. Kate is more glam/prog, Tori is more singer/songwriter. Kate tends more towards the mystical/fictional, Tori to the personal/political. 

 unknown wrote:


Such terribly pretentious 90s crap. So self-important! God I wish RP didn't have such a soft spot for this artist! Not an ounce of humour or whimsy in her work.


 
This song sounds pretty whimsical to me.  Not that that makes it a great tune, but there is a lot of whimsy in it.
 derekd wrote:
I always enjoy seeing which artists polarize the RP audience. Tory seems to be one of them. I admire her originality and boldness, even if I don't like every song by her.


 
I was thinking the same thing.  Over the past few days I have seen a number of interesting songs with bimodal distributions for the scoring.
 Vespertine82 wrote:
The Kate Bush/Tori Amos comparisons are so hackneyed by this point. It's lazy, and I warrant they would not have been bandied around for this many years if the comparison was between two male artists of similar career longevity. Perhaps this is just an issue of convenience though, as I suppose there are undeniably less female artists with large canons of solo output. The comparison was perhaps fair enough for album or two, as there were few direct/obvious peer-comparisons to make when Amos began releasing solo work in 1991/2.

Sure, they're both female singer-songwriter-producers who primarily write on/play piano and have distinctive soprano/mezzo-soprano voices. But beyond being unusually in control of their musical outputs, there isn't really a huge overlap. Bush remains much more introspective and dream-like in her writing, has rarely played live (beyond her London residency) and has largely continued within her own idiosyncratic (and excellent) aesthetic throughout her career. Amos has been much more productive in terms of records, has been (and continues to be) a hugely influential touring musician, and has engaged much more broadly with different styles, musical projects and outside influences. Amos' work has increasingly been outward-looking over the years, and has often been overtly political.

Anyway, they're both excellent artists, and I do wish people would judge them individually rather than as if Tori is simply some Kate clone. It still astonishes me that any artist could have Amos' output (14 studio albums and counting) and still effectively operate under the insinuation of being derivative. An artist's work isn't going to be for every one and that's fine - but the critique should be fair!

 

Could not have said it any better.


Thanks for getting me properly acquainted with Tori Amos. I like this one.
 Vespertine82 wrote:
The Kate Bush/Tori Amos comparisons are so hackneyed by this point. It's lazy, and I warrant they would not have been bandied around for this many years if the comparison was between two male artists of similar career longevity. Perhaps this is just an issue of convenience though, as I suppose there are undeniably less female artists with large canons of solo output. The comparison was perhaps fair enough for album or two, as there were few direct/obvious peer-comparisons to make when Amos began releasing solo work in 1991/2.

Sure, they're both female singer-songwriter-producers who primarily write on/play piano and have distinctive soprano/mezzo-soprano voices. But beyond being unusually in control of their musical outputs, there isn't really a huge overlap. Bush remains much more introspective and dream-like in her writing, has rarely played live (beyond her London residency) and has largely continued within her own idiosyncratic (and excellent) aesthetic throughout her career. Amos has been much more productive in terms of records, has been (and continues to be) a hugely influential touring musician, and has engaged much more broadly with different styles, musical projects and outside influences. Amos' work has increasingly been outward-looking over the years, and has often been overtly political.

Anyway, they're both excellent artists, and I do wish people would judge them individually rather than as if Tori is simply some Kate clone. It still astonishes me that any artist could have Amos' output (14 studio albums and counting) and still effectively operate under the insinuation of being derivative. An artist's work isn't going to be for every one and that's fine - but the critique should be fair!
 
{#Clap}
Play
Not Tonight Josephine 
Another excellent short-ish Tori song
The Kate Bush/Tori Amos comparisons are so hackneyed by this point. It's lazy, and I warrant they would not have been bandied around for this many years if the comparison was between two male artists of similar career longevity. Perhaps this is just an issue of convenience though, as I suppose there are undeniably less female artists with large canons of solo output. The comparison was perhaps fair enough for album or two, as there were few direct/obvious peer-comparisons to make when Amos began releasing solo work in 1991/2.

Sure, they're both female singer-songwriter-producers who primarily write on/play piano and have distinctive soprano/mezzo-soprano voices. But beyond being unusually in control of their musical outputs, there isn't really a huge overlap. Bush remains much more introspective and dream-like in her writing, has rarely played live (beyond her London residency) and has largely continued within her own idiosyncratic (and excellent) aesthetic throughout her career. Amos has been much more productive in terms of records, has been (and continues to be) a hugely influential touring musician, and has engaged much more broadly with different styles, musical projects and outside influences. Amos' work has increasingly been outward-looking over the years, and has often been overtly political.

Anyway, they're both excellent artists, and I do wish people would judge them individually rather than as if Tori is simply some Kate clone. It still astonishes me that any artist could have Amos' output (14 studio albums and counting) and still effectively operate under the insinuation of being derivative. An artist's work isn't going to be for every one and that's fine - but the critique should be fair!
And stop for a coffee, and begin to recall things that yo soy......
Yo soy que? 
I admit, it's a skill to walk on those hi heels.
 FluorideFreeMN wrote:

Couldn't agree more.  I am young enough to have heard Tori before Kate. Now when I listen to Kate, her music doesn't compare.

 
Kate's music is vastly more interesting.
 bb_matt wrote:
She's pretty damn good, is Tori. Yes - the obvious comparisons to one Kate bush abound, but hell, she's picked up that mantle and ran with it. 

 
Couldn't agree more.  I am young enough to have heard Tori before Kate. Now when I listen to Kate, her music doesn't compare.
Tori Amos
Wow....it's probably been 10 years since I've heard the studio version of this song.  I forgot there was guitar on the album.
Not much of a Tori fan, but this is quite nice.
 
She's pretty damn good, is Tori. Yes - the obvious comparisons to one Kate bush abound, but hell, she's picked up that mantle and ran with it. 
Thank you Mandible for posting the lyrics!

Strong song, with what seems only the piano to accompany her beautiful voice, I couldn't avoid thinking of our Nation's militarized attitude through the time this song came out (2002) to today's opening of W's museum 
Surprisingly NOT as abominable as all her other stuff.... prob because its so short....
I always enjoy seeing which artists polarize the RP audience. Tory seems to be one of them. I admire her originality and boldness, even if I don't like every song by her.

{#Notworthy} Thank you for playing this. Love this song!

"Wednesday"

nothing here to fear
i'm just sitting around being foolish
when there is work to be done
just a hang-up call
and the quiet breathing
of our persian
we call cajun on a wednesday

so we go from year to year
with secrets we've been keeping
though you say you're not a templar man

seems as if we're circling
for very different reasons
but one day the eagle has to land

out past the fountain a left by the station i start the day
in the usual way
then think — well why not —
and stop for a coffee
then begin to recall things that
you say
no one's at the door
you suggest a ghost
perhaps a phantom
i agree with this in part
something is with us
i can't put my finger on
— is thumbalina size 10 on a wednesday —
so we go you tell me
to cheer up
you suspect we're oddly even
even still
the eagle has to land
out past the fountain
pluck up the courage
and snap it's gone again
i start humming "when doves cry"
can someone help me
i think that i'm lost here
lost in a place called america
Ah, I get the play segment theme now.  Will Bill make it all the way around to Sunday?  I bet he will.  Awesome.
Hum... is Thurday coming next?