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Regina Spektor — Better
Album: Begin To Hope
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 948









Released: 2006
Length: 3:18
Plays (last 30 days): 0
If I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At all
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At all

Born like sisters to this world
In a town where blood ties are only blood
If you never say your name out loud to anyone
They can never ever call you by it

If I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At all
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At aaall

Ahh, ahh-ahh-ahhh-ah
La, laa-la
La, laa-la
You're gettin' sadder
Sad, get sadder
Sad
I don't understand
And I don't understand

But if I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At all
Feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything
At all
Will you feel anything at ah-all
Oh, anything at all
Will you feel anything at ah-all
Oh, anything at all
Will you feel anything at ah-all
Anything at all
Will you feel anything at ah-all
Anything at all
Will you feel anything at all...
Comments (71)add comment
 thrdmnkrcrds wrote:
The vocal is certainly what we'd call 'affected' to the point of pretension.

That said, she has been much emulated in the last 6 years...
 
Who's "we"?

I like her.
Clever little enunciation in her singing that opening line, "If I kiss..."  Sounds like she opens the tune with an f-bomb!
From the Wikipedia article on Regina Spektor:

"Part of her style also results from the exaggeration of certain aspects of vocalization, most notably the glottal stop, prominent in the single "Fidelity"." (Stealth edit: that song gets even more hate here on RP than this one).

So no, she isn't singing "better" that way on accident. It works for me. If it doesn't work for you, please use PSD and strongly considering following the Thumper rule:

 "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all".

 
 thrdmnkrcrds wrote:

The vocal is certainly what we'd call 'affected' to the point of pretension.

That said, she has been much emulated in the last 6 years...

 
I guess it's deliberately affected as 'being-in-character' in relation to the lyrics.  I don't know if "we'd" all call it "pretension" - some may call it "pretending" though.  Good song.
please make it stop
It's a glottal stop. It's a thing, over here in the original English language nation. 
And it's a gorgeous song. Gawjus. Or gaargus, in American.  
 nagsheadlocal wrote:

I frowed up.

 
 

 Hogtownmike wrote:
I think I kick this up a level every time I hear it—currently a 7...

 
Agreed. I had it at 7 but kicked it up to 8...
 gvan wrote:

I wince. It sure doesn't make me feel bedow.

 
I frowed up.
 cShaggy wrote:
..pretty good until she fell into the drum kit right there at the end (jk)..
 
Did she jump or was she pushed.......
 mrselfdestruct wrote:
I felt beddo befow dis stowted.

 
I felt beddo when I read this.  Thanks, friend.  Rubbish song to my ears.
I felt beddo befow dis stowted.
I think I kick this up a level every time I hear it--currently a 7...
I have always assumed she was saying it with a London accent: "Bett-ah", not a toddler's "bedow", as some people suggest in the comments below.
The video is a wonderful concept.
Well, I like it.
Don't you mean this IS
BETTO than 99.999% of her usual stuff,,,?
 

MiracleDrug wrote:

this IS
BETTER than 99.999% of her usual stuff,,,



 


I like the chords and music in general. I think this would be far better if it were a different vocalist with less desire to play that word "better".
 rdo wrote:
Great song.

 
agree
 Johnny-smooth wrote:
ecchhh
wouldn't mind never ever hearing this again
 

  her stuff is horrible! and is played, it seems, like every 6 or 7 songs lately.


ecchhh
wouldn't mind never ever hearing this again
 
 gvan wrote:

I wince. It sure doesn't make me feel bedow.
 
The vocal is certainly what we'd call 'affected' to the point of pretension.

That said, she has been much emulated in the last 6 years...


 gvan wrote:

I wince. It sure doesn't make me feel bedow.

 
{#Lol}
 jb0nez wrote:
Am I the only who shudders when she says "better" in toddler-speak?
 
I wince. It sure doesn't make me feel bedow.
 rdo wrote:
If I kiss you where it's sore, will you feel better?
 
Only one way to know...
Am I the only who shudders when she says "better" in toddler-speak?
 rdo wrote:
 

{#Clap}
If I kiss you where it's sore, will you feel better?
 bam23 wrote:

Are you certain about this? My response was to the apparent misapprehension of the poster that Phil Spector was the "dad" in question. Confusion abounds...
 
I assumed that was what you meant, but helping confusion "abound" can be fun and humorous sometimes.  
...hey, this flows nicely out of matthew shuman's victory - well done!..
..pretty good until she fell into the drum kit right there at the end (jk)..
 Byronape wrote:

Considering that her accent when she's speaking is quite thick, anything in English that I can understand is nice.  Cut the lady some slack.  Why don't you try singing something in Farsi or something and see if people don't point out to you that you are mispronouncing a word.
 
She's been in the U.S. since she was 9. She speaks perfect English.
Feeling better now. {#Wink}
 Proclivities wrote:

Russian immigrants have parents too.
 
Are you certain about this? My response was to the apparent misapprehension of the poster that Phil Spector was the "dad" in question. Confusion abounds...
I'm totally Regina Spektored out.
 oooresultooo wrote:
bettoh?? what is she saying? why>??
 
Considering that her accent when she's speaking is quite thick, anything in English that I can understand is nice.  Cut the lady some slack.  Why don't you try singing something in Farsi or something and see if people don't point out to you that you are mispronouncing a word.
Great song.
 MiracleDrug wrote:

this IS
BETTER than 99.999% of her usual stuff,,

 
Yes, I can actually tolerate listening to it!
having to work this Memorial Day..............but I feel better now!  Love this!
If she could say 'better' less like a two year old I'd like this more.
Cool but doesn't stand up to the majesty of anything on Far
 stevetheshoe wrote:
For all of the Phil comments. He spells his last name Spector.
 

Hmm... I wonder if he knows that he's been spelling his name wrong all these years.

this IS
BETTER than 99.999% of her usual stuff,,,


For all of the Phil comments. He spells his last name Spector.
bettoh?? what is she saying? why>??
 TerryS wrote:
Thinking she got all her Dad's good genes.
 

 bam23 wrote:

Is this a put-on, or are you not aware that she is a Russian immigrant?
 
Russian immigrants have parents too.
 TerryS wrote:
Thinking she got all her Dad's good genes.
 
Is this a put-on, or are you not aware that she is a Russian immigrant?
Philo Beddoe
Is this just in a deeply weird key, or is something off pitch in the first verse? I can't quite wrap my head around what I'm hearing there.
Ok with this one, especially after Anna Ternheim
 Propayne wrote:
I love where the melody takes an unexpected left turn.

One of the artists my 17 year old daughter and I agree on. 
 
lovely
I love where the melody takes an unexpected left turn.

One of the artists my 17 year old daughter and I agree on. 
Phil's granddaughter?
 zaknafein wrote:
Actually digging the a bit more than typical RS fare.
 

yep.
Actually digging the a bit more than typical RS fare.
They spelled the song incorrectly.  Clearly it is, "bettoh". 
 ckcotton wrote:
7.8?!!!!!!

HOW?

WHY?!

{#Sick}
 
If you gotta ask...  Don't worry though; there'll be some Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Santana, Clapton, or some other Classic Rock dinosaur along very soon.   I like a lot of stuff, (including the dinosaurs) and it usually balances out.  Peace.................
{#Meditate}

Thinking she got all her Dad's good genes.
7.8?!!!!!!

HOW?

WHY?!

{#Sick}
Never get enough Regina Spektor!{#Hearteyes}
Now I feel better !!

10


Annoying voice.
Another RP treat! Rockin yet playful...
1 extra point for the tasty bass.
Not to my tastes, ears forced a switch over to Pandora
 GuiltyFeat wrote:
Love this. I hope to catch her live, the next time she visits.
 

Do it!  She's fantastic (obviously)!
 MTachyon wrote:
Soulful to the core, she is.  If only I could find such a women to wed.  Shalom.
 
Agreed wholeheartedly!  Regina is a gem.
Love this. I hope to catch her live, the next time she visits.
Soulful to the core, she is.  If only I could find such a women to wed.  Shalom.
This song is kinda bland compared to her more fun songs.  YMMV
For those that haven't had a chance to check out this entire album, it's worth a listen.