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Rating:
Perhaps this time it will be difficult to find the words to translate emotions and images from listening to an album like this. That's because between sweet Tori and every person who loves her music, a unique, direct, intimate relationship is created, like with an old friend with whom you feel perfectly at ease, with whom you can share strong emotions. Under the Pink is her second work which in 1994, launched by the single “Cornflake Girl,” allowed her to reach the music Olympus, consecrating her as the "Goddess of Rock."
The listen of these 12 small pearls offers us, in the lyrics, a more mature girl compared to the romantic and dreamy one from Little Earthquakes, who, after having bared herself and shown "without veils," faces the world with more serenity, almost with irony in some songs ("God" and "Icicle" in particular) – probably a symptom of a light detachment with which she views the world and her life. From the musical point of view, what can I say: here we have the pinnacle of her songwriting skills. A collection of splendid songs, mixing a sound that is at times almost minimalist with complex piano and vocal arrangements. Everything that can spring from the voice of an angel, reaching unexplored heights, and from her faithful Bosendorfer, with which she maintains an almost carnal relationship; the rest, a pinch of rhythm section and violins. Just the essential. Because the rest is done by her magical hands and her melodic taste, resulting in songs that amaze with rhythm, time plays, and harmonies, but also with pure emotions for the listener, who can only fall in love again, and more and more, with each listen.
The album opens with the excellent “Pretty Good Year” and “God,” the launch single in the USA, which stopped at 12th place on the charts. Sometimes acidic, sometimes melodic sounds, I would say “Celtic” at times, a polyhedric song with a particularly interesting text, where she manifests an almost physical confrontation with God: “God, sometimes you just don't come through Do you need a woman to look after you” “Bells For Her” is perhaps the most evocative song, like an old sad nursery rhyme whispered on a handful of distant notes. It follows with “Past the Mission,” with bizarre timing but a very melodic cut, especially in the chorus where there is a cameo by Trent Reznor (one of her best friends at the time, and perhaps something more...); followed by the splendid “Baker Baker,” a song about a finished love that is impossible not to be moved by, with a very high emotional impact. Light influences of cabaret and electronics respectively in “The Wrong Band” and “The Waitress,” where Tori flaunts all the power of her voice in the chorus, proving to have truly divine blood in her veins. The well-known “Cornflake Girl” (n#1 in the UK) is a song with a genius piano riff and exquisite arrangement, almost a synthesis of her lyrics. Following are the two splendid ballads “Icicle” and “Cloud On My Tongue,” the first of these at the same time restless and ironic... “And when my hand touches myself I can finally rest my head And when they say "take of his body” I think I'll take from mine instead”
The album closes with “Space Dog,” the most rock song (along with God) and the enigmatic “Yes, Anastacia,” a long “epic” ballad dedicated to a Russian princess from the early 1900s, a cryptic symphonic poem.
In conclusion, a Tori Amos at the peak of creativity, in her most personal and mature work. And also the most beautiful in my opinion, because the Tori of “From the Choirgirl Hotel” (which remains nevertheless an absolute masterpiece), is objectively helped by a high-quality production. Sweet little Goddess, we await your true return with eagerness...
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 God (03:59)
Ooo hoo, ooo hoo
God, sometimes you just don't come through
God, sometimes you just don't come through
Do you need a woman to look after you?
God sometimes you just don't come through
You make pretty daisies pretty daisies
I gotta find find find what you're doing about things here
A few witches burning gets a little toasty
(Hey what do you know what do you know)
I gotta find find find find where you always go when the wind blows
God sometimes you just don't come through
God sometimes you just don't come through, babe
Do you need a woman to look after you?
God sometimes you just don't come through
Well tell me you're crazy, maybe then I'll understand
(Come down and tell me the truth)
You got your nine iron in the backseat just in case
I heard you've gone south, well babe, you love your new four wheel
(Hey what do you know what do you know?)
I gotta find where you always go when the wind blows
will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky fall
will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky
God sometimes you just don't come through
God sometimes you just don't come through, babe
Do you need a woman to look after you?
God sometimes you just don't come through
03 Bells for Her (05:22)
And through the life force and there goes her friend
On her Nishiki it's out of time
And through the portal they can make amends
Hey would you say whatever, we're blanket friends
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what is on it's way
And through the walls they made their mudpies
I've got your mind I said; she said I've your voice
I said you don't need my voice, girl, you have your own
But you never thought it was enough of
So they went years and years
Like sisters, blanket. blanket girls
Always there through that and this
There's nothing we cannot ever fix I said
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what is on its way
Hey can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what is on its way
Bells and footfalls and soldiers and dolls
Brothers and lovers she and I were
Now she seems to be sand under his shoes
There's nothing I can do
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what is on its way
Can't stop what's coming
Can't stop what is on its way
And now I speak to you, are you in there?
You have her face and her eyes but you are not her
And we go at each other like blankets
Who can't find their..their thread and their bare
Can't stop, can't stop loving
You can't stop loving
Can't stop what is on its way
And I see it coming
And it's on its way
04 Past the Mission (04:06)
I don't believe I went too far. I said I was willing, willing, willing.
She said she knew what my books did not. I thought she knew what's up.
Past the mission; behind the prison tower.
Past the mission; I once knew a hot girl.
Past the mission; they're closing every hour.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
She said they don't think they know him well.
She knew him better, better, better.
Everyone wanted something from him.
Well, I did too, but I shut my mouth. He just gave me a smile.
Past the mission; behind the prison tower.
Past the mission; I once knew a hot girl.
Past the mission; they're closing every hour.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
Hey, they found a body. Not sure it was his, still they're using his name.
And she gave him shelter. Somewhere I know she knows.
Somewhere I know she knows. Some things only she knows.
Past the mission; behind the prison tower.
Past the mission; I once knew a hot girl.
Past the mission; they're closing every hour.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
Past the mission; behind the prison tower.
Past the mission; I once knew a hot girl.
Past the mission; they're closing every hour.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
Past the mission; and I, I smell the roses.
Past the mission; and I smell the roses.
05 Baker Baker (03:18)
Baker baker
Baking a cake
Make me a day
Make me whole again
And I wonder
What's in a day
What's in your cake this time
I guess you heard he's
Gone to LA
He says that behind
My eyes I'm hiding
And he tells me
I pushed him away
That my heart's been hard to find
Here
There must be something here
There must be something here
Here
Baker baker
Can you explain
If truly his heart
Was made of icing
And I wonder
How mine would taste
Maybe we could change his mind
I know you're late
For your next parade
You came to make sure
That I'm not running
Well I ran from him
In all kinds of ways
Guess it was his turn this time
Time
Thought I'd make friends with time
Thought we'd be flying
Maybe not this time
Baker baker
Baking a cake
Make me a day
Make me whole again
And I wonder
If he's ok
If you see him
Say hi
06 The Wrong Band (03:03)
I think it's perfectly clear
we're in the wrong band
Ginger is always sincere
just not to one man
she called me up and she said
you know that I'm drowning
it's the dog trainer again
he says that he thinks that she needs more hands
I think it's perfectly clear
we're in the wrong band
Senator let's be sincere
as much as we can
he called her up and he said
the new prosecutor soon will be wanting a word
so she's got a soft spot for heels and spurs
and there's something believin in her voice again
said there's something believin
instead of just leavin
And she gets her cigars from the sweet fat man
I think it's perfectly clear
we're in the wrong band
Heidi says she'll be sincere
as much as she can
I called her up and I said
you know that I'm drowning
put on your raincoat again
cause even the sun's got a price on it
and there's something believin in her voice again
said there's something believin
instead of just leavin
She said it's time I open my eyes
don't be afraid to open your eyes
maybe she's right
maybe she's right
maybe she's right
maybe she's right
07 The Waitress (03:10)
So I want to kill this waitress
she's worked here a year longer than I
if I did it fast you know that's an act of kindness
but I believe in peace
I believe in peace bitch
I believe in peace
I want to kill this waitress
I can't believe this violence in mind
and his her power
all in her club sandwich?
but I believe in peace
I believe in peace bitch
I believe in peace
I want to kill this killing wish
they're too many stars and not enough sky
boys all think she's living kindness
ask a fellow waitress
ask a fellow waitress
08 Cornflake Girl (05:07)
Never was a cornflake girl
thought it was a good solution
hangin' with the raisin girls
she's gone to the other side
givin us the yo heave ho
things are getting kinda gross
and I go at sleepy time
this is not really this a this a this is not
really happening
you bet your life it is
peel out the watchword
just peel out the watchword
she knows what's going in
seems we got a cheaper feel now
all the sweeteaze are gone
gone to the other side
with my encyclopedia
they musta paid her a nice price
she's puttin on her string bean head
this is not really this a this a this is not
really happening
you bet your life it is
rabbit where'd you put the keys girl
and the man with the golden gun thinks he
knows so much
rabbit where'd you put the keys girl
09 Icicle (05:47)
Icicle Icicle
Where are you going
I have a hiding place
When spring marches in
Why you keep watch for me
I hear them calling
Gonna lay down
Gonna lay down
Greeting the monster in our Easter dresses
Father says: bow your head
Like the Good Book says
Well I think The Good Book is missing some pages
Gonna lay down
Gonna lay down
And when my hand touches myself
I can finally rest my head
And when the say take of his body
I think I'll take from mine instead
Getting Off
Getting Off
While they're all downstairs
Singing prayers sing away
He's in my pumpkin p.j.�s
Lay your book on my chest
Feel the word
Feel the word
Feel it
I could have
I should have
I could have flown you know
I could have
I should have
I didn't so
10 Cloud on My Tongue (04:43)
Someone's knocking on my kitchen door
Leave the wood outside
All the girls here are freezing cold
Leave me with your Borneo
I don't need much to keep me warm
Don't stop now
what you're doing
what you're doing
my ugly one
bring them all here
hard to hide a hundred girls in your hair
it won't be fair
if I hate her
if I ate her
You can go now, you can go now
You're already in there
I'll be wearing your tattoo
you're already in there
Got a cloud sleeping on my tongue
He goes, then it goes, and
kiss the violets as they're waking up
Leave me with your Borneo, I said
leave me the way I was before but
you're already in there
I'll be wearing your tatto
I'm already in
circles and circles and circles again
it goes in circles and circles and circles again
the girl's in circles and circles and circles again
it goes in circles and circles and circles again, well
Someone's knocking on my kitchen door
leave the wood outside
all the girls here are freezing cold
you can go now, you can go now
you can go now, you can go now
You're already in there
I'll be wearing your tattoo
You're already in there
Thought I was over the bridge now
over the bridge now
I'm already in
circles and circles and circles again
it goes in circles and circles
got to stop spinning
circles and circles and circles again
got to stop spinning
circles and circles and circles again, well
thought I was over the bridge now.
11 Space Dog (05:12)
Way to go Mr.Microphone
Show us all what you don't know
Centuries, secret societes
He's our commander still
Space dog
So sure we were onto something
Your feet are finally on the ground he said
So sure we were onto something
Your feet are just on the ground girl
Rain and snow our engine's down
Been receiving your eager call
There's Colonel Dirtyfishy discloth
He'll distract her good don't worry so
And to the one you thought was on your side
She can't understand, she truly believes the lie
Lemon Pie he's coming through
Our commander still Space dog
Deck the halls I'm young again, I'm new again
Racing turtles the grapefruit is winning
Seems I keep getting this story twisted
So were's Neil when you need him
Deck the halls it's you again it's you again s
Somewhere someone must know the ending
Is she still pissing in the river now
Heard she'd gone moved into a trailer park
So sure we were onto something
Your feet are finally on the ground he said
So sure we were onto something
Your feet are just on the ground girl
(So sure those girls are in the Navy
Those bombs our friends can't even hurt you now and
You hold these tears
'Cause they're still on your side
Don't hear the dogs barking
Don't say you know we've gone
Andromeda stood with those girls
before the hair in pairs it just got nasty
and now those girls are gone)
12 Yes, Anastasia (09:33)
I know what you want. The magpies have come, mhm...
If you know me so well then tell me which hand I use.
Uhu… Make them go, oom… make it go.
Saw her there in a restaurant, Poppy don't go.
I know your mother is a good one, but Poppy don't go, I'll take you home.
Show me the things I've been missin'.
Show me the ways I've forgot to be speaking.
Show me the ways to get back to the garden.
Show me the ways to get around the get around.
Show me the ways to button up buttons that have forgotten they're buttons,
Well we-can't-have-that-forgetting-that.
Girls, girls, what have we done, what have we done to ourselves, yes, mmm...
Hmm… Driving on the vine, over clothes lines, but officer I saw the sign.
Thought I'd been through this in 1919.
Counting the tears of ten thousand men and gathered them all,
But, my feet are slipping.
There's something we left on the windowsill, there's something we left, yes...
We'll see how brave you are.
We'll see how fast you'll be running.
We'll see how brave you are.
Yes, Anastasia, and all your dollies have friends.
Thought she deserved no less than she'd give.
Well happy birthday, her blood's on my hands,
It's kind of a shame, 'cause I did like that dress.
It's funny the things that you find in the rain,
The things that you find, yes...
In the mall and in the date-mines, in the knots still in her hair.
On the bus, I'm on my way down, on my way down,
All the girls seem to be… there...
We'll see how brave you are, oh yes.
We'll see how fast you'll be running.
We'll see how brave you are. We'll see...
We'll see how brave you are, oh yes.
We'll see how fast you'll be running.
We'll see how brave you are.
Yes, Anastasia.
Come along now little darlin', come along now with me.
Come along now little darlin', we'll see how brave you are.
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