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Tori Amos — Precious Things
Album: Little Earthquakes
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 883








Released: 1992
Length: 4:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
So I ran faster
But it caught me here
Yes, my loyalties turned
Like my ankle
In the seventh grade
Running after Billy
Running after the rain

These precious things
Let them bleed, let them wash away
These precious things
Let them break their hold over me

He said, you're really an ugly girl
But I like the way you play
And I died
But I thanked him
Can you believe that?
Sick, sick
Holding on to his picture
Dressing up every day
I want to smash the faces
Of those beautiful boys
Those Christian boys
So you can make me come
That doesn't make you Jesus

These precious things
Let them bleed, let them wash away
These precious things
Let them break their hold over me

I remember, yes
In my peach party dress
No one dared
No one cared to tell me
Where the pretty girls are
Those demigods
With their nine inch nails
And little fascist panties
Tucked inside the heart of every nice girl

These precious things
Let them bleed, let them wash away
These precious things
Let them break, let them wash away

These, these precious things
Let them bleed now, let them wash away
These, these precious things
Let them break their hold over me

Precious
Precious
Comments (31)add comment
Interesting that this follows Deep Forest "Sweet Lullaby" where someone posted these Tori Amos lyrics as the translation to that song.
I don't dislike the Tori Amos tracks that RP has introduced me to, and i don't dislike this one, but it did make me wonder if there isn't a Florence somewhere that's missing a 'Machine' 


I love all of Tori's work, both vocal and instrumental (great pianist.). And what a great songwriter!

I do see similarities as a vocalist to Kate Bush but each is amazing in her own right. I can't say I like one better than the other... I love them both equally and the music world would be the poorer without either of them.

 gottclay wrote:

Not sure whether comparisons in general or this one in particular are lazy, but they are useless and a waste of time.  Never once have I been seen a comment about band /singer/song X sounding like band/singer/song Y and thought "wow that is enlightening".  Usually my thought when seeing such a comment is I don't hear it or yeah but so what?   It's just a waste of time whether misogynistic or not.
 
You don't have to read any comments you don't like... just move on to the next one. No one is forcing you to waste time. In many ways a number of these comments are time wasters, yours included, but I don't mind.  Just sayin'.

Still have my box of cornflakes Bill!
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

Steady on Vespertine82,  I was about to post that Tori Amos was like the American equivalent of the English Kate Bush.  I do not read the Music Press and just before I posted my comment I read the other comments and came across yours - oh dear.

"Stale comparison", "lazy invention" - not at all - I have a free will and came to the same conclusion as others.  We only do it because we like to share our thoughts on this forum.

"... so Deeply not required or unhelpful" - sorry you feel that way but I don't think anybody is saying Tori copies Kate or vice versa - we just hear similarities on many levels - enough to point that out and I see nothing wrong with that.

 

Not sure whether comparisons in general or this one in particular are lazy, but they are useless and a waste of time.  Never once have I been seen a comment about band /singer/song X sounding like band/singer/song Y and thought "wow that is enlightening".  Usually my thought when seeing such a comment is I don't hear it or yeah but so what?   It's just a waste of time whether misogynistic or not.
 Vespertine82 wrote:

Beyond the piano composition (although really Bush doesn't play the piano with anything like the ability or centrality to her shtick that Amos does), approximate vocal range and both being smart, well-read women who write and produce their own work, the two artists are  not that similar and have really rather different writing styles and artistic interests. Amos, for example, is deeply political and Bush is practically apolitical (see her catastrophic attempts to say that Theresa May wasn't so bad and subsequent public outrage at how she must be a secret right wing crazy, a narrative only made possible because Bush has given nothing overtly political in 40 years of making music).

The comparison is so stale. And so deeply not required or helpful. Both are fine artists and neither is 'copying' the other. If we had this discourse for every man with a guitar and a baritone voice and similar musical background then it might be more valid, but we don't. This comparison is a lazy invention of the music press and should die now.



Very much appreciate your clear and thoughtful reflection - I completely agree.
Sounds so good, so many years later. Such great channeling of angst. 
Tori is one of the artists for whom I've gained the greatest appreciation from hearing them here on RP.
 bcphoto wrote:
Wow! that was dreadful. 
 

Wow!  That was beautiful. 
 Vespertine82 wrote:
Beyond the piano composition (although really Bush doesn't play the piano with anything like the ability or centrality to her shtick that Amos does), approximate vocal range and both being smart, well-read women who write and produce their own work, the two artists are  not that similar and have really rather different writing styles and artistic interests. Amos, for example, is deeply political and Bush is practically apolitical (see her catastrophic attempts to say that Theresa May wasn't so bad and subsequent public outrage at how she must be a secret right wing crazy, a narrative only made possible because Bush has given nothing overtly political in 40 years of making music).

The comparison is so stale. And so deeply not required or helpful. Both are fine artists and neither is 'copying' the other. If we had this discourse for every man with a guitar and a baritone voice and similar musical background then it might be more valid, but we don't. This comparison is a lazy invention of the music press and should die now.
 
It took reading half of the first paragraph to realize that you were talking about Kate Bush.  (Is this person talking about President Bush?  No, it's a musician.  The band Bush?  No, not women.  Who are they even talking about?  Ohhhhhhhh, Kate Bush.)

Using her full name the first time you referenced her would have made this far more understandable.
Wow! that was dreadful. 
Interesting conversation below, I do like both about equally and 
really difficult to compare Tori Amos's' style to Kate Bush's . As 
for the Karen Carpenter quip, she  was at least as talented as either
Kate or Tori in her own way...
 Vespertine82 wrote:
Beyond the piano composition (although really Bush doesn't play the piano with anything like the ability or centrality to her shtick that Amos does), approximate vocal range and both being smart, well-read women who write and produce their own work, the two artists are  not that similar and have really rather different writing styles and artistic interests. Amos, for example, is deeply political and Bush is practically apolitical (see her catastrophic attempts to say that Theresa May wasn't so bad and subsequent public outrage at how she must be a secret right wing crazy, a narrative only made possible because Bush has given nothing overtly political in 40 years of making music).

The comparison is so stale. And so deeply not required or helpful. Both are fine artists and neither is 'copying' the other. If we had this discourse for every man with a guitar and a baritone voice and similar musical background then it might be more valid, but we don't. This comparison is a lazy invention of the music press and should die now.
 
Your definition of "compare" is apparently "esteem as equal".  How about "consider similarities and dissimilarities".  How about we throw Karen Carpenter into the mix, for the sake of comparison?  I have no problem comparing Amos & Bush - no they are not the same, but aren't there some ways in which they are similar?  In the universe of women artists, TA and KB are at least in the same constellation, CK not so much, obviously.  Keep on comparin' . . .
 andrew2112 wrote:
Dang, what's up with the Lillith Fair this morning?
 
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Dang, what's up with the Lillith Fair this morning?
 Vespertine82 wrote:
Beyond the piano composition (although really Bush doesn't play the piano with anything like the ability or centrality to her shtick that Amos does), approximate vocal range and both being smart, well-read women who write and produce their own work, the two artists are  not that similar and have really rather different writing styles and artistic interests. Amos, for example, is deeply political and Bush is practically apolitical (see her catastrophic attempts to say that Theresa May wasn't so bad and subsequent public outrage at how she must be a secret right wing crazy, a narrative only made possible because Bush has given nothing overtly political in 40 years of making music).

The comparison is so stale. And so deeply not required or helpful. Both are fine artists and neither is 'copying' the other. If we had this discourse for every man with a guitar and a baritone voice and similar musical background then it might be more valid, but we don't. This comparison is a lazy invention of the music press and should die now.
 
Steady on Vespertine82,  I was about to post that Tori Amos was like the American equivalent of the English Kate Bush.  I do not read the Music Press and just before I posted my comment I read the other comments and came across yours - oh dear.

"Stale comparison", "lazy invention" - not at all - I have a free will and came to the same conclusion as others.  We only do it because we like to share our thoughts on this forum.

"... so Deeply not required or unhelpful" - sorry you feel that way but I don't think anybody is saying Tori copies Kate or vice versa - we just hear similarities on many levels - enough to point that out and I see nothing wrong with that.

 
Love the live version of this, on the live side which was tagged onto that other album, I forget which. So much gig-kick-off energy to it, with all the squealing crowd too. have a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=oV3DlZTgzi0 take out the space
A masterpiece of an album. I like the rest of her catalog, but this one was definitively great.
 ziggytrix wrote:
I love this album so much.

I also love this song as it is sampled in this song by the electronic music group Rabbit in the Moon.
 
Whole album is great
Beyond the piano composition (although really Bush doesn't play the piano with anything like the ability or centrality to her shtick that Amos does), approximate vocal range and both being smart, well-read women who write and produce their own work, the two artists are  not that similar and have really rather different writing styles and artistic interests. Amos, for example, is deeply political and Bush is practically apolitical (see her catastrophic attempts to say that Theresa May wasn't so bad and subsequent public outrage at how she must be a secret right wing crazy, a narrative only made possible because Bush has given nothing overtly political in 40 years of making music).

The comparison is so stale. And so deeply not required or helpful. Both are fine artists and neither is 'copying' the other. If we had this discourse for every man with a guitar and a baritone voice and similar musical background then it might be more valid, but we don't. This comparison is a lazy invention of the music press and should die now.
so glad to hear this. 
Viciously honest, in the best possible way, and the music matches the lyrics perfectly. The best Tori songs are sublime expressions of art, and therefore not for everyone or even most people on first listen. 10
{#Clap}{#Bananapiano}  {#Clap}
I love this album so much.

I also love this song as it is sampled in this song by the electronic music group Rabbit in the Moon.
 AndyFarang wrote:
still prefer Kate Bush
damn, am I first?!?

 
Agreed
 AndyFarang wrote:
ouch! those Swedes are just too quick...........lol
Guess it was my time. =)

How is Bangkok today, uneasy? The news has been all over the place.

 AndyFarang wrote:
still prefer Kate Bush
damn, am I first?!?
 
ouch! those Swedes are just too quick...........lol

Agnes.
still prefer Kate Bush
damn, am I first?!?
Ah yes. The young uncorrupted Tori.

Edit: No I am. ;)