Tori Amos is an artist who has carved a unique and enduring space in the music world. Known for her powerful vocals, intricate piano playing, and deeply personal and often enigmatic lyrics, Amos has cultivated a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim over decades. Her songs explore a vast range of themes, from female empowerment and sexuality to religion and personal trauma, often delivered with a raw emotional intensity that is both captivating and challenging. This list delves into 20 of her most compelling songs, showcasing the breadth and depth of her artistry.
20. Up the Creek (2017)
“Up the Creek,” from the album Native Invader, is a potent response to the Juliana v. United States lawsuit, where young people sued the US government over climate change inaction. Amos channels eco-anxiety into a gripping track built upon an urgent guitar riff and dramatic, Middle Eastern-influenced strings. The song’s power is amplified by the mantra-like repetition of Hank Williams’ famous line, “if the good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise,” sung hauntingly by Amos and her daughter Natashya, adding layers of familial and generational concern to the environmental message.
19. Jackie’s Strength (1998)
From the album From the Choirgirl Hotel, “Jackie’s Strength” perfectly captures pre-wedding jitters and the complex emotions that surface when facing a significant life change. The lyrics weave together carefree memories of youth – weed-fueled sleepovers and David Cassidy fandom – with darker recollections of societal pressures and body image issues (“you’re only popular with anorexia”). Ultimately, the song finds solace and strength in the imagined serenity of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The music mirrors this emotional journey with insistent, pulsing strings and Amos’s vocal performance that flutters with vulnerability before soaring with newfound resolve.
18. Flowers Burn to Gold (2021)
“Flowers Burn to Gold,” a standout track from the Covid-inspired album Ocean to Ocean, serves as a reminder of the consistently high quality of Tori Amos’s work, even in her later albums. This simple yet striking piano ballad is easily overlooked precisely because her standard is so high. The song’s beauty lies in its understated elegance and emotional resonance, showcasing Amos’s enduring ability to craft poignant and affecting melodies with minimal instrumentation. It’s a testament to her songwriting prowess that even a seemingly simple piece can be so deeply impactful.
17. Job’s Coffin (2011)
A highlight from the ambitious and classically-inspired song cycle Night of Hunters, “Job’s Coffin” is rich in texture and emotion. While the narrative context within the album’s storyline might be somewhat ambiguous, the song can be interpreted as a powerful meditation on female power, or perhaps the lack thereof, within patriarchal structures. Regardless of specific interpretation, the beauty of “Job’s Coffin” is undeniable. The melody is captivating, and the woodwind arrangement adds a layer of ethereal beauty, making it a standout moment in an already ambitious project.
16. Pretty Good Year (1994)
Opening Amos’s second album, Under the Pink, “Pretty Good Year” sets a dramatic and introspective tone. Inspired by a letter from a fan lamenting that his best years were already behind him at the young age of 23, the song begins as a delicate piano ballad, full of empathy and understanding. However, it abruptly shifts gears with a sudden, jarring burst of grunge-inspired guitar. This sonic disruption mirrors the frustration and perhaps the impatience of the narrator, creating a dynamic and emotionally complex listening experience that moves between empathy and a sharper, more challenging perspective.
15. Trouble’s Lament (2014)
“Trouble’s Lament,” from the album Unrepentant Geraldines, hints at a subtle country influence in its sound. Lyrically, the song is open to interpretation, functioning both as a straightforward narrative of a woman desperately fleeing her past and as a potent feminist allegory. The lines, “She is armed and will fight for the souls of girls around the world / Standing up to Satan,” clearly lean into the latter reading, portraying a woman empowered and ready to confront systemic oppression. This ambiguity adds depth to the song, making it both a compelling story and a powerful statement.
14. Tear in Your Hand (1992)
While loosely based on the traditional folk song “Scarborough Fair,” “Tear in Your Hand” from Little Earthquakes bears little overt resemblance to its source material, though a faint echo of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer” can be heard in the wordless opening vocal. This song is a masterclass in depicting the emotional landscape of a relationship’s end. It’s both intelligent and deeply emotive, building into something anthemic. Driven by booming drums and electric guitar, “Tear in Your Hand” possesses a stadium-ready energy while retaining its intimate core, making it a powerful and relatable breakup song.
13. Caught a Lite Sneeze (1996)
“Caught a Lite Sneeze,” from Boys for Pele, is a lyrically dense and enigmatic track that has spawned countless online analyses. Interpretations range from allusions to the Sumerian goddess Inanna to references to Amos’s relationship with Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor. Listeners can choose to delve into these intricate layers of meaning or simply immerse themselves in the song’s unique atmosphere. Driven by harpsichord and industrial rhythms, the track is eerie, charged, and undeniably captivating, showcasing Amos’s willingness to experiment with unconventional sounds and lyrical themes.
12. Sleeps With Butterflies (2005)
The Beekeeper album, from which “Sleeps With Butterflies” is drawn, received mixed reviews upon release, with criticisms aimed at its length and perceived abstruseness. However, “Sleeps With Butterflies” is widely considered a highlight of the album and a standout in Amos’s broader discography. Residing in the smoother, more accessible territory of her oeuvre, it’s a gentle and warm ode to the comfort and intimacy of a long-term relationship. The song is further enriched by marvelous harmony vocals, adding to its tender and heartfelt atmosphere.
Tori Amos performing live at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, showcasing her captivating stage presence.
11. Spring Haze (1999)
To Venus and Back, a half-live, half-studio album, is an experimental and expansive work in Tori Amos’s catalog. “Spring Haze” emerges from this diverse landscape, transforming the mundane experience of a turbulent plane journey into something mysterious and strangely alluring. Themes of Napoleon Bonaparte, hallucinogenic drugs, and femicide permeate the album, and “Spring Haze” embodies this enigmatic quality. The song is both ominous and, unexpectedly, sexy, proving to be one of the most haunting and uniquely compelling tracks Amos has ever recorded.
10. Precious Things (1992)
The initial version of Tori Amos’s debut album, Little Earthquakes, was rejected by her record label, a decision that ultimately led to the creation of several new songs, including “Precious Things.” This track feels like a raw and cathartic outburst, embodying the frustration and pent-up energy that comes from creative suppression. With its stream-of-consciousness lyrics and constantly building momentum, “Precious Things” sounds like a dam of emotion suddenly breaking. It’s also home to one of Amos’s most quoted and meme-worthy lines: “So you can make me come – that doesn’t make you Jesus,” a sharp and defiant statement on power dynamics and objectification.
9. Cooling (1998)
“Cooling” was initially written for Boys for Pele but was relegated to a B-side, a decision Amos later regretted, leading to its frequent inclusion in her live performances. The most well-known version appears on the live portion of To Venus and Back. Lyrically elliptical yet profoundly heartbreaking, “Cooling” manages to evoke deep emotional resonance through suggestion and implication rather than explicit narrative. This delicate balance is a testament to Amos’s skill as a songwriter, creating a song that is both enigmatic and deeply moving.
8. Bouncing Off Clouds (2007)
American Doll Posse, Tori Amos’s ninth album, was a conceptually ambitious and challenging project. Featuring 23 tracks ostensibly performed by five different personae and encompassing musical styles from ragtime to experimental noise, it wasn’t always easily accessible. However, “Bouncing Off Clouds” stands out as a straightforward and immediate pleasure. It’s simply a fantastic, surging pop song with an undeniably catchy and powerful chorus. In the midst of a complex album, “Bouncing Off Clouds” offers a moment of pure, unadulterated musical satisfaction.
7. Cornflake Girl (1994)
“Cornflake Girl” became ubiquitous in the mid-90s and remains Tori Amos’s most recognizable song. Covered by Florence + the Machine and featured in the TV series Yellowjackets, its enduring appeal is undeniable. Nearly 30 years after its release, the song’s stammering hook and narrative of female betrayal still sound incredibly arresting. “Cornflake Girl” is a prime example of mysterious, off-kilter pop music that invites listeners to unravel its layers of meaning and emotion, contributing to its lasting impact and cultural relevance.
6. A Sorta Fairytale (2002)
Many of Tori Amos’s songs are characterized by their lyrical complexity and open-ended interpretations. In contrast, the beauty of “A Sorta Fairytale,” from Scarlet’s Walk, lies in its relative simplicity. It tells the story of a car journey that begins with the promise of perfect memories but ultimately descends into disillusionment. The music mirrors this emotional arc, managing to be both epic in scope and intimately personal in feeling. This contrast creates a powerful and relatable narrative about the gap between expectation and reality in relationships.
5. Professional Widow (1996)
“Professional Widow,” from Boys for Pele, experienced a bifurcated fate in Europe. The Armand Van Helden remix became such a massive hit that it overshadowed the original version in popular consciousness. While the remix is undeniably brilliant, it’s important to revisit the original “Professional Widow” to appreciate its distinct power. In its initial form, the song is a seething, bitter, and utterly compelling beast. It’s a raw and potent expression of anger and resentment, showcasing a different facet of Amos’s musical and lyrical intensity, before it was transformed into a dance floor anthem.
4. Winter (1992)
Tori Amos’s rise to prominence during the grunge era makes sense in retrospect. While her musical style differed significantly from bands like Nirvana, she shared a similar commitment to raw self-examination. “Winter,” from Little Earthquakes, exemplifies this quality, offering a shattering exploration of self-esteem, aging, and the complex dynamics of her relationship with her father. The song delivers five minutes of unrelenting emotional punches, beautifully arranged but emotionally devastating in its honesty and vulnerability.
3. God (1994)
“God,” from Under the Pink, is musically abrasive, at least when compared to the piano-driven sound of Amos’s early albums. The lyrics are equally confrontational, directly challenging Christianity, particularly the Catholic Church, for its misogyny and what Amos has described as “violent and hateful devotion.” The song is angry, snarky, and witty, posing questions like “Do you need a woman to look after you?” It’s a provocative and absorbing track that tackles complex and sensitive topics with unflinching directness and intellectual rigor.
2. Spark (1998)
“Spark,” from From the Choirgirl Hotel, is a song that wastes no time in establishing its intensity and emotional weight. The music video, featuring Amos attempting to escape a kidnapper, was prefaced with a content warning, signaling the song’s serious themes. Lyrically, “Spark” deals starkly with the pain of miscarriage. Everything about the song, from the electronic distortion on Amos’s vocals to the dramatic arrangement and churning climax, feels disturbing, bold, and undeniably brilliant. It’s a powerful and unflinching exploration of grief and trauma.
1. Silent All These Years (1992)
It’s almost unbelievable that “Silent All These Years,” the quintessential Tori Amos song that defined her debut album Little Earthquakes, was originally written for 70s soft-rock superstar Al Stewart. The lyrics are a rich tapestry, weaving together references to The Little Mermaid, nitrous oxide abuse, and an unplanned pregnancy to dissect the silencing of women’s voices in society. However, the true brilliance of “Silent All These Years” lies in its ability to fuse cathartic fury with gently affecting music. It lulls the listener into a false sense of security with its delicate melody before unleashing its emotional power. This song definitively announced Tori Amos as a unique and groundbreaking mainstream singer-songwriter unlike any other.
