songs | interviews | photos | tours | boots | press releases | timeline

The Big Show (US, TV)
morning show on WGN, Chicago
October 23, 2001

Tori Amos interview and live performance

Tori performed "Time" by Tom Waits.

screen shots




transcript

WGN: Tori, thank you for getting up so early when you have a concert tonight, which is sold out I might add. Tell me about this new album. Very different album. Something we've never really heard before. You're using male songs in women's voices, right?

Tori: Well, the idea being, if you take a man's word, you take his seed. So we took the man's seed, planted it in the woman's voice and that's where the consummation of this project happened.

WGN: But why do it, Tori?

Tori: It was irresistible, in that, you know, in the last couple of years, before September 11th, the violence in lyrics against women and gays has been at a fever pitch. With a lot of guys dancing around saying it's only words. OK, honey, if it's only words, I'm going to take your words and I'm going to show you how powerful they are.

WGN: It got a little reaction, at least from one artist with t-shirts.

Tori: Slayer sent t-shirts. I mean, you know, I didn't do it, it's not a tribute record. I did approach the songs with the respect that I would my own work. But at the end of the day, this was about looking at the way women and men circle each other. And trying to build bridges in between the two.

WGN: Now, you had a little girl last year. Did that have an impact on this album for you?

Tori: Well, I think, you know, having a little girl, one idea struck me. Which was, a lot of men in my life wanted to know what it was like being a house on heels, carrying life. I thought it would be great if men could be the mothers. If they could put some of the bad habits down for nine months to do it. I think it would be a different place.

WGN: I think you're right. Tori, what are you going to sing for us today?

Tori: One of my favs off the record from Tom Waits. It's called Time.

Tori performs Time


[transcribed by Jennifer Frantom]

t o r i p h o r i a
tori amos digital archive
yessaid.com