Tori Amos - Interviews Archive

Q (UK)
June 2005

Compilations : The Mix Sessions

They burned it for you. This month: Tori Amos picks the songs men should sing.

1. Get It While You Can - Janis Joplin
This song was written when women were burning their bras. It would be great for a guy to sing because men can be pretty possessive.

2. 32 Flavours - Ani DiFranco
When Ani sings this song she's trying to be the lover to herself that the guy wasn't. It would be a way to charm a woman, a guy singing, "You are 32 flavours". Definitely better than, "Are you gonna wear *that* dress tonight?"

3. Small Blue Thing - Suzanne Vega
I love the vulnerability of this song and the idea of a guy singing, "I am turning in your hand" particularly.

4. God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday
I've seen a different side to my husband since he became a dad. Like he'll jump on a trampoline for hours instead of watching the Arsenal game - the ultimate sacrifice. This isa maternal song but it could be paternal, too.

5. The Sea - Morcheeba
I think Metallica could do this really well. I think it would definitely work as a heavier song, especially after the tsunami.

6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Nick Cave singing, "Daddy dear, you know you're still number one / But girls they want to have fun." Dangerous and cute.

7. Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez
This is a poetic song about Baez's relationship with Bob Dylan. I feel like a guy could really do it justice.

8. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
I think E from the Eels could do this well. But it would have to be done alone at the keyboard. No drums. Spooky.

9. Magic Man - Heart
This is a big-hair number, but somebody with no hair should do it. Somebody like Moby.

10. You Said Something - PJ Harvey
A lot of times women will say, "I can't believe you've just said that." But women can hit below the belt, too. I think that a man being able to bust a woman on her insensitivity would be great.

11. A Woman's Worth - Alicia Keys
A lot of rappers won't admit how romantic they are. This song proves you can be romantic and powerful.

12. Constant Craving - kd lang
I hear Constant Craving as a Jack Kerouac "On The Road" kind of thing. It would be haunting.

13. Hymn To Her - The Pretenders
This is a beautiful song by Chrissie Hynde. Just the parody of a man singing this song would make it work for me.

14. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? - Carole King
I like the role reversal of the woman that doesn't want to wake up with the guy.

15. Good Luck Mr Gorksy - Sleeper
It's an apocryphal story about the astronaut Neil Armstrong. The Armstrong family heard Mrs Gorsky, their neighbour, saying to Mr Gorksy, "I'll give you a blow job the day the boy next door walks on the moon." When Neil was on the moon, he supposeduly said, "Good luck, Mr Gorsky."

16. Three Babies - Sinead O'Connor
I've miscarried and it's a terrible experience. Because it's not happening inside the man it's almost as if he doesn't have jurisdiction but it does affect men. Prince could sing this and it would break your heart.

17. She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
A lot of women make more money than their man, and there can be friction. Gavin Rossdale singing the song - that would be a very ballsy move on his part.

18. The Last Chance Texaco - Rickie Lee Jones
This is a driving song, but it's also about being at the end of the line. A male singer should do it as a seduction. It would need to be somebody that's been around for a while, like Springsteen.

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