"climb over the church wall" he said
"you can feed the koi in the pond
climb over the church wall in your Sunday dress
be sure to feed the koi in the pond"
it's a long long climb going back in time
all of me wants to believe
that the angels will find me Saint Veronica
all of me wants to believe
that somehow you will save me Saint Veronica
he said "kneel before your judges in reverence
your penance for the woman you'll become
you knew if you talked there'd be a consequence
your sentence for the woman you'll become"
ten days of hell in Satan's cell
all of me wants to believe
that the angels will find me Saint Veronica
all of me wants to believe
that somehow you will save me Saint Veronica
dream of dimensions
then cross through the veil to them
wrap yourself in linen holding jesus close
calling Saint Veronica
"climb out of the belly of the beast" she said
"become a witness out of the abyss
the temple of the soul will have to heal the flesh
only when you're whole can you forgive
but it's a long long climb
it's a long long climb"
Tori Quotes
Of course we're dealing with the Persephone myth all over [the] record. From "Climb" to "Wildwood," it's there. Whether the mother is there, as she is in "Wildwood," waiting for Persephone to come back from her abduction by Pluto -- plutocrats, Hades from the underworld -- or whether, in "Climb," the mother's not there. Is she gone? Is she dead? Is she not looking? Is she choosing not to see what's happening to her daughter? There are all these things happening in the record, this authority that seems to be making decisions about America's resources, our Constitution -- things are changing right before our eyes, and the record is tracking that.
Some of these things have been in place for decades. We can't get distracted by the master showman who's got the levitating lady here and the rabbit out of the hat. [Tidal - September 8, 2017]
Live Versions
"Climb"
September 29, 2017 - Berlin, Germany
"Climb" (with intro)
April 20, 2023 - Paris, France
t o r i p h o r i a tori amos digital archive yessaid.com
