you for a while

Music and Lyrics by: Tori Amos

Instrumentation: Vocals, Bose, Electric Keyboard, Drums, Bass, Guitars, Background Vocals

Brief Summary: There are many interpretations of Cruel, the most popular being that Tori is trying to empower her audience, to tell us that it is okay to be mean. That we don’t have to feel guilty about it all the time. In other words, its natural, especially if you are being misunderstood, betrayed, or otherwise treated poorly. The manner in which the lyrics were written–it sort of seems like she is singing to (or at) someone in particular. Like she’s saying, “Look at what you did. Now its my turn to be mean back. ” The “I don’t know why” might be facetious. There is a reason…its because this jerk hurt her. Instead (as she says below) the “I don’t know why” refers to how there is no reason why bad things happen to good people.

Tori’s Comments: “When you start talking to people who have that kind of loss… somebody piping up going ‘Well, the angels were there for us during this time.’ Well, that’s beautiful. But people have to understand that they’re not there for everybody all the time. They get lost on the way. That’s why in Cruel when I say, ‘I don’t know why’ I really don’t know why the angels aren’t there for everybody–but they’re not.”

Fan Comments/Interpretations: Fans tend to apply to Cruel to very specific incidences in their lives…moments in time when they felt vengeful or when someone exacted revenge against them. Jilted lovers, for instance. Most people agree that Cruel is a reaction to something…

China2Ny’s Comments: Cruel: The Guilt Antidote. Whenever I did something not nice to someone (who deserved it), I’ll pop in Cruel to choke down any shame I may have for acting out of character. The music is amazing as well. There had been nothing like it in Tori’s catalog to that date.