you for a while

Music and Lyrics by: Tori Amos

Instrumentation: Drums, Programming, Bass, Guitars, Plex, Bosendorfer, Melotron, Vocals

Brief Summary: Tori has made no secret of the fact that From the Choirgirl Hotel was her way of coping with her miscarriage. And while Spark is more obvious, Iiee speaks less to plot and the confusion and more to the shear anger generated by such an unexpected and unfair loss. The lyrics find a way to pierce the heart when interpreted in this way. “Is it God’s, is it yours?” or, does this baby belong to everyone else BUT me?!? “Why does there gotta be sacrifice?” or, yeah I know I’ve not been perfect but did you have to take my baby? “We scream at cathedrals, why can’t it be beautiful?” or, Geez God! Why couldn’t I have my happiness? You a**hole.

Tori’s Comments: “You hear stories about angels that come and save certain people. They are beautiful stories. But what about the mother whose kid gets taken away and never comes back? What were the angels smoking when that happened? What do you say? That their kid wasn’t worthy? That it’s all for the best? Or God has a plan? So these questions, of course, I was putting towards every diety I could find. I was quite vicious, and I think Cruel…and Iieee especially…came out of that.”

Fan Comments/Interpretations: Most fans follow Tori’s line of thinking (how strange! he he he)…that Iieee speaks of a woman’s desperation in a moment of pure emotional torment. Helplessness is a major theme too, hence the yelling at the cathedrals, and the “why does does there gotta be sacrifice”-es. Women who have been unfortunate enough to have miscarried really feel this song, but desperate people anywhere can identify. Some people believe that the “E’s” refers to ecstasy and that the girl in the song is being led into a life of prostitution. Hm. Thats food for thought.

China2Ny’s Comments: Tori’s Storyteller performance of Iieee is absolutely stunning. At this point in her career the “Tori playing two pianos at the same time” thing was relatively new, and she when she busted out with it in the middle of this song was absolutely magical. Go. Watch. Now. You’ll see what I mean.