you for a while

Music and Lyrics by: Tori Amos

Instrumentation: Vocal, Acoustic Piano, Orchestra, Irish War Drum

Category: Diary

Brief Summary: Taken in its most literal form, Winter is a story of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood, who needs a gentle push from her father to give her the extra strength she needs to survive “on the other side.” Her father knows that his daughter struggles a bit with self-confidence and lacks a certain savvyness about the adult world. And he knows just what to say…just what advice to give: “When you gonna make up your mind? When you gonna love you as much as I do? ‘Cuz things are gonna change so fast…” Standing there shivering in the winter cold, but warm-hearted, she eventually understands. Before she turns to go and face the new world, she feels the need to tell her father that he will never be far from her thoughts, no matter what happens. He then impresses upon her that “things may change,” possibly because he knows his daughter is headed off to the dog-eat-dog world of the music industry.

Tori’s Comments: (from the Little Earthquakes songbook) “Summoned to the piano this Russian music box round played me over and over and over ’til I was wrapped in a blanket with the memory of cinnamon apples on my tongue and boys that didn’t. ‘We’ went back to where I felt no time–it was all happening again presently.”

Fan Comments/Interpretations: Most fans (at least the ones that post on song websites and forums!) take Winter literally, believing that the song represents someone who is growing up, scared to navigate the big world on their own, wanting to be parented for as long as possible. The “parent” in the song knows their kid all to well and knows his child will cling to him as long as she is allowed. But the kid better be ready…because “things are gonna change so fast.” One of the more interesting interpretations, however, proposes that the father in the song is dying and he’s imparting some final advice, instruction, and support to his daughter who will have to learn to follow through with her dreams on her own.

China2Ny’s Comments: I danced with my father to Winter on my wedding day…while I again appreciated how beautiful (but LONG!) of a song it is. I also learned to play Winter on the piano when I was in college. Every time I play it I feel it brings me a bit closer to Tori…i.e. “Her fingers do this too!” Is this weird?