you for a while

Its August 22, 2007…our girl Tori turns a wise 44 years old today. Seems like just yesterday her 29-year-old self was dancing across our television sets in the Crucify video.

Birthdays are great days to take stock of all of the important things we’ve accomplished in our lives…I’d like to take a stab at doing this for Ms. Amos:

1. Managed to become a piano genius at 2 1/2 years of age.
2. Somehow survived a strict religious upbringing despite your penchant for the Black Madonna.
3. Accepted into the country’s most prestigious music college at 5 years of age.
4. Kicked out of the country’s most prestigious music college when you decided to stick to your guns and go with your heart when it came to the type of music you wanted to play (not to downplay the heartache it must have caused you at the time).
5. Survived incredible odds (rape, a failed record debut, the plight of women in the music industry, miscarriage, death of a loved one) and managed to lead others through their pain via song, example, and philanthropy.
6. Sold God knows how many albums and touched the lives of that many and more.
7. Changed traditional views of rock and roll.
8. Got yourself married to a wonderful (and quite handsome) fella.
9. Became the mother of a beautiful, bright little girl.
10. Wrote some of the world’s most touching, genius, beautiful songs.
11. Cultivated one of the most interesting conceptualizations of women in religion (Christian and Greek).
12. Wrote a book.
13. I don’t know for certain, but I hear you are workin’ on a musical?
14. Embarked on an insane number of ridiculously long tours just so people like us have something to look forward to.
15. I alluded to this earlier…but you also helped found and promote the country’s only rape crisis center hotline.
16. Have a beautiful home in England, complete with your own music production studio.
17. Still look absolutely stunning at 44 years of age (and probably will at 100 years of age too).
18. Remain a true friend to those that have stuck near you since the beginning (shout out to Karen Binns and Neil Gaiman!).
19. Got in touch with 4 alter egos and let them play on stage with you.
20. Did your momma and daddy proud.

Not too shabby for 44 years. Not to shabby at all.

Happy Birthday, T!

China2Ny

P.S. Fellow Ears! Add to the list by commenting below!

Filed under: Tori Personal on August 22nd, 2007