Don't you love those many layers of sounds on Tori's studio album songs? Of course you do, and that's why you're here. Sometimes it's an unheard background lyric, somtimes just one  little sound, things that are not that obvious. Things you'd never realised were there  before. And all this add such a nice intimate and lively plus to the music!

 

But who's got them all figured out?...No one, I think. So here we are, trying to peel out the watchword.

 

Eventually Tori has given a little something away; but not really  much. So most of the information on this page comes from listening over and over to the songs; some mighy be  very, VERY subjective. But be clear I never claim it to be otherwise. 

All the same, even when we can't know for sure, this is all about having fun and digging deeper into the music we love.

 

Hope you enjoy; and if you've got something to share, 

PLEASE DO!

 

gaelitabis@yahoo.com

[ LITTLE EARTHQUAKES ] 

[3:11]  "Oops!"

[3:27] Black chariot for the  red hair dancing girl

[2:05] I ain't used to crying. You still, sometimes, move me.

[All song]  "Ooomhhh" 

 

(This kind of sound is known as a mantra. Mantras are a religious or mystical syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. Their use varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra. They are primarily used as spiritual conduits, words or vibrations that instill one-pointed concentration in the devotee. Other purposes have included religious ceremonies to accumulate wealth, avoid danger, or eliminate enemies. Mantras originated in India..., now popular in various modern forms of spiritual practice which are loosely based on practices of these Eastern religions. Mantras are interpreted to be effective as sound (vibration), to the effect that great emphasis is put on correct pronunciation (resulting in an early development of a science of phonetics in India). They are intended to deliver the mind from illusion and material inclinations. Chanting is the process of repeating a mantra.)

[ UNDER THE PINK ] 

[00:55] Down, down, tell me what you need now. He said, he said "Hon, what are you doing?!"

[01:07] Hey, now, now, what do you know, what do you know?

[01:55] Come on down I'll tell you what you need now. He said, he said "Hon, what are you doing?!"

[02:25] "Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings (Proverbs 31:3)"  (This line printed on the Tales of A Librarian booklet)

[02:36] Would you even tell her if you decide to make the sky fall? Would you even tell her if you decide to make the sky? (Line printed on the UTP Tour Book)

[2:26] She was there she knows.

(This seems to me the hardest back lyric ever... I'm not even 5% sure this is what it says. But there it is and it sounds like 4 words; any ideas, please?!)

[3:37] I know it's so easy to close this door  - As printed on the Tales of A Librarian booklet

[02:11] Circles and circles and circles again
The girl’s in circles and circles and circles again
The girl's in circles and circles and circles again
The girl’s in circles and circles and circles again, well.

Printed on UTP Songbook.

 [ BOYS FOR PELE ] 

 

The album was recorded on a church: "We went to this church in Delgany and set up all the gear there," recalls Hawley. "The church in Delgany was a beautiful acoustic [space], and I think the piano and harpsichord sounds are great for that. The thing that was compromised a little bit was the vocal, on the grounds that she performed in a little box." "A little box" is understating things a little: Hawley and van Limbeek designed a wooden booth that housed the front ends of both the piano and harpsichord, with enough space between the instruments for Amos to sit and perform and switch between them. This small structure helped the engineers avoid any crossover between the vocal, the two instruments and the natural reverb of the church. "Her attitude toward that is she didn't mind what she had to put up with as long as we record her live," Hawley says...

 

CARS: "It was her idea to record in a church," Hawley recalls. "Ireland was just a nice place to do it. We went around to 10 or 15 churches, but we didn't have a lot of time to make up our minds, and it was this one that sounded the best." But it did surprise them in one way. "When we went there it was really quiet, but realistically, there was a really busy road right down from the church. So I can hear the cars on the album, on a couple of tracks. They're very, very quiet, but I can hear them."

("Recording notes" Mix Magazine,  November, 1996)

So, "cars" anyone?!

[All though both songs]   Saw like sound.

 

"This songs feature a short bridge that shifts to a louder dynamic, and the piano reverberates quite strongly, while still holding on to an ethereal edge. To achieve this effect, the Bosendorfer was played and recorded through a Leslie cabinet, a setup that Hawley and van Limbeek duplicate live, giving the piano an almost organ-like quality."

("Recording notes" Mix Magazine,  November, 1996)

 

Many thanks to Dan Greensmith (danrag@hotmail.co.uk) who made clear to me that the saw-like sound was actually an intended effect achieved through a "Leslie Cabinet". 

He explains: 

"The Leslie cabinet used on those two tracks - a kind of early 'special effect machine'- creates that 'swirling' effect on the piano, most noticable near the end of Horses' The sound is basically whirled around inside - by physical moving parts. You can hear the click sound as the Leslie 'kicks in' at the beginning of Beauty Queen and it kind of 'warms up'. Using  headphones you can hear clearly the swirling of the sound across the stereo field. It is used in different strengths..."

(And you can also actually listen to the click of the cabinet as it is turned on and off.)

 

Learn a bit more and watch some Leslie Cabinet pictures here.

[All through the song] Bull sound  and shit being shoveled sound.

 

There was a real bull sampled during the BFP sessions (the album was recorded in a Church  in the irish country side); same as the sound of the bull's shit being shoveled  (as also stated ("Pieces" book). The bull got into the credits.

I know this might be a very commonplace, but maybe some distracted fan had overseen it...

        [All through the song]   Inanna 

Inanna is an ancient summerian goddess. Read more about this connection and watch Tori recording this background lyrics here.

[2:57] All alone got a girl in the city. Hey! got a room and a place for two, got a goat and a fawn, I say boy, ah, you are my 5th Avenue.

[3:10] Say a word to the hangman for me my baby. Say a word to the hangman for me, me, my baby.

[00:29]  "What language?... No, Dutch!"

 

In Nov. 1996 it became known, thanks to enthusiast Toriphile, Marcel F G Rijs,  the story behind the "Dutch Pilot" voices we listen to at the beginning of this song. This is what he posted in The Den'ts forum: "When Tori performed live in Den Haag in March this year I managed to speak to Marcel van Limbeek, who assisted in the recording of the CD. The story is as follows: during the recording of the CD, “Red baron” was one of those one-take tracks. They were actually testing a new mike, as an other one had broken down. Marcel and Rob were talking about technical stuff through walkie-talkies. They were just discussing the sound level and the compression or something like that. Somehow, Tori picked up the talking in her headphones and asked what language they were using. Marcel replied “Dutch”, and asked if they should stop talking. Tori motioned to them to go on, however, and Marcel asked if they should talk in English. Tori answers: “No, Dutch”, which is what you hear on the recording. The talking does sound like pilots, but that’s just what inspired Tori to the lyrics. “Not the Red Baron” was recorded in one take."

[00:17]  Hey, yes, hey, play, play, yeah. Come, hey, you, sweet, sweet, sweet a to my loo, yes. Hey, hey, him. Hey since a wine strain (so, so Einstein?) what's your own game? You, keep a-walking, keep a-walking, boy, yeah. Hey, mmm, sweet. Well, bloom, well lemme watch you, yeah. Walk down, just keep on  burning me. Watch you, mhhyeah, lemme and me, yeah!   Shoot!

[02:26] And right there for a minute, I knew you so well.

[01:24] You can tell me it's over, over, it's over.  You can tell me it's over, over your shoulder. You can tell me it's over, over and over. Come in Houston.

[03:25] You can tell me it's over (He saw you) You can tell me over, over your shoulde-er.

[00:51] Sugar, sweetness, soflty

[01:37] Maybe I'm a happy gun, maybe I'm a honey-dew, maybe it's a bad job, maybe it's, ah, what you are.

[02:00] We're slaves in here soft as children.

[03:40] Good Grace, good girls, suffer children, silent, children.

[4:06]  "Hmm." (Talula original version)

 [ FROM THE CHOIRGIRL HOTEL ]  

Spark

Get  here the instrumental version of Spark with clearer choruses.

.

[3:30] So tight, so thight

Cowboy, snakes are my kin.

[4:34] Diamonds, I go, I go inside a shell, I see it's so, and you're doing, oh!, so well theese days. You do it again and I say it's coming back again; something like the Saturdays, such was it, can he bring me those jeans? Keep it back daddy's down preaching back and to himself and keep it just between us, he says, it's liquid...

[2:19] Oh, you know you will!

Raspberry Swirl

[03:16] Hey "womans" of the world.

And she swirls and she swirls and she swirls again...

[02:47] I know the reason...

 [ TO VENUS AND BACK ] 

[0:59]...See below, yes.

[1:44]... as I see below, yes

 [ SCARLET'S WALK ] 

[01:25] Stay right here, I'm gonna stay with this. Stay right here.

I'm gonna stay with this, I'm gonna stay right here. 

[02:20] I've found a thrill.

 

Listen clearly to this background lyrics HERE on a live version (December 17, 2002 KCRW, Santa Monica) as featured on Jason's page "Yes Said".

(We all appreciate him and  his great site for giving  so much to the EWF community!)

 [ A PIANO ] 

Frog on my Toe

[3:38] "That's all!"

 [ B- SIDES ] 

Toodles Mr. Jim

[2:48] O.k., recording 

(Male voice behid Tori's "Ha!")

Cooling

[4:15] I can blame him.