"Merman" Now Appears On A Benefit Album For Kosovo Called "No Boundaries"
"Merman" is an incredibly beautiful b-side from Tori which surfaced for the first time in early 1998. For over a year this song was not available commercially on any recording. (Tori said in an interview with MTV that "Merman" would appear as the b-side on the "Jackie's Strength" single, but that never happened.) In the spring of 1998, Tower Records launched a series of promotions that involved the downloading of free, exclusive tracks to computer users who purchase full-length albums at the chain's stores or Web site. The first track in the promotion was "Merman". You were given free access to the "Merman" sound clip if you pre-ordered "from the choirgirl hotel" from a Towers Record store or their web site.
Around March 1999, a2b Music created a special Grammy Showcase page where you could download for free various sound clips from Grammy nominated artists, including Tori's "Merman." This marked the first time that this track was made available to the masses for free.
Then on June 15, 1999, "Merman" was one of the tracks on a compilation benefit album from Epic Records called "No Boundaries." The album benefits the people of Kosovo who were displaced during the 1999 conflict in Yugoslavia. You can find out more about this benefit album on my "No Boundaries" Page. You can read reviews of the benefit album on that page, and some of them do comment on "Merman."
But before the benefit album, "Merman" was only available online. The sound clip made available for download was in a high quality format know as a2b. You can find out more about the a2b music platform at the a2b Music Web Site . To hear the music you have to download free a2b music player. PC users must have at least a100 Mhz Pentium machine with Windows 95, 98 or NT, as well as a Sound Blaster compatible sound card. There is finally a version of the player available for the Macintosh as well (During the initial Tower promotion in 1998, Mac users were left in the dark.) Mac users must have a PowerPC which has a 120MHz 604 chip or greater. So if you have an older, less powerful computer, you may not be able to use the a2b player. You must download and install the player before you download Merman. When downloading, you may have to tell your browser what application to use. Choose the a2b player.
Below you will find various commentary on this gorgeous song, as well as guesses as to the lyrics.
Lyrics & Commentary On "Merman"
From Jeff Kleismit
June 17, 1999 - Here is my best guess at the lyrics to "Merman." This song is truly among Tori's best, another treasure unfortunately absent from her albums, much like "Cooling."
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally
Youíre in Peppermint Land
He is a merman
He doesnít need your voice
He is a merman
Go to bed
Dream instead
And you
Will find him
Heís a merman
Eternally
Doesnít need that something
Youíre not willing to give
Heís a merman
Doesnít need your voice
To cross his lands
Of ice
Go to bed
The priest is dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally
Youíve found him
La la la
Who could ever say
Youíre not simply wonderful?
Who could ever
Harm you?
Sleep now
Youíre my little good
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Iím gonna sing it all again
Go to bed
Past the apple orchard
And youíll feel
Nice
Two can play
I said
Two can play
From Violet
May 13, 1998 - I don't know if you have the lyrics to Merman up on your site anywhere, but in case you don't, these are what I've come up with. Thought you might
find them useful...
Go to bed, the priests are dead
Now no one can call you bad
Go to bed, the priests are dead
Finally you're in Peppermint Land
He's a merman
He doesn't need your voice
He's a merman
Go to bed, dream instead
And you will find him
He's a merman eternally
Doesn't need something you're not willing to give
He's a merman
Doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice
Go to bed, the priests are dead
Now no one can call you bad
Go to bed, the priests are dead
Finally you found him - lala la
Who could ever say you're not simply wonderful?
Who could ever harm you?
Sleep now
You're my little girl
Go to bed, the priests are dead
And go singin' low again
Go to bed, past the apple orchard
And you'll feel nice
Two can play, I said, two can play
From Alan Peacock
May 13, 1998 - Hi. Who could ever say this song is simply not wonderful? It's one of Tori's best, IMHO. I really hope she has plans to release it as a single
some day. It's too pretty for only downloaders to listen to.. Everyone
needs to hear this song! Anyway, I thought I'd throw my attempt at the
lyrics in along with the rest of them. Mine are basically the same, but I
put the words where I differ from everyone else in caps, and I put a (?)
where I'm not sure.
MERMAN
Go to bed.
The priests are dead.
Now no one can call you back. ("call" could be "calm")
Go to bed.
The priests are dead.
Finally you're on peppermint land. (? sounds like "peppermint ahead," sort of)
He's a merman.
He doesn't HEAR your voice.
He's a merman.
Go to bed.
Dream instead.
And you will find him.
He's a merman
TELLING ME, doesn't need something you're not willing to give.
He's a merman..
doesn't need your HORSE to cross his land of ice. (ice? eyes? lies? Hmm.)
Go to bed.
Priests are dead.
Now no one can call you back.
Go to bed.
The priests are dead.
Finally you're found and you're alive!
Who could ever say you're not simply wonderful?
Who could ever harm you?
Sleep now.
You're my little goat (goat or "goy"-- half boy/half girl? who knows? :))
Go to bed
Priests are dead.
I'll say again..(?)
Go to bed, past the apple orchard and you'll feel nice.
Two can play.
I said, two can play
From Alina
April 26, 1998 - I thought I'd take a stab at the lyrics to "Merman,"
one of the most beautiful,awe-inspiring,sad songs I've ever heard. It hit me
almost as much as SATY when I first heard it. Yet another reminder of why I
love her! So, without further ado, here is my guess!
Go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you're on peppermint land
He's a merman
he doesn't need a voice
He's a merman
Go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
He's a merman eternally
he doesn't need something you're not willing to give
He's a merman
doesn't need a voice to cross his lands of ice
Go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
you finally found him
who could ever say
you're not simply wonderful
who could ever harm you
sleep now
you're my little gold
Go to bed
the priests are dead
come sing it all again
go to bed
past the apple orchard
and you'll feel nice
two can play, I said
two can play
From ~jason
April 26, 1998 - go to bed
the priests are dead
now noone can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you're on pepperment land
here's a merman
he doesnt need your voice
here's a merman
go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
he's a merman eternally
and doesnt need something your not willing to give
here's a merman
doesnt need your voice to cross his lands of ice
go to bed
the priests are dead
now noone can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you've found out
you're the one
who could ever say youre not simply wonderful?
who could ever harm you?
sleep now
youre my little girl
go to bed
the priests are dead
and go on sing it again
go to bed
past the apple orchard and
you'll feel nice
two can play i said
two can play
if you had to compare this song to anything Tori has ever done, i'd have to
say it's a cross between Graveyard and Cooling. Musically, it's just the piano
and vocals, with a beautiful chorus. It sounds like a nursery rhyme, and the
line "you're my little girl" makes me think Tori is singing this to the child she carried, wishing her well, almost like she's in slumber. it's gorgeous.
From sabine the diva chick
April 16, 1998 - i really like this girl so far. she's such a sad, sweet one. i *think* i'm close...
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one
can call you bad
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you're on peppermint
at last
he's a merman
he doesn't need your voice
he is a merman
go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
he's a merman
to the knee
doesn't need something you're not willing to give
he's a merman
doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of lies
go to bed
priests are dead
now no one can call you bad
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you found out
you're the one
who could ever say you're not simply wonderful
who could ever harm you
sleep now
you're my little girl
go to bed
priests are dead
and come sing it all again
go to bed
past the apple orchard
and you'll feel nice
two can play i said
two can play
From Vicki
April 16, 1998 - Merman
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one
can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally your in pepperminted land(?)
he's a merman
he doesn't need a voice
he is a merman
go to bed
dream instead and you will find him
he's a merman to the knee
doesn't need something you're not willing to give
he's a merman
doesn't need your eye/legs(???) to cross his lands of ice
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one
can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you found him
you're alive(????)
who could ever say you're not simply wonderful
who could ever harm you
sleep now
your my little girl (???)
go to bed
the priests are dead
and go and sing it again
go to bed
past the apple orchard
and you'll feel nice
two can play, i said
two can play
From Melissa D.
April 16, 1998 - after hearing merman, i dont even know what to say. its one of the most beautiful and haunting songs ive ever heard by tori. its got a definite
twinkle-esque vibe to the piano intro melody. to me in both its words and
music its a lullaby. just her and her piano for the most part. absolutely
breathtaking. nice layered harmonies in it as well. tori's voice just sounds
so clean and sweet. i really hope everyone gets to hear this song, its one of
her best ever as far as im concerned. as far as lyrics go, im sending the
best guesses a couple friends and i came up with. i wanted to say about the
line "you're my little goat" that after much debate on what the last word of
that line was, we decided it was either ghost or goat. then we thought it may
be an astrological reference, as capricorn is represented by the goat, and
from what weve heard about this miscarriage, if tori lost her baby in late
december/early january "goat" in that line would make sense. here are our
best guesses:
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally your own peppermint bed (?) <>
he is a merman
he doesnt need your voice
he is a merman
go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
hes a merman
eternally (?)
and doesnt need something youre not willing to give
hes a merman
doesnt need your voice to cross his lands of ice (?)
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally youve found out la la la
who could ever say youre not simply wonderful
who could ever harm you
sleep now
youre my little goat <>
go to bed
the priests are dead
and go and see him again
past the apple orchard
and youll feel nice
two can play
i said
two can play
From Bryan Horton
April 16, 1998 - Below is my attempted transcript at "Merman"
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one
can call you back
go to bed
the priests are dead
finally you're unpacking now
he's a merman
he doesn't need a
he is a merman
go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
he's a merman
doesn't need something
you're not willing to give
he's a merman
doesn't need yours to
cross his life
go to bed
the priests are dead
now no one
can call you back
go to bed
priests are dead
finally you've found ...
who could ever say
you're not simply wonderful
you could ever harm you
sleep now
you're my little (girl/ boy)
go to bed
the priests are dead
past the apple orchard
and you'll feel nice
two can play
i said two can play
From Joanne
April 13, 1998 - I have a different interpretation for some of the lyrics to Merman than the one given on the site. Well the song is obviously about her miscarriage with merman being a reference to the state of a three month old fetus (gills and webbed feet) and in many interviews she has talked about calling back the spirit of her child...Anyways i will give you my lyrics, they aren't that different.
Go to bed
the priests are dead
Now no one can call you back
Go to bed
the priests are dead
Finally your......peppermint left
He's a merman
he doesn't need your voice
he's a merman
Go to bed
dream instead
and you will find him
He's a merman
??
Doesn't need
something you're not willing to give
He's a meramn
Doesn't need your voice to cross his land
Go to bed
the priests are dead
Now no one can call you back
...and the rest is the same.
From Matt A.
April 12, 1998 - Call me silly, I thought this song was gonna be about like Ethel Merman. I am PLEASANTLY surprised. This song really makes me cry. The piano is so crisp and her background vocals are so teasing. Siighhh... Well, the song cam without lyrics. So, here are what I THINK are the lyrics. (Again, I say, Siighhh...)
Go to bed
Priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad (REALLY not sure about this one)
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally
Your (??????) left
He's a merman
He doesn't need your voice
He's a merman
Got to bed
Dream instead
And you
Will find him
He's a merman
(??????)
Doesn't need
Something you're not willing to give
He's a merman
Doesn't need
Your voice to cross his land
Go to bed
Priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad (again, really not sure)
Go to bed
Priests are dead
Finally
You'll find him
Who could ever say
You're not simply wonderful
Who could ever harm you
Sleep now
You're my little boy
Go to bed
Priests are dead
(???????)
Go to bed
Past the apple orchard
And
You'll feel nice
Two can play
I said
Two can play
From Mark Goode
April 12, 1998 - The song reminds me a lot of "Twinkle". It's just Tori and her piano. When I heard the title I thought it would be a faster song but I was
really surprised to hear that it was completely the opposite. I tend to
agree for the most part with the lyrics that Matt A. gave. Some parts
are kind of hard to decipher. I managed to record the song to minidisc
rather easily. It's just a matter of finding the right wires. Anyone
with a stereo that has phono jacks on it can go buy a wire that will
allow you to record into the stereo from the computer moniters headphone
or speaker jack. I got my wire from my old Sega CD and it says Sony on
it so I'm sure they would probably have one at Circuit City or samplace
like that.
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