15 minutes with Tori Amos.
The quirky singer-songwriter-pianist talks about her new album and her
wierd fascination with Eminem's lyrics.
YM: Strange Little Girls is an interesting album, to say the least. It's a
collection of cover tunes-all by men- but with a female twist. What inspired
you to make that?
Tori Amos: I've always been intrigued by how men say things and women hear
them, so I wanted to take a look at how men see women, how men see
themselves, and how the view changes depending on where you're standing.
YM: The most shocking track is an adaptation on "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" by
Eminem. It's a very chilling song.
Tori Amos: Good, that's the effect I was going for. When I first heard the
song, the scariest thing to me was that people were grooving to music about
a guy who butchered his wife. Half of the world is dancing to this,
oblivious, with blood on their sneakers. The wife had to have a voice, so my
version is told from her point of view as she lay dying.
YM: In general, do you think artists should take more responsibility for
their lyrics?
Tori Amos: I think we, as writers, have to. We can't separate ourselves from
what we create. I've heard a lot of people say, "They're only words." But
words are like guns; they're very powerful.
