MUSIC: Tori Amos - Silent All These Years (Lyrics)

Stefanie Says her "Famous Last Words" in the latest quiz were "Nice doggy."  This made me think of the second line in Tori Amos' song "Silent All These Years." What I love about Tori most of all is that her songs mean different things to different people, and even one's own interpretations change according to time and life situation.  Her albums Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink have long been among my favorites, but the albums after them didn't strike me as much. Without further ado, here's "Silent All These Years" performed by Tori live on BBC Radio 1 in June, 1992.




Silent All These Years
Music and Lyrics by Tori Amos

Excuse me but can I be you for a while?
My dog won't bite if you sit real still
I got the anti-Christ in the kitchen yellin' at me again
Yeah I can hear that
Been saved again by the garbage truck
I got something to say you know
But nothing comes
Yes, I know what you think of me
You never shut up
Yeah I can hear that

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his
With her name still on it
Hey but I don't care
Cause sometimes
I said sometimes
I hear my voice
And it's been here
Silent All These Years

So you found a girl
Who thinks really deep thoughts
What's so amazing about really deep thoughts?
Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon
How's that thought for you?
My scream got lost in a paper cup
You think there's a heaven
Where some screams have gone?
I got 25 bucks and a cracker,
Do you think it's enough
To get us there?

Cause what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his
With her name still on it
Hey but I don't care
Cause sometimes
I said sometimes
I hear my voice
And it's been here
Silent All These...

Years go by
Will I still be waiting
For somebody else to understand
Years go by
If I'm stripped of my beauty
And the orange clouds
Raining in my head
Years go by
Will I choke on my tears
Till finally there is nothing left
One more casualty
You know we're too easy, easy, easy

Well I love the way we communicate
Your eyes focus on my funny lip shape
Let's hear what you think of me now
But baby don't look up
The sky is falling
Your mother shows up in a nasty dress
It's your turn now to stand where I stand
Everybody lookin' at you
Here, take hold of my hand
Yeah I can hear them

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his
With her name still on it
Hey but I don't care
Cause sometimes
I said sometimes
I hear my voice
I hear my voice
I hear my voice

And it's been here
Silent All These Years

I've been here
Silent All These Years