Sometimes there's only so much one can attempt to harp about the current music scene. Which is why this will be about a song that was written in the middle of the last decade. Don't get us wrong, we're not saying the 90's was an era of great music, in fact far from it. Nowhere else will you find a blog that truly despises the 90's as much as this one.However, there was one particular gem that stood out amidst the sea of rubbish (e.g. Aqua, N*Sync, and god forbid, Westlife). While Europop and Mariah Carey were taking the world by storm with cheese and melodramatic balladry, one amazing woman remained steadfast. She, Tori Amos, managed to shift millions while maintaining her 'creative control' and 'artistic integrity'.
While she released a string of ultra-brilliant songs and albums in the 90's, our favourite will always be "Hey Jupiter", probably the most heart-wrenching song known to mankind. It's possibly the only song that has two official versions that are equally effective in making a sane person suicidal. Judge for yourself if any of the mutterings here makes sense.
© Atlantic Records 1996
That was the Dakota version by the way, also known as the single version and the one that is played most often on tour.
And in 1996, a song like "Hey Jupiter" could actually gain enough traction to chart on the Billboard charts somewhat, where it reached #94 on the Billboard 200 (also the albums chart). Meanwhile in the UK and Australia it was a Top 20 single. How radio could playlist such a song remains a mystery, especially when today Radio1 wouldn't even air anything that they consider to sound too "tinny".
Though it can be argued that the lovely Tori Amos hasn't put out anything heavily drenched in such pure and raw emotion since "A Sorta Fairytale", she's still absolutely amazing and a legend in her own right. Upcoming album Abnormally Attracted To Sin might be a return to form though, judging by lead single "Welcome To England".
Regardless, we salute you Tori Amos.
