Tori Amos – Toodles Mr. Jim

"Toodles Mr. Jim" as written by and Tori Ellen Amos....
Toodles Mr. Jim
You cherry picker
Toodles I say, so long
Hear that your grave's a little warm you stickler
Sing 'em all your happy song
It's today
Today Sunday
By your grave.

I say toodles Mr. Jim
You cherry picker
Taught me so well
How to spell those red in
And
And
Hey
You know she deserved that nose
Splattered and swattered blood in my hands
Not a nice day for your little girl
But you came to my aid instead.

Now, now it's toodles Mr. Jim
You cherry picker
Build that ladder well
Teach me just where those boys can climb
When they've got a spell.

Toodles Mr. Jim
You are my sweet favorite neighbor of them all
Of them
Girls go to their parties
I don't care
Cause I'm with you
Still

That was toodles Mr. Jim.
Mr. Jim died
Two weeks ago
And he taught me how to pick cherries
And I punched his daughter in the nose
Because she was mean
Mr. Jim was good.


Lyrics submitted by krushzed

"Toodles Mr. Jim" as written by Tori Ellen Amos

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Toodles Mr. Jim song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +1
    General Commentwow, I was really hoping there was more about this song. I've always thought it's sung through the eyes of a girl who's at the funeral of a family friend who molested her (not to suggest these things did or didn't happen to Tori). He had an ongoing relationship with this young girl who was a friend of his own young daughter. When the girl punched his daughter in the nose (an outburst you would expect from an abused child), he defended his plaything, not his own daughter, hence:
    "you know she deserved that nose
    splattered and swattered blood in my hands
    not a nice day for your little girl
    but you came to my aid instead."
    Now she's at the funeral and bitter about the loss of her child hood + emotional trauma that still haunts her:
    "girls go to their parties
    I don't care
    cause I'm with you
    still"
    I think the tone is very sarcastic and the baby-voice spoken word at the end is very appropriate and in keeping with my read of the songs meaning.
    I'd love to hear more thoughts on this.
    Illinoisjoeon December 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIt's actually pretty cool sounding...and then at the end, the last paragraph is spoken...I like it. It's different.
    InnocentVillainon July 06, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commentspoken part spoils it
    justlingon May 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentdefinately i think the song could do without that addition: i mean it gives it context but it is delivered in a way that robs the song of its seriousness
    BrokenNailzon May 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIllinois Joe, I completely agree with your analysis and to add that the girl character Tori is singing despite mostly sarcastic, there is an element of a certain love/lust she has for Mr. Jim, a feeling that he has made her a woman.
    davidbeauyon June 22, 2008   Link

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