Father Lucifer

"So, um, when I came home I guess it was at Thanksgiving because I remember a bird and forks going down at the table, when my father said to me, 'Tori Ellen, I can't believe you wrote this song about me.' And I said, 'I write everything about you, what are you surprised about?' And he said, 'No, but I'm really hurt about this one.' And I said, 'Well which one is it?" And he said, "well, you called me Satan." And I said, "No! I was taking drugs with a South American shaman and I really did visit the Devil and I had a journey." And he went, 'Oh, Praise Jesus!'" [VH1 Storytellers]

"Father Lucifer is really about going to have a cup of tea with Lucifer, which I had to do. Now, when I say Lucifer, I'm talking about the feelings that we hide from ourselves [not something that's twisted and evil, like during the Inquisition when they used Christianity to torture people. That's Satanism.] I had to go in this record when I was trying to find parts of myself that I had not let scream and dance and have a tear. I went to go visit Lucifer to get my talisman, which means my little magic key that took me to the places that I hadn't let myself go. That's really about having a little tango, a little dance, with Lucifer. The idea that Dark is not a scary thing if you go in there understanding there is a purity in Darkness. There's also a lot of distortion in Darkness. It's a choice where you want to go, and I wanted to get to the truth, not to the drama and to keeping me from the truth."

Oh wow, whoever wrote the lyrics, I actually sat down and listened to the overlaying lyrics until I was absolutely positive I had the third verse down and I do believe she actually says

It's like he/she's hiding In the highest tower Just got to keep Hiding til drum fall Swearing bells and Purple patterns and Girl I got a condo in Hoboken

I do see the references to Trent Reznor

In that third bit, I always heard 'Maybe she's hiding in a heart of gold/She's got a pig hiding in a truffle/Wearing those purple garters and girl I got a condo in hoboken'

I love this song so much, it's my favourite Tori song, it's one of my favourite songs ever, and it's actually the first Tori song I ever heard My music teacher told my mum on parents' evening that my songwriting reminds her of Tori Amos, so I looked her up and I was really flattered.

Also, 'Does Joe bring flowers to Marilyn's grave?' is one of my favourite song lyrics ever, I don't know why but I just love that bit.

Father Lucifer you never looked so sane. (Satans/demonic messages are coming in clearly) You always did prefer the drizzle to the rain. (He likes a subtle soft way of bringing a message accross so as to deceive) Tell me that you're still in love with that Milkmaid. (wants to know that she still has his approval) How the Lizzies, how's your Jesus Christ been hanging. Ha. (asks how other "gifted" girls dedicated to him are doing. Then a blasphemous comparison of Jesus Christ with his testicles and laughs to show she shares his views by mocking of Jesus Christ.

Nothing's gonna stop me from floating. Nothing's gonna stop me from floating. (Nothing is going to stop her from being a witch)

Heh. He says he reckons I'm a watercolor stain. (Spreads out and reaches out to listeners of her music.)

He says I run and then I run from him and then I run. (takes what she needs from him, goes off to perform and then uses what she collected) He didn't see me watching from the aeroplane. (he takes over completly where she cant even see what he is doing with her) He wiped a tear and then he threw away our appleseed. (provided consolation but all is lost)

Nothing's gonna stop me from floating. Nothing's gonna stop me from floating.

TORI Hey... yes... Every day's my wedding day. (everyday she must recommit to him) Though baby's still in his comatose state. (no good fruit is coming from it) Dye my own Easter eggs. (She must make the best of it, paint it lovely) Just don't go yet, just don't go. (needs him to survive now) And Beenie lost the sunset but that's okay. (sexual stimulation isnt as great anymore) Does Joe bring flowers to Marilyn's grave? (Will she be loved after her death?) And girls that eat pizza and never gain weight, Never gain weight, never gain weight... (people with insight will never die)

SECOND TORI Go away, world don't leave glass, Gorgie. Can not faye red skiddly dee. And I'm, gee yes, never go, Go so fast... go away down. Lee glass Gorgie's well. Your faye red there she goes, And she goes and she goes. (This is subconcious gargon that may go with other verses)

BACKGROUND TORIS Maybe she's hiding in a hotdog. Got a pig hiding in a truffle. Wearing those purple garters. And girl I got a condo in Hoboken. (she is not what she seems)

Hi, mmm, mmm, yes... hum... mmm... hmm... Father Lucifer you never looked so sane. You always did prefer the drizzle to the rain. Tell me that you're still in love with that Milkmaid. How the Lizzies, how's your Jesus Christ been hanging. Hum, mmm...

That conversation with her dad is hilarious!

This song is Lucifer the light-bearer, who rejects the gloss, the high ideal, and goes to dwell in the underworld (and the myth is much, much older than the Christian version -- the Hades tales in Greco-Roman mythology are an easy place to start).

Here is Tori, looking around for the hidden parts of life, the parts we hide under social niceties. I think most of her music is about that search.

I like this one. and I'm from Hoboken. And my mother had a condo there. Awwww... What does Southern Tori know about Yuppie Central Hoboken?

ive heard several stories about how this song was about trent reznor but hey, maybe my sources are not all reliable

And girls that eat pizza and never gain weight, Never gain weight, never gain weight...

Not sure about this whole song, these lyrics really stand out for some reason, especially with the three of them sining against each other like that ...

I agree about those two lines, *meep :). Lately this song has brought me close to tears. I love this song so much right now.

To me, those two lyrics make a reference to bulemia (or maybe even anorexia, but the former is more likely). Tori has met many of her fans who have told her their difficult life stories, and I'm sure many of them have eating disorders. So, it makes sense to me. :) Tori often references her fans and their life stories, so it's my assumption.

I saw her perform this song live and when she sang the line "Girls that eat pizza and never gain weight", she held out her middle finger to the crowd and everyone went totally crazy. She is so awesome!!!