Almost Rosey

I guess I have always been surprised by the way Tori's songs have such a broad range of meaning... depending on who is listening. That is why I love them, sometimes lyrics that may have meant something totally different in Tori's head make total sense in my life... and become very personal to me.

I think with all the war interpretations, for me, it just weighs this song down too much. I listen and, it just says "it doesn't matter if people are fake, and life is hard... if you can 'delude' yourself, and dissociate or distract yourself into feeling better, come join me, we are a lot alike" It may not be 'real' but it is better than wallowing in all the things out there which scare, hurt or upset you.

The lyrics feel like a person who is frustrated with many aspects of her life, and putting a brave face on it. The Violet reference is interesting, after all she used the violets eyes demo here (ah ah ah hey hey hey).

It could be a person speaking about having confided to someone their unhappiness with this life & and that person has told her to focus on the positive, hold their head up but given no real help, not really listened to her. I kinda feel the chin up verse is almost sarcastic, as though she's repeating something often told to her.

Blondes here don't jump out cakes - life here is not a party (is this real enough for you- this is how it is)

"Comply with an Authorithy that would Subsidize my wild side but at this altar was sacrificed" ? Altar as in marriage? Her wild side was iconic in her early career and the record people capitalized it at the time but is she saying she sacrificed a large part of her career with her marriage?

Since this follows with "you can laugh a femme fatale in a brides dress/ now married to the effortlessness of the cracks"

Almost like people could see this marriage as a joke / "NOW married to..." like this person is now just staying in the marriage because it's the easiest thing to do.

When I hear of one more bomb (may not mean a literal bomb, but another example of things blowing up in her life) yes we have all been robbed of song (going back to the at this altar was sacrificed)

Nightingales- florence nightingale? Does she mean all the saviours/angels are giving up?

This is a very fast-paced song, and it's taken a couple of listens for me to absorb the lyrics. I'm still not completely sure about what it means but...

I think the underlying message is that once you accept life for what it is and start looking for and embracing the good things, life will be better for you. It won't be perfect, but it will be "amost fine, almost rosey."

I'm not sure about the bit with Violet and her "endless want...tempt[ing her] to taste of her power."

Anybody else have any ideas?

I've taken a fairly different interpretation... to me this is about being depressed, but looking at the world in a positive light and feeling a bit better. "almost rosey" etc... cute song.

I think this is an anti-war song, espcially because it is credited to Isabel, who is the journalist and "watcher" of the posse. I think the song is a comment on the current administration and the message that everything is going "as planned" in Iraq, the idea that the establishment is trying to pull the wool over the people's eyes and asking everyone to put on "rose coloured glasses" and "not worry" because everything will be almost fine. I think it's about the faceless interactions we have every day "why do they say have a nice day when we both know they wouldn't mind if I died", i.e. we talk to so many people on a daily basis without ever really knowing anyone, just perpetuating this myth that everything is rosey - "how are you, I'm fine, have a nice day, you too, etc.".

Love your analysis dragonflydamsel. What is so great about Tori's music is she is a master of double entendre. It is definitely about war--and I agree overtly as evidenced by Isabel. But it is intensely about internal war with a woman. Whether she is sharing her feelings with a man or with herself or with another woman...I'm not sure. Or maybe it's someone talking to her. Femme Fatale is a reference to film noir from 1944 "Double Imdemnity" when the woman (the FF character) feels trapped by traditional womanhood, motherhood, etc. and kills her husband. Marriage is confining. It was done again by that name in 2002, but the concept developed in film noir during WWII (again War reference) and goes back to Lilith and Cleopatra. The beginning of course is depression (perhaps over knowing the confines of womanhood and what men are doing? again war and history as well as personally?). Her other persona (real or imagined admonishing her not to put on roseys, but really, a mask isn't her best disguise. The blondes don't jump out of cakes...Marilyn Monroe and JFK??? The famous b-day song? As well as a blanket indictment of not sensuality but ditzyness and saying blondes don't do this, but we take power (Isabel). (Just thinking out loud here) As for Violet, there are many Violets associated with Femme Fatale: Andy Warhol with Velvet Underground (who wrote a song called FF) worked with Ultra Violet--this could be a figuative death for Violet. Violet is also considered acceptable for mourning. There are many opera stars, prisoners, poets, writers who are called violet or use violet. But not being able to secude seduction? Well, if that doesn't fit Andy and UltraViolet! (But I haven't read all the poetry or seen all the opera!) Corridors of course are the brain (see emily dickinson) and the witching hour is of course the time when supernatural is at it's most powerful--particularly female. So Violet's tentacles of endless want tempt her to taste her power (look at the past Violets and what that power got them, what they sacrificed for men or whatever, what the cost) and she sobers with the witching hour F(when the supernatural--the female spirits, her kindrid sisters come) There is also a poem that talks of a nightingale being robbed of it's young and that the songs are in vain. I'm sure a well-read Tori would know this. The last verse speaks for itself and ties everything together. Whether you are waging an internal war or speaking out against a very real one, Isabel would say something about throwing up your arms against hearing one more bomb.

This song reminds me of dialogue between a woman and her abusive boyfriend/husband. The sunglasses hide her beaten face; the guy doesn't want her to die, but he wants her to feel pain and be scared while still looking normal to the outside world.

To me, this song represents the many roles a woman is expected to obtain in society. I loooove Tori and I appreciate her ability to verbalize these thoughts and feelings. She is a very wise woman and more young women should listen to her music. :)

the View? that's an interesting interpretation... o_O

I've always felt like this song was written while I was having a Very Bad Day, and she just pretty much put my thought processes to music. of course, I know that's not exactly it, but it's still encouraging to listen to the song and just kind of "feel" like Tori's got an arm around my shoulders and is saying "it'll be okay."

also, for those of you who are curious, Tori actually talked about this one (and a few other ADP songs) on the Quicktime Tour page: http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/ToriAmos/quicktime/

I agree with Antisheep...and even with this line "Just why do they say Have a nice day anyway -We both know they wouldn't mind" this is her thought on the world being fake, contributing to her depression...WAR but WAR within herself...the almost Rosey means she is trying "If I just curled up and died-Let's not give that one a try." You know Tori loves speaking to the other self...personalities she has.