Merman

i'm a filipino and in context with my culture, for me, Merman is a song about gays..

well, it's like this. Here, a common slang for an effeminate gay guy is 'sirena' or in English, mermaid. Well, merman could be related to this.

"go to bed the priests are dead now no one can call you bad"

For me, it means that the merman must not worry any longer about being stigmatized or ridiculed about his sexuality (which still happens a lot here). Priests could refer to the alleged biblical doctrine that homosexuality is a sin so by the priests drying, it means that there are no longer oppressors.

"he's a merman he doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice"

gays could stand out alone even without the need of the people around them, fighting for equal rights. Lands of ice could refer to the 'coldness' and apathy of homophobics.

"who could ever say you're not simply wonderful who could ever harm you sleep now"

For me it means that gays must now be more comforted and at ease because we're living in a more tolerant society. It also says that even being gay is a wonderful thing as all humans are..

^^ This is one of my most favorite Tori Amos song. The intentional interpretation of tori may be different from mine but this is just my personal opinion, how this song spoke to me since I'm gay too ^^ go Tori!!!

Correct lyrics: go to bed the priests are dead now no one can call you bad go to bed the priests are dead finally you're on peppermint land

he's a merman he doesn't need your voice he's a merman

go to bed dream instead and you will find him he's a merman to the knee doesn't need something you're not willing to give he's a merman doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice

go to bed the priests are dead now no one can call you bad go to bed the priests are dead finally you found him

let it out who could ever say you're not simply wonderful who could ever harm you sleep now you're my little goat

go to bed priests are dead and come sing it all again go to bed past the apple orchard and you'll feel nice

two can play i said, two can play

"It's inspired by a man with integrity, such deep integrity that I married him. It's about having someone heal your whole life. I'm talking about the times when lines have been crossed by men. Men can be dangerous, like in the song Datura about how sometimes they can bring you gold and sometimes they can be the bearer of poison. The plant Datura is a hallucinogen and it's like men. If you get the right amount you'll walk into the garden and become a woman, but if too much seeps in in the wrong way and at the wrong time -- it'll kill you. So yeah, Merman is that. When I was touring last year and Matthew Shepard got murdered I was dedicating it to him. A lot of guys were asking me to sing it for him and it just kinda took a life on of its own." [Tori; Attitude Magazine (UK), Nov99]

I listen to this song when I want to cry but the tears won't come. Tori is right -- love can be dangerous. I think we all walk that thin line between death and life. And when we get tipped the wrong way it hurts. So I listen to her sing

who could ever say you're not simply wonderful who could ever harm you sleep now you're my little girl

and it lets me cry when the tears won't come.