From what I can discern, the title is Dutch and means something along the lines of "Uncle Lee the Tree". I don't know if it is a Netherlands pop culture reference, an expression or just something Marcel translated over the P.A. for Tori when she was composing during a soundcheck. No one seems to know much about where and when this song originates from. I've heard that there is an unreleased studio recording, maybe from the Pele era, which wouldn't be surprising, as Tori did reportedly record over 65 songs during those sessions but I've also heard of a demo which could be a misnomer. The only recording I've heard is a broadcast recording during which Tori performed two unreleased original songs, "Oom la Boomleigh" and "Abbey Road". That recording matches the published lyrics word for word and could easily be mistaken for a demo recording, as the fidelity is not great but the recording is clearly audible. It's roughly equivalent to bootlegged demo versions of "Honey" and various songs from Little Earthquakes.
You are correct in that the only time this song was performed by Tori, ever, was at a live radio broadcast. People have often said the songs were 'unreleased,' by Tori clarified later that they were totally improvised that day and on the spot.
You are correct in that the only time this song was performed by Tori, ever, was at a live radio broadcast. People have often said the songs were 'unreleased,' by Tori clarified later that they were totally improvised that day and on the spot.
The only time Tori has EVER discussed this song was with a fan backstage at a concert in Washington, DC in 2000. He brought her a printout of the lyrics and asked her to sign them, and they talked about the song. She said that the song is basically just about how disoriented she gets...
The only time Tori has EVER discussed this song was with a fan backstage at a concert in Washington, DC in 2000. He brought her a printout of the lyrics and asked her to sign them, and they talked about the song. She said that the song is basically just about how disoriented she gets while touring and how her fans keep her grounded, and about feeling a kinship to a place where she is surrounded by foreign things. "Johnny" was the name of a gay man who was a regular at the bars she played at when she was a teenager, and who died from AIDS complications. She said she felt his ghost with her on tour. And "Mr. P" refers to Mr. Puppethead, a puppet that was brought on The Dew Drop Inn tour and was frequently seen hanging out on the tour bus.
From what I can discern, the title is Dutch and means something along the lines of "Uncle Lee the Tree". I don't know if it is a Netherlands pop culture reference, an expression or just something Marcel translated over the P.A. for Tori when she was composing during a soundcheck. No one seems to know much about where and when this song originates from. I've heard that there is an unreleased studio recording, maybe from the Pele era, which wouldn't be surprising, as Tori did reportedly record over 65 songs during those sessions but I've also heard of a demo which could be a misnomer. The only recording I've heard is a broadcast recording during which Tori performed two unreleased original songs, "Oom la Boomleigh" and "Abbey Road". That recording matches the published lyrics word for word and could easily be mistaken for a demo recording, as the fidelity is not great but the recording is clearly audible. It's roughly equivalent to bootlegged demo versions of "Honey" and various songs from Little Earthquakes.
You are correct in that the only time this song was performed by Tori, ever, was at a live radio broadcast. People have often said the songs were 'unreleased,' by Tori clarified later that they were totally improvised that day and on the spot.
You are correct in that the only time this song was performed by Tori, ever, was at a live radio broadcast. People have often said the songs were 'unreleased,' by Tori clarified later that they were totally improvised that day and on the spot.
The only time Tori has EVER discussed this song was with a fan backstage at a concert in Washington, DC in 2000. He brought her a printout of the lyrics and asked her to sign them, and they talked about the song. She said that the song is basically just about how disoriented she gets...
The only time Tori has EVER discussed this song was with a fan backstage at a concert in Washington, DC in 2000. He brought her a printout of the lyrics and asked her to sign them, and they talked about the song. She said that the song is basically just about how disoriented she gets while touring and how her fans keep her grounded, and about feeling a kinship to a place where she is surrounded by foreign things. "Johnny" was the name of a gay man who was a regular at the bars she played at when she was a teenager, and who died from AIDS complications. She said she felt his ghost with her on tour. And "Mr. P" refers to Mr. Puppethead, a puppet that was brought on The Dew Drop Inn tour and was frequently seen hanging out on the tour bus.
This is what Tori wrote on the lyric sheet: "To James, Love Tori Amos, P.S. Say hi to the old men at the gay bar!' Here is a link to a scan of the lyrics: http://img228.imageshack.us/i/toriamosautographedlyri.jpg/