Metal Water Wood Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Lucy236 

Cover art for Metal Water Wood lyrics by Tori Amos

I've always thought there's something sad about this song. It reminds me of Chocolate Song, which has my only truly hated line in any Tori song -- "no, I need to be more like you." I'm only reading what I'm reading into this, but I've always seen this song as an extension of that lyric from Chocolate Song. It's like someone is telling her to change as a person, to someone completely new, someone more like themself.

You knew me as fire You have always been Metal, water, wood

Be like Water. You tell me be like water.

Is she saying someone wants her to be everything she is not (MWW), and be just like that someone who is already MWW and not be the one this she truly is (Fire)? Be like water. Water and Fire can't exist together.

In chinese philosphy - Wood feeds Fire as fuel Fire produces Earth Earth bears Metal Metal collects, filters and purifies Water Water nourishes Wood (water leads to growth of flowers, plants and other changes in nature)

Just my thoughts, but it makes me feel sad how her lyrics of late repeatedly narrate a person who has lost confidence in who they are, and is not who they think they ought to be/or are being told to be?

Negative
Subjective
Sadness
Identity
Change
Self-perception
Philosophy
Lyrics Interpretation