Tori Amos — Battle Of Trees
Album: Night Of HuntersAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 487
Length: 8:35
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Our language of love
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
No one had more
sharper consonants than you love
and my vowels, well, were trusted
First comes the Birch
Rowan followed by the Ash
then through the Alder she forms
and merges with Willow
The Hawthorn blossoms
as the Oak guards the door
"She" is the hinge on which the year swings
He courts the Lightening Flash and Her
Summoning the Spirits through incantations
you said, "The Thunder God seems to have,
in our enemy, his own Laureate"
But we knew The Furies held the Holly sacred
We were insulated
in a circle of words we'd drawn
with wisdom sent from 9 Hazels,
a Rowan fire, and a Willow rod
At 10 comes the Vine
that generates bramble wine
The constant change of the Night Sun
a song in the blood of the white bull
Our language of love
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
No one had more
sharper consonants than you love
and my vowels, well, were trusted
From Ivy leaves
is an ale that can unveil
The hidden meanings and serpents
only revealed through visions
Yes, vowels could insert
'A' was for the Silver Fir
the Furze or Gorse then came next
with Heather at her most passionate
The White Poplar's gift
to the souls of the dead
a promise that it was not the end
But for the Vine - the Yew its coffin
Vowels and Consonants
the power of trees
the power they hold
the power of prose
So when the church began to twist the old myths
They built their own Tower of Babel
from Ulster to Munster
The Reed gave way then
to the Elder
The Earth turns her wheel
so that Night follows Day
From Dawn to Dawn
From Winter to Winter
That day the Ash had Power
over the Alder
Our language of love
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
then he said to me,
"I've dodged bullets
and even poisoned arrows
only to be felled by the blade
of a vowel"
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
No one had more
sharper consonants than you love
and my vowels, well, were trusted
First comes the Birch
Rowan followed by the Ash
then through the Alder she forms
and merges with Willow
The Hawthorn blossoms
as the Oak guards the door
"She" is the hinge on which the year swings
He courts the Lightening Flash and Her
Summoning the Spirits through incantations
you said, "The Thunder God seems to have,
in our enemy, his own Laureate"
But we knew The Furies held the Holly sacred
We were insulated
in a circle of words we'd drawn
with wisdom sent from 9 Hazels,
a Rowan fire, and a Willow rod
At 10 comes the Vine
that generates bramble wine
The constant change of the Night Sun
a song in the blood of the white bull
Our language of love
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
No one had more
sharper consonants than you love
and my vowels, well, were trusted
From Ivy leaves
is an ale that can unveil
The hidden meanings and serpents
only revealed through visions
Yes, vowels could insert
'A' was for the Silver Fir
the Furze or Gorse then came next
with Heather at her most passionate
The White Poplar's gift
to the souls of the dead
a promise that it was not the end
But for the Vine - the Yew its coffin
Vowels and Consonants
the power of trees
the power they hold
the power of prose
So when the church began to twist the old myths
They built their own Tower of Babel
from Ulster to Munster
The Reed gave way then
to the Elder
The Earth turns her wheel
so that Night follows Day
From Dawn to Dawn
From Winter to Winter
That day the Ash had Power
over the Alder
Our language of love
the Battle of Trees
we fought side by side
then he said to me,
"I've dodged bullets
and even poisoned arrows
only to be felled by the blade
of a vowel"
Comments (121)add comment
I gave it a 10 
Old Satie would be spinning in his grave like a Black&Decker drill, if he heard the asinine treehugging nonsense rhymes, which Tory Anus plastered all over his work here. Probably wrote it after watching LOTR while high as a kite. Would give it -200 if possible.
Is she singing of the Ents?
whomhow wrote:
Pretending to be what - music?
She wrote the lyrics, sang them to an Erik Satie composition then went to a studio and recorded them.
That is not pretentious anything - it is a fact.
You may not like it - that's OK. but she is a talented singer songwriter and this is one of her productions - full stop.
I'm sorry but this is nothing but the pretentious crap. 1.
Pretending to be what - music?
She wrote the lyrics, sang them to an Erik Satie composition then went to a studio and recorded them.
That is not pretentious anything - it is a fact.
You may not like it - that's OK. but she is a talented singer songwriter and this is one of her productions - full stop.
I'm sorry but this is nothing but the pretentious crap. 1.
aelfheld wrote:
It's too pretentious for that.
I keep looking for Vincent Price to make an appearance.
It's too pretentious for that.
This is NOT helping my migraine...
I logged-in just for hitting the psd-button.
Bravo ! 
I keep looking for Vincent Price to make an appearance.
Clever it might be. PSD it definitely is. Sorry, fans.
This song has to be some kind of RP record!!! 387 people have rated it:
-- Avg Rating = 4.6
-- 26% rated it as a 1
Is it the worst-rated song on RP?
Please please end the torture!!!!
Hmm. I'm a fan of Tori's early stuff. I hadn't heard this before. It's interesting. I'm not crazy about it, but I wouldn't give it a 1. I like the original Satie piece, though.
Beanie wrote:
And Oh lordy, it's still just...wow. All sorts of bad. Where's that pesky PSD button...
I love Erik Satie.
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
And Oh lordy, it's still just...wow. All sorts of bad. Where's that pesky PSD button...
Beanie wrote:
Yep.
I love Erik Satie.
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
Yep.
Unexpected, even for RP. I like it!
On_The_Beach wrote:
I'd like to think Satie would be down with whatever adaptation anyone came up with. I don't think he took this stuff too seriously.
. . . as Erik Satie claws at the lid of his coffin . . .
I'd like to think Satie would be down with whatever adaptation anyone came up with. I don't think he took this stuff too seriously.
Beanie wrote:
I agree with two of the things you said. I'll let you figure out which.
I love Erik Satie.
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
I agree with two of the things you said. I'll let you figure out which.
Did whatever it was die yet?
Why do I always get an image of her singing in a castle, dressed in a medieval tunic? Is it the instruments she seems to always include?
I love Erik Satie.
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
I love Tori Amos.
But oh lordy, this is dreadful...
(former member) wrote:
I love this song...
romeotuma wrote:
This song is good for the ears...
Thank you for sharing the video of Tori explaining her process (while gently playing the piano along with her thoughts : )
Gorgeous
I love this song...
romeotuma wrote:
This song is good for the ears...
Thank you for sharing the video of Tori explaining her process (while gently playing the piano along with her thoughts : )
Gorgeous
Inamorato
(Twin Cities)
I like this song and the entire album. Pop musicians appropriating classical music can often be disastrous but she puts her, uh, whimsical lyrics to the music while maintaining the feel of the original works. The orchestration is well done, particularly with the woodwinds. The songs with her young daughter are most charming. As for the hater comments, one doesn't really expect philistines to be clever.
**bump**
(Twin Cities)
Posted: Oct 14, 2011 - 10:06
I like this song and the entire album. Pop musicians appropriating classical music can often be disastrous but she puts her, uh, whimsical lyrics to the music while maintaining the feel of the original works. The orchestration is well done, particularly with the woodwinds. The songs with her young daughter are most charming. As for the hater comments, one doesn't really expect philistines to be clever.
**bump**
On_The_Beach wrote:
phlattop wrote:
he came to mind immediately within the first few notes. This isn't doing it for me.
I think this whole album is songs with lyrics she wrote set to works of several different classical composers.
. . . as Erik Satie claws at the lid of his coffin . . .
phlattop wrote:
he came to mind immediately within the first few notes. This isn't doing it for me.
I think this whole album is songs with lyrics she wrote set to works of several different classical composers.
I thought it was a solid 4, but then it kept goooooooooing...
On_The_Beach wrote:
he came to mind immediately within the first few notes. This isn't doing it for me.
. . . as Erik Satie claws at the lid of his coffin . . .
he came to mind immediately within the first few notes. This isn't doing it for me.
. . . as Erik Satie claws at the lid of his coffin . . .
hatechris wrote:
Rock and pop is mostly self-indulgent, that's what's great about it! Just listened to Neil Young's 'Like a Hurricane' - that's not self-indulgent?!
Self-indulgent garbage. She should stop writing music for the fairies, dragons, elves, or whatever else lives in the mystical land in her head and go back to writing for human beings. OBNOXIOUS and difficult to listen to as it never has a word or a note that is emotionally accessible to the listener. I'd rather be probed by aliens for a month than ever have to sit through this song again.
Her first album was amazing.
Her first album was amazing.
Rock and pop is mostly self-indulgent, that's what's great about it! Just listened to Neil Young's 'Like a Hurricane' - that's not self-indulgent?!
bobringer wrote:
Yeah, I don't get the huge amounts of Tori hatred on RP. There are plenty of artists on RP that aren't my cup of tea, but I just PSD instead of ranting about how unbearably awful they are. Just because you don't personally like something doesn't mean it's awful.
The absolute hatred for Ms. Amos is beyond my ability to reason.
This is really nice... half of you like it and half of you give it a 1??
A 1? Seriously? Come now...
This is really nice... half of you like it and half of you give it a 1??
A 1? Seriously? Come now...
Yeah, I don't get the huge amounts of Tori hatred on RP. There are plenty of artists on RP that aren't my cup of tea, but I just PSD instead of ranting about how unbearably awful they are. Just because you don't personally like something doesn't mean it's awful.
PSD got me to this gem!
hatechris wrote:
"should"? She should do WTF she wants to, and if she wants to be self-indulgent and live with the faeries that's her choice. If punters don't like it, they'll not buy her music. As you don't like it, just hit PSD. Semplicissimo.
Artists are (gasp) human beings, like you and I, and have a range of motivations, again like you and I. Most get into music to make music they themselves like, to express themselves, and if that's popular and sells then they're lucky enough to be able to make a living from it. They are not owned by their fans or the buying public. Some popular artists and bands submit themselves to the beck and call of buying punters, to make a living, and you can tell by the generic and usually uninteresting nature of their music. Personally, I'd rather listen to an artist with imagination than a consumer good provider.
If bands such as The Beatles had listened to what their fans said they "should" produce, you'd never have got Sergeant Pepper's or the White Album. Similarly Bowie would have just cloned Ziggy Stardust forevermore.
Power to Tori's elbow for being experimental and imaginative.
Self-indulgent garbage. She should stop writing music for the fairies, dragons, elves, or whatever else lives in the mystical land in her head and go back to writing for human beings. OBNOXIOUS and difficult to listen to as it never has a word or a note that is emotionally accessible to the listener. I'd rather be probed by aliens for a month than ever have to sit through this song again.
"should"? She should do WTF she wants to, and if she wants to be self-indulgent and live with the faeries that's her choice. If punters don't like it, they'll not buy her music. As you don't like it, just hit PSD. Semplicissimo.
Artists are (gasp) human beings, like you and I, and have a range of motivations, again like you and I. Most get into music to make music they themselves like, to express themselves, and if that's popular and sells then they're lucky enough to be able to make a living from it. They are not owned by their fans or the buying public. Some popular artists and bands submit themselves to the beck and call of buying punters, to make a living, and you can tell by the generic and usually uninteresting nature of their music. Personally, I'd rather listen to an artist with imagination than a consumer good provider.
If bands such as The Beatles had listened to what their fans said they "should" produce, you'd never have got Sergeant Pepper's or the White Album. Similarly Bowie would have just cloned Ziggy Stardust forevermore.
Power to Tori's elbow for being experimental and imaginative.
hatechris wrote:
Also the second. Most of the rest is not worth to listen to.
But there is something intriguing in this song....
Her first album was amazing.
Also the second. Most of the rest is not worth to listen to.
But there is something intriguing in this song....
Self-indulgent garbage. She should stop writing music for the fairies, dragons, elves, or whatever else lives in the mystical land in her head and go back to writing for human beings. OBNOXIOUS and difficult to listen to as it never has a word or a note that is emotionally accessible to the listener. I'd rather be probed by aliens for a month than ever have to sit through this song again.
Her first album was amazing.
Her first album was amazing.
Horrible.
Points to Tori for originality, although with some songs she seems to wallow in it for the sake of being different. I still have questions about her general grasp on reality.
Not that it matters but...does she look all that different from years past? I don't follow this kind of thing much. There may be a little Botox in that serene gaze on the cover, but she looks beautiful. Tori looked very weird on the cover of "American Doll Posse."
Not that it matters but...does she look all that different from years past? I don't follow this kind of thing much. There may be a little Botox in that serene gaze on the cover, but she looks beautiful. Tori looked very weird on the cover of "American Doll Posse."
I like it! This is a classic for you Bill: a cover of Satie, and now with words. Oh yeah, I don't really care what she looks like, just sayin'....
How the heck did this make it into the RP queue?
The absolute hatred for Ms. Amos is beyond my ability to reason.
This is really nice... half of you like it and half of you give it a 1??
A 1? Seriously? Come now...
This is really nice... half of you like it and half of you give it a 1??
A 1? Seriously? Come now...
Can do without this tripe.
Like this more every time I hear it. Thanks, RP!
I'm getting a distinct druid vibe from this song. They were (and are) big on trees, I believe.
I quite like this. Always enjoy Satie, and her voice seems to suit the music.
Sorcha wrote:
I know... she used to be so beautiful.
What did she do to her face?!
I know... she used to be so beautiful.
Does this ever end?
Sorcha wrote:
That, would be an understatement. Prob. my biggest issue w/ her
What did she do to her face?!
I've always felt like Tori was recycling Kate Bush - and Kate is a true original.
That, would be an understatement. Prob. my biggest issue w/ her
I'm rooting for the trees...I hope they kick her amos.
I have to give a 5 and I REALLY love and respect Tori too. This is NOT all that good! There is much better on this album.
Make it stop!
fredriley wrote:
Only 35?!!! Can I vote again?
35 sucko-barfo ratings? How can this be so offensive to so many? At worst it's just dull, surely? Oh, well, 8 from the out of step Nottingham jury.
Only 35?!!! Can I vote again?
God I hate this song.... Very bad choice. Bleech...
Awesome! More crap from tori to make me sick
Why does something by her have to be played everyday?
This is equally as bad as her "classics".
It's too long and incredibly annoying....
Time for RP to Go offline for me for a while :(
Why does something by her have to be played everyday?
This is equally as bad as her "classics".
It's too long and incredibly annoying....
Time for RP to Go offline for me for a while :(
that's a lot of comments for such a strange tune.......5 is good
ch83575 wrote:
I love it! Its like getting new, classic Tori.
On a separate, but related note: If you get the chance to see Tori in concert I highly recommend it. At one point I would swear she was actually having sex with the piano... literally, if that is possible. Awesome.
Edit: I have given it some more thought. If two women are capable of 'having sex' (I think it is generally accepted that they are), then surely a woman is capable of having sex with a piano. So, that is what she was doing: having sex with her piano on stage in front of me, god and the rest of the world. Like I said... awesome.
On a separate, but related note: If you get the chance to see Tori in concert I highly recommend it. At one point I would swear she was actually having sex with the piano... literally, if that is possible. Awesome.
Edit: I have given it some more thought. If two women are capable of 'having sex' (I think it is generally accepted that they are), then surely a woman is capable of having sex with a piano. So, that is what she was doing: having sex with her piano on stage in front of me, god and the rest of the world. Like I said... awesome.
Please please it's much too pretty of a day to listen to this song which Tori should never have sung in the first place. Take it off your rotation list!!!
For all the people who said that Tori was a watered-down Kate Bush impersonator, I always answered "Silent All These Years."
But this song.... uh, yeah. Watered-down Kate Bush. Guilty as charged. The faux British accent doesn't help.
But this song.... uh, yeah. Watered-down Kate Bush. Guilty as charged. The faux British accent doesn't help.
Enough already!!!!!!!
My God... It'll never end!!!!
Wow this is long. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35 sucko-barfo ratings? How can this be so offensive to so many? At worst it's just dull, surely? Oh, well, 8 from the out of step Nottingham jury.
FlatCat wrote:
It could be a good idea, or at least a challenging exercise. I imagine Satie's music meant a lot to her when she was learning to play the piano, and I can appreciate her effort, but this just doesn't work for me. I don't find it horrible, though.
Making a song out of an Eric Satie piece? Who thought THAT was a good idea?
Oh, wait. Tori Amos. Figures.
Oh, wait. Tori Amos. Figures.
It could be a good idea, or at least a challenging exercise. I imagine Satie's music meant a lot to her when she was learning to play the piano, and I can appreciate her effort, but this just doesn't work for me. I don't find it horrible, though.
I agree!
Just voted it a one again.
rubincw wrote:
Just voted it a one again.
rubincw wrote:
first time i've muted RP - Tori Amos is really overrated
What did she do to her face?!
I've always felt like Tori was recycling Kate Bush - and Kate is a true original.
Leaving the office now...fast!
first time i've muted RP - Tori Amos is really overrated
I love it! Its like getting new, classic Tori.
On a separate, but related note: If you get the chance to see Tori in concert I highly recommend it. At one point I would swear she was actually having sex with the piano... literally, if that is possible. Awesome.
Edit: I have given it some more thought. If two women are capable of 'having sex' (I think it is generally accepted that they are), then surely a woman is capable of having sex with a piano. So, that is what she was doing: having sex with her piano on stage in front of me, god and the rest of the world. Like I said... awesome.
On a separate, but related note: If you get the chance to see Tori in concert I highly recommend it. At one point I would swear she was actually having sex with the piano... literally, if that is possible. Awesome.
Edit: I have given it some more thought. If two women are capable of 'having sex' (I think it is generally accepted that they are), then surely a woman is capable of having sex with a piano. So, that is what she was doing: having sex with her piano on stage in front of me, god and the rest of the world. Like I said... awesome.
Orodrigues wrote:
So do I! :)
I like it!!
So do I! :)
Love Tori!
sirdroseph wrote:
Yep, it is cause they are great in number cause she like sucks and all. It is not rocket science.
Don't take this as a personal attack, but in my humble opinion, extending the inappropriate use of the word "like" into one's writing brands the writer as a teen, regardless of actual age. My opinion regarding the the ability of a teen to comment objectively on Tori Amos is unfairly biased, and I'll just keep it to myself.
Yep, it is cause they are great in number cause she like sucks and all. It is not rocket science.
Don't take this as a personal attack, but in my humble opinion, extending the inappropriate use of the word "like" into one's writing brands the writer as a teen, regardless of actual age. My opinion regarding the the ability of a teen to comment objectively on Tori Amos is unfairly biased, and I'll just keep it to myself.
I like it!!
shutter wrote: ...and could you imagine sitting through a live performance of this? You'd need to be a die-hard fan. |
Or dead.
hope this wasn't picked because it is the best song on the album, that would be depressing, she was once able to do far better than this.
shutter wrote:
Propofol, you'd need
...and could you imagine sitting through a live performance of this? You'd need to be a die-hard fan.
Propofol, you'd need
Painful :(
SinisterDexter wrote:
...i thought it first, but expected i wasn't alone... ;)
There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas...
...i thought it first, but expected i wasn't alone... ;)
There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas...
I like this song and the entire album. Pop musicians appropriating classical music can often be disastrous but she puts her, uh, whimsical lyrics to the music while maintaining the feel of the original works. The orchestration is well done, particularly with the woodwinds. The songs with her young daughter are most charming. As for the hater comments, one doesn't really expect philistines to be clever.
Making a song out of an Eric Satie piece? Who thought THAT was a good idea?
Oh, wait. Tori Amos. Figures.
Oh, wait. Tori Amos. Figures.
annie_fannie wrote:
Yep, it is cause they are great in number cause she like sucks and all. It is not rocket science.
enjoying the ride and the comments...there's no haters in the world like Tori Amos haters....
Yep, it is cause they are great in number cause she like sucks and all. It is not rocket science.
...and could you imagine sitting through a live performance of this? You'd need to be a die-hard fan.
I think it's only up to a 4 because of the Satie bit.
One of the few songs I'd rate a 1 - I don't care for Tori Amos at all. 
annie_fannie wrote:
I'd wager that DMB and Coldplay haters would win that contest.
enjoying the ride and the comments...there's no haters in the world like Tori Amos haters....
I'd wager that DMB and Coldplay haters would win that contest.
rdo wrote:
Yes!!! I actually have to turn it off.
Dear Lord. Please make it stop.
Yes!!! I actually have to turn it off.
enjoying the ride and the comments...there's no haters in the world like Tori Amos haters....
fran_tarkenton wrote:
Yes, but not a soon as we'd like it to.
Good god is this ever going to end!
Yes, but not a soon as we'd like it to.
This is interesting and I know I could give it an 7-8 if I am in the right mood. Not in the right mood so this gets a 5 for the time being.
Because of songs like this, the good music on RP sounds even better.
She still records music?? Hmmmmm. I guess it is a free country and all.
She sure sounds like Kate Bush...
Dear Lord. Please make it stop.
For some reason, I feel like cleaning a piano.
Hm... A bit like Renaissance warmed over in the microwave.
On_The_Beach wrote:
TFF!!!!!
As a musician, she makes a great shampoo model.
TFF!!!!!
Good god is this ever going to end!
andjones wrote:
Would not say "eerie"...words like "painful", "awful", and "painfully God-awful" come to mind.
Erik's banging on the pipes from the Great Above to get that bloody racket stopped.
Bam! Bullseye.
Tori is very talented and quite beautiful, but really self-indulgent and (I think) nuts.
That's eerie to hear tori amos singing on top of eric satie's gnossienne #1
Would not say "eerie"...words like "painful", "awful", and "painfully God-awful" come to mind.
Erik's banging on the pipes from the Great Above to get that bloody racket stopped.
On_The_Beach wrote:
As a musician, she makes a great shampoo model.
Bam! Bullseye.
Tori is very talented and quite beautiful, but really self-indulgent and (I think) nuts.
Stop the madness!!! Put a sock in it Tori.
jules44 wrote:
Yeah, really. Oi!
Enough already......omg....shut up! 
Yeah, really. Oi!
Enough already......omg....shut up!
This girl just gets better and better!
Yeah, a pretentious Satie sully.
pretentious rambling...
LRC here I come... I can dig me some Tori, but not this one.
andjones wrote:
I call it the advantage of having a classical formation in music.
That's eerie to hear tori amos singing on top of eric satie's gnossienne #1
I call it the advantage of having a classical formation in music.
Intriguing.
About 10 minutes way too long.
That's eerie to hear tori amos singing on top of eric satie's gnossienne #1
raga wrote:
I feel with you, my friend!!
Not the best way to start the day...
I feel with you, my friend!!
Not the best way to start the day...
Awful and much toooo long! I hope its coming up some good music soon?! But i now, there is no man in the studio at this time, or?
As a musician, she makes a great shampoo model.
I like this better than anything she's done since Scarlet's Walk. Might have to start buying Tori albums again.
Am posting from my iPad; perhaps that's why I'm having trouble with the commenting format. My previous comment was supposed to be a reply to BillG.
Yes, I just tried to edit my original comment, but it completely changed it.
Still sounds like an impersonation of Kate Bush to me. I gotta' get over that somehow. I really like the arrangement of this! I'll go with 6 for now and see where it goes.
AliGator wrote:
Erik Satie
The piano is a Yann Tiersen riff?
Erik Satie
Curiouser and curiouser. The cover pic looks like Christina Hendrix from Madmen but, um, thinner.
Or Erik Satie. 