Saturday, February 11, 2006
Tori Amos: Space Dog
Eric really loved the sound, which is why it sounds like it has that warm womb thing… That's how so many of these songs came, in this Under the Pink world. If you rip all your skin off, we're all pink, and it's about what's underneath that. That's how I see it, anyway. Space Dog would come and visit me, just as my alternative deity, so to speak. The idea that everybody puts their faith in, I don't know, this yogi or this channel or this god or this saint or this whatever, well, Space Dog was like, hey, it's my deity.
—Tori Amos, The Baltimore Sun, 1994
Tori Amos is the queen of nonsensical lyrics that make perfect emotional sense. For years, I gave the honor to Stevie Nicks, but she has been surpassed by Tori, which brings us to why we are here today. Have you ever had a song remind you of someone for no apparent reason? That's what "Space Dog" does for me. Given a traditional reading of the lyrics, the song is about: hidden secrets, commands, lemon pie, and the beloved "space dog". Yet, It reminds me of a former lover, who I still think of fondly.
So background story… once upon a time, when I was all young and kind of newish. I fell in love with a girl. A very, cute girl, who had this kind of free spiritedness about her, that drew me in like crazy. There was ALWAYS something about her that just made me smile, even during moments of hurt and anger. I couldn't stay mad at her, not her. She was just who she was, and while that left me with the short end of the stick, it gave me something wonderful. Something in which I value to this day, ineffable love.
Album
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Song: Space Dog
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When I listen to Space Dog it has that same effect on me. It's feisty, irreverent, glorious, almost religious balladry that makes me want to laugh out loud, while doing that Stevie Nick's Gypsy Girl Dance (you know that kind of spinning, head thrown back, let the rain fall on my face, type of dance. It's white girl cool). The song switches moods and focus rapidly, sometimes the rhythm is decidedly militaristic—a kind of swelling hut-two beat, that coincides with the telling of "Commander Space Dog"; but then it smoothly switches to soft simple ballad, just Tori and the piano; creating a swelling thats just demanding release.
so sure we were on something
your feet finally on the ground he said
so sure we were on something
you feet just on the ground girl
Tori, in an interview with the Baltimore Sun back in 1994, said the song was about belief, faith, and deities. And that all sounds very true, but for me, it's a song that reminds me of the kind of love that brings laughter and joy in your life, and helps you withstand life's hardships. It's about the little things that make you happy, which I suppose are belief and faith.
Because what, the cute girl with no name gave me was the ability to believe that love could come effortlessly. And while it might not stay (it didn't), it's still worthwhile. I think sometimes, we grow up and we learn that love is work— lots and lots of hard work and effort. There's pain and angst; there's fear and dread; there's hope and joy; and there's those little moments that make your heart stop beating or start beating faster. That's love and you accept it. Love becomes temperance—an expression of self-restraint.
Some might call me the queen of temperance, but it doesn't work for me for love. Sure, sometimes love can be simple, slow, and stealing. Like after years of friendship, you suddenly find the person next to you irrestible. I'm not denying the beauty or perfection can't exist in that sort of love, because it does. But sometimes love is just belief, pure faith. It's instantaneous, "I love and trust you."
A friend, once, asked me a question about caring. They were angry on my behalf, and said, "…why do you even still care about her?" It's one of those questions that can probably never be answered satisfactorily for another. But it allowed me to acknowledge that sometimes, love is just pure and utter faith.
I cared and I still care because I've always had faith that: no matter what she did; no matter where life would take her; and no matter when she left me; that she would always take the best care possible of my heart. She made me believe in love as an insurmountable force. In one second, I knew. I didn't even know her name, but I knew that she loved me. I didn't doubt it, and I didn't deny my worthiness of it.
Space Dog is the song that reminds me of her. But it reminds me of more than just her—it reminds me that the world is wonderful, just because the sun rose in glorious reds and purples; or the rain sprinkled on grasses and leaves so lushly green; or a woman smiled at you for no reason other than to say "hello". It's all glorious and unstoppable: that bubbling joy; that quickness of heart; that rapid smile; that wonderful realization that love can be had, shared, given, taken, thrown randomly into a crowd, and return to you. Love can just be love, without expectations, without angst, joyous, simple love.
It was just there, for me, and it was wonderful.
Hell yeah! Space Dog, just makes me smile, "…deck the halls, I'm young again, I'm you again." It makes me laugh out loud, "…lemon pie, he's coming through; our commander still space dog…," what the hell does that mean? It makes me feel sure. I was so sure, I'm still sure. She loved me, and she may not any more, or she might still. It wasn't necessary for it to be an everlasting love. It was just necessary. It surrounded me with warmth, comfort, and joy. My feet were not on the ground. Yes! she's still in my life, and no I'm not naming names.
Take a quick listen, and let me know if you like it as well.
Sound Clip
Lyrics
way to go mr. microphone
show us all what you don't know
centuries secret societies
he's out commander still
space dog
so sure we were on something
your feet are finally on the ground he said
so sure we were on something
your feet are just on the ground girl
rain and snow
our engines have been receiving your eager call
there's colonel dirtyfishydishcloth
he'll distract her good
don't worry so
and to the one you thought was on your side
she can't understand
she truly believes the lies
lemon pie
he's coming through
our commander still space dog
lines secure space dog
deck the halls
i'm young again
i'm you again
racing turtles
the grapefruit is winning
seems i keep getting this story twisted
so where's neil when you need him
deck the halls
it's you again
it's you again
somewhere someone must know the ending
is she still pissing in the river now
heard she'd gone
moved into a trailer park
so sure we were on something
your feet finally on the ground he said
so sure we were on something
you feet just on the ground girl
so sure we were on something
your feet finally on the ground he said
so sure we were on something
your feet are just on the ground
(so sure those girls now are in the navy
those bombs our friends can't even hurt you now
and hold those tears cause they're still on your side
don't hear the dogs barking
don't say you know we've gone andromeda
stood with those girls before
the hair in pairs it just got nasty
and now those girls are gone)
Footnotes
HereInMyHead | Lyric’s and Interview Quotes
Other Details
Categories: Music •Personal •
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Comments: 1
Permalink: http://www.wide-eyed.org/main/article/tori_amos_space_dog/
Comments
- On 02/12/2006, tori4ever says:
This made me break out my Under the Pink CD.