THE POWER OF ORANGE KNICKERS

The power of orange knickers
under my petty coat
the power of listening to what
you don’t want me to know
Can somebody tell me now
who is this terrorist
those girls that smile kindly
then rip your life to pieces?
Can somebody tell me now
am I alone with this –
this little pill in my hand
and with this secret kiss
am I alone in this…
A matter of complication
when you become a twist
for their latest drink
as they’re transitioning
Can somebody tell me now
who is this terrorist
this little pill in my hand
that keeps the pain laughin’?
Can somebody tell me now
a way out of this –
that sacred pipe of red stone
could blow me out of this kiss
am I alone in this…
Shame shame time to leave me now
Shame shame you’ve had your fun
Shame shame for letting me think
that I would be the one
Can somebody tell me now
who is this terrorist
this little pill in my hand
or this secret kiss
am I alone in this kiss
am I alone in this kiss

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"I've just finished a song on my new album called The Power Of Orange Knickers and the word that came up was 'terrorist'. Tricky one! What rhymes with "terrorist"? Assonance is your best friend here. I thought about how people are using that word right now - whether it's people who run kingdoms or are killing people, or both. Maybe it could mean domestic terrorism, somebody you let in your house or your room or your body - invasion! Then I put the word "kiss" in there to create a paradox as it's the furthest thing from "terrorist". I've always been a John Lennon person. My husband is a Paul McCartney person but I love a twist in the story. I love the tension of opposites. I love dancing with the devil - but the devil's a dictionary, not a dick!"
Tori Amos, Word Magazine (UK Feb 2005)

"You know," Amos explains, "the word terrorist was just ... we'd all had enough of it. And it was just irresistible, I must say, having a guy sing the title words." She says she had the idea for the album's (loose) concept while straddling two wildly different worlds, at home in Cornwall, but with the TV news on. "I had to find an entry point into all this (the post-9/11 world). You've got the big three, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, involved in this war. And I'd be walking around in the garden, watching the relationship between the bee and this organ, the flower, and seeing how it's a win-win; whereas on television, if it's a win, someone has to lose. But the bee takes its nectar, does a little sprinkling and the garden propagates. Then the bee does a dance to her sisters, tells the girls where the hot organ is, and they go."
Tori Amos, The Sunday Times (UK Feb 2005)

"It's that 'Take another drop of courage.' It's your double espresso that says, all right, I can drive across the country," says Amos. And do these mythical orange knickers really exist? "Of course they do!"
Tori Amos, The New York Post (Feb.2005)

"There is a song called The Power of Orange Knickers that really kind of explores the idea of the word 'terrorist'. So I put on a pair of orange knickers one morning and I decided if I am going to stalk the idea of a terrorist without having an idea of what one was then I am going to need my orange knickers. And as I started to walk over to the piano I started to think about words that rhymed with 'terrorist' and the song kept drawing me in, and drawing me in deeper and deeper and deeper and it said yes it is easy to see the enemy if it is in another country. It's easy to see the enemy in another culture. Find the enemy in your own culture. Then find the enemy in your own being. And she's there. We all have this part of ourselves that will choose to obliterate an idea instead of negotiating with it, because it takes great skill to negotiate with ideas, it doesn't take a lot of skill to obliterate, unfortunately. It doesn't sound like this one the record, but just alone here with us the essence is (plays orange knickers). ..and it goes on and I began to understand how the opposites, if they don't have understanding and a respect for one another, and hold it into balance, then the whole thing begins to bring chaos."
Tori Amos, The Beekeeper Limited Edition Bonus DVD

Q: There’s a line in The Power of Orange Knickers about not knowing who the real terrorist is...
A: Yeah. I know some artists prefer not to comment, but I’ve followed the US administration and I genuinely believe they’ve emotionally blackmailed and manipulated the American people. We’re living in a frightening time and I wish people would wake up and realise they’re surrendering their civil liberties.
Tori Amos, Uncut.com


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