Top Ten Songs by Tori Amos

Tori Amos is one of a handful of singer/songwriters who have endured the test of sudden fame and stardom. Not only that, she is almost the only solo artist whose primary instrument is the piano, which she plays with heartstopping sensuality and verve. Tori Amos is no celebrity darling like Britney Spears or Hillary Duff; she consistently delivers exceptional music and has continued to grow and change as an artist. Her work has earned her a very dedicated, loyal fan base who are devoted to her brilliant, powerful lyricism and driving, raw music. In a single album Tori Amos can draw out emotions without exhausting and draining her audience and still leave her fans wanting more. More than anything, this is not "background music", but music to be savored, relished and thoroughly enjoyed.

1. Crucify, from her debut album Little Earthquakes (1992). This song is pure, raw emotion, as is, almost every song from this album. When Little Earthquakes came out, it was hard to imagine Tori Amos would ever be able to top it. The intensity of this song is incredibly powerful and simply amazing, regardless if it is a first release or a final release.

2. Precious Things, also from Little Earthquakes is a driving, urgent anthem to the scars left growing up and awakening sexually as a girl in middle America. Simultaneously, it delivers the satisfaction of overcoming those things and becoming a stronger woman for it. The urgency and emotive power of this song is stunning. Also from this album is "Me and a Gun" a song about Amos' rape at the hands of a regular customer at the nightclub she played piano at before she became well-known. This a capella song is disturbing, unsettling and incredibly direct. This song deserves a high place in any top ten of Tori Amos songs, but may be too disturbing for some listeners.

3. Cornflake Girl from Under the Pink (1994) is a sharp song about the desire to belong and remain unique. The music suggests confusion and the dizzy sensation of questioning identity without becoming cluttered or muddled. This song is musically complex and shows Tori Amos' growth and interest in classical composition and style.