The Beekeeper
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| The Beekeeper | ||
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| Studio album by Tori Amos | ||
| Released | February 22, 2005 | |
| Recorded | June 2004 to November 2004 | |
| Genre | Alternative/R&B | |
| Length | 79:31 | |
| Label | Epic | |
| Producer(s) | Tori Amos | |
| Professional reviews | ||
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| Tori Amos chronology | ||
| Tales of a Librarian (2003) |
The Beekeeper (2005) |
A Piano: The Collection (2006) |
The Beekeeper is an album by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It was released on February 22, 2005 and incorporates Celtic choirs and African drums, and gnostic themes from the Apocryphon of John. The first single, "Sleeps With Butterflies", was shipped to radio in early January 2005, and immediately received heavy airplay, particularly on adult alternative radio. By January 16, 2005 the entire album had already leaked to the Internet and was heavily being exchanged in MP3 format.
Early reviews described the album as Amos' most lyrically accessible, abandoning her penchant for obtuse metaphor in favor of extremely straightforward lyrics. Several later reviews however, especially on fan sites, accused Amos of having descended into a "Kitchen Sink" adult contemporary genre musically and lyrically in a bid for this accessibility. While some arguments between fan sites became quite heated, Tori was no less popular when touring for the album.
Three singles were lifted from the album for radio release, with "Sleeps with Butterflies" becoming an adult radio staple in the US for the first half of 2005, reaching #2 on the US Triple A Radio chart. The follow-up singles, "Sweet the Sting" and "Cars and Guitars," were less successful but sustained steady sales for the album, which had been edging towards the 300,000 mark in the US. It was finally certified GOLD in the US by the end of 2005.
As with Amos' prior album, a special-edition version was released with a heavily conceptual packaging. Songs were divided into "gardens," and there was a bonus track and DVD, as well as a seed package of a "special blend" made specifically for the album.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
(all songs written by Amos)
- "Parasol" – 3:54
- "Sweet the Sting" – 4:16
- "The Power of Orange Knickers" (f/ Damien Rice) – 3:36
- "Jamaica Inn" – 4:03
- "Barons of Suburbia" – 5:21
- "Sleeps with Butterflies" – 3:35
- "General Joy" – 4:13
- "Mother Revolution" – 3:58
- "Ribbons Undone" – 4:30
- "Cars and Guitars" – 3:45
- "Witness" – 6:06
- "Original Sinsuality" – 2:02
- "Ireland" – 3:49
- "The Beekeeper" – 6:50
- "Martha's Foolish Ginger" – 4:22
- "Hoochie Woman" – 2:34
- "Goodbye Pisces" – 3:36
- "Marys of the Sea" – 5:11
- "Toast" – 3:42
- "Garlands" (Bonus Track) – 8:18
[edit] References
- The song "Parasol" makes direct reference to the Seurat painting Seated Woman with a Parasol.
- "Jamaica Inn" retells the story of the Daphne du Maurier novel and Alfred Hitchcock film through song
- "Mother Revolution" is suspected to be a play on T. Rex's Children of the Revolution[citation needed]
[edit] Personnel
- Tori Amos - lead singer, acoustic piano (Bösendorfer), B-3 Hammond organ, Hammond chord organ & producer
- Damien Rice - guest vocals
- Matt Chamberlain - drums
- Jon Evans - bass
- Mac Aladdin - electric/acoustic guitar
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Billboard 200 (U.S.) | 5 |
| 2005 | Billboard Top Internet Albums (U.S.) | 1 |
| 2005 | Official UK Album Chart (UK) | 24 |
| 2005 | Top Canadian Albums | 16 |
| 2005 | Polish Album Chart by ZPAV | 8 |
