Yes, Anastasia

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“Yes, Anastasia”
Single by Tori Amos
from the album Under the Pink
Released January 31st, 1994
Genre Alternative Rock
Length 09:33
Label Atlantic
Producer Tori Amos
Eric Rosse


"Yes, Anastasia" is a song by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It is the twelfth track on Amos' 1994 album Under the Pink. The song draws inspiration from the epic story of Anastasia Romanov, a grand duchess of Russia who was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna.

Contents

[edit] Story and meaning

Amos explains the story behind “Yes, Anastasia” in the songbook for Under the Pink. She tells that this song is a journey, the story of Anastasia Romanov, who was a grand duchess of Russia. Amos admits to not reading many books on her, but she was aware of the family and the issues related to the family. Amos explains that while in Virginia, she became sick from eating bad crabs in Maryland. [1] Amos had a show that night and decided not to cancel it. She explains that while performing a sound check, she was influenced by Romanov’s presence. “Needless to say, when you are very, very ill, it is easier to communicate with your source… you are fragile and vulnerable.” While reluctant to write this song at first, Amos decided to take it on. “Now I have only heard of her story, I’ve got no point to make. She comes and goes ‘you’ve got to write my tune.’ I go ‘ohhh, now’s not a really good time.’ She says ‘no, you’ve got to understand something from this, there’s something here that you’ve got to come to terms with.’ And that night came.” Amos says that the lyrics “We’ll see how brave you are” means so many different things to her – it is apart of her self saying “If you really want a challenge, just deal with yourself.” [2]

[edit] Lyrics

I know what you want
your magpies have come
If you know me so well then
Tell me which hand I use

Make them go
Make it go

Saw her there in the restaurant
Poppy don't go
I know your mother is a good one
But Poppy don't go
I'll take you home
Show me the things that I've been missin'
Show me the ways I forgot to be speaking
Show me the ways to get back to the garden
Show me the ways to get around the get around
Show me the ways to button up buttons
That have forgotten they're buttons
Well we can't have that forgetting that

Girls girls
What have we done, what have we done to ourselves

Driving on the vine
Over clothes lines
But officer I saw the sign

Thought I'd been through this in 1919
Counting the tears
Of ten thousand men
And gathered them all
But my feet are slipping
There's something we left on the windowsill
There's something we left yes

We'll see how brave you are
We'll see how fast you'll be running
We'll see how brave you are
Yes, Anastasia
And all your dollies have friends

Thought she deserved no less than she'd give
Well happy birthday
Her blood's on my hands
It's kind of a shame
Cause I did like that dress
It's funny the things that you find in the rain
The things that you find
In the mall and
In the date-mines
In the knot still in her hair
On the bus I'm
On my way down
All the girls seem to be there

Come along now little darlin'
Come along now with me
Come along now little darlin'
We'll see how brave you are

[edit] Music Video

While there is no official music video for "Yes, Anastasia," there are several fan made videos available online. These videos can be found on user-based websites such as YouTube. There are also several videos of Amos performing the song live.

[edit] Live Performances

During Amos' 2007 American Doll Posse tour, she performed "Yes, Anastasia" during a segment of her concert entitled "Tori & Bose." This was a special portion of the concert where Tori played without her band and only used her Bose piano. "Yes, Anastasia" is traditionally played live with just Tori and her piano and is often introduced by an improvisational song. While Amos usually only performs the second half of the epic song live, she performed the full-length version of “Yes, Anastasia” for the first time in Antonio, Texas, on November 26th, 2007. Legal bootlegs of this concert, including the live full-length version, are available on Tori Amos' website, "Legs and Boots."

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ UCLA Interview, UCLA Interview”
  2. ^ Under the Pink: Song Book, Under the Pink: Song Book.