Professional Widow (Its Got To Be Big)

Originally, this song was a punky harpsichord driven track from Amos' Boys For Pele album. It was released as a double sided single along with "Hey Jupiter" reaching #20 in the UK in 1996. The following year it was re-mixed by American house producer Armand Van Helden so successfully that it went all the way to the top of the UK charts.

This song is notable for the bassline by Armand Van Helden, which may have started the speed garage movement.

Armand Van Helden's remixed version uses only snippets of Tori Amos' original record. However he did not receive any remuneration for this mix as he presented it uncommissioned.Tori Amos is quoted in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh as saying: "I was called by a friend who was the head of dance at Atlantic America and he had the feeling that Armand van Helden could do something with the album. Boys For Pele was a very extreme record and very acoustic and Armand said he understood the character of the girl in 'Professional Widow.' He did a great job on it but it's not really a song anymore - it is a vibe with a groove."

In the same book, Armand van Helden tells a slightly different story: "A man called Johnny D who worked as A&R and street promotions manager at Atlantic had dinner with Tori Amos and he suggested that I remix 'Professional Widow.' Tori made only one suggestion and that was to make it different. I was free to experiment and having just returned from Ibiza, I was feeling extra creative." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above)