A Sorta Fairytale

Album: Scarlet's Walk (2002)
Charted: 41
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Songfacts®:

  • Adrien Brody appears in the video as Tori's love interest. Later that year, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in The Pianist. It was a surprise win, as most people thought Jack Nicholson would get the Oscar for his role in About Schmidt. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jenny - Sussex, NJ
  • The video was made to be a unique twist on the fairytale idea: two misfits fall in love and their kiss completes them, turning them fully human. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Aimee - Auckland, New Zealand
  • Scarlet's Walk is a concept album that follows the main character, Scarlet, on a journey across America. The lead single, "A Sorta Fairytale," starts in Los Angeles, where Scarlet has seemingly found her soul mate. "They take the big trip in the classic car up the Pacific Coast highway and across the desert. But as they go on, the masks drop away and they discover the fantasy they have of each other isn't who they really are," Amos explained. "They did care. But somehow they lost each other. Which is why it's only 'A Sorta Fairytale.'"
  • Released on Epic Records, this marked Amos' departure from her longtime label, Atlantic Records. Although her former label helped launch her career, Amos had to fight for creative control every step of the way (these were the same guys who wanted her to sacrifice her trademark piano for rock guitars on her seminal work, Little Earthquakes). Fed up after 15 years of the same struggle, Amos made the move to Epic. The singer found an ally in the label's president, Polly Anthony, who gave the album plenty of promotion and a big budget for its first video. Amos was vindicated when Scarlet's Walk debuted at #7 on the albums chart and, within a month of its release, reached Gold status (500,000 copies sold). Unfortunately, Anthony was ousted from Epic the following year, and Amos was once again mired in music industry muck. Two albums later, she left Epic and struck a joint venture with Universal Republic Records.
  • This was used on the TV series Birds Of Prey in the 2003 episode "Devil's Eyes."

Comments: 9

  • Music Lover from KsSomeone opened themselves up and let someone in and it ended up being only a sorta fairy tail, as most loves are. You remember the good times that eventually become something else. What you become is an imposter in your own life, until you put the hood back on and wait for romance to uncover you. Wash rinse repeat.

    Breaking bread is starting something. Stealing it is walking away with as much as you can. Seems like divorce to me. Just my take, I may be wrong.
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnI love this song! Tori's music just hits me right in the gut.
  • Sunny from Stambaugh, MiThis song is packed with sexual inuendos and I feel that it is intentionally done based on Tori's comfort level with herself and her sexual being. The inflections in her voice while singing some of these words or phrases has a heavy hint of passion. "I pulled back the hood" "the girl had come undone" "and I ride along side and I rode along side" "till the honey spread" "break your bread" "I put the Hood right back where You could taste heaven perfectly"

    She's a very sensual lady and enjoys her body.




  • Prayerash from Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaHow sad... yet the song speaks for the truth. When it comes to love, it's never a fairytale no matter how it looked.
  • Scott from Los Angeles, CaOne more thing. When the girl in question (from my previous post) did finally come to L.A., the first time we heard this song together on the radio was when we were driving on the "101" or "Ventura". We both were freaking out as I pointed to the the freeway signs that read "101 freeway to Ventura as we headed up North..up on the Ventura. Ah....serendipidy.
  • Scott from Los Angeles, CaThis song has special meaning for me. I was just getting into a very special relationship with somebody right when this song came out. The person in question was from oversees and hadn't come over to the states with me yet. As it happens, I happened to live in L.A. where the story is taking place. IE "Things you said that day up on the 101" refers to the 101 freeway in L.A. Also, she says, "On my way up north, up on the Ventura". This is another reference to the 101 in that the another common name for the 101 freeway is "The Ventura Freeway" if you're heading north out of Los Angeles towards...you guessed it...Ventura. Anyway, this relationship was a sorta fairytale in that it was a cross Atlantic relationship and very passionate and magical. What's even more erie is that our relationship ended up not working out and it was very sad and unexpected. Like in the song Tori says, "You Lost me in the rearview", which is kind of what happened to us. She drifted away from me. Finally, in the end, like the song says, "I didn't think we'd end up like this." That song probably gets me more than any other song because it feels so autobiographical.
  • Claire from Oak Ridge, TnVideo for this was seriously strange.
  • Hayley from Albuquerque, NmAimee- that was great! I think your are absoulutely right! I never understood this song until I read your comment! Thanks!
  • Aimee from San Antonio, TxTori Amos describes her relationship with her "Mr. Wonderful" as a sort of fairytale. Love is nor ever been a real fairytale. Love has its ups and downs and its imperfection. She is simply describing a day spent with her lover doing everyday things. When you are with someone who you realy connect with real life can seem like a sort of fairytale for both parties. True makes life a special thing.
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