Cornflake Girl

Album: Under The Pink (1994)
Charted: 4
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  • Atlantic Records ordered up real boxes of Corn Flakes (the little ones you get in variety packs) to promote the Tori Amos single "Cornflake Girl." These kind of tchotchkes were a good way to get program directors thinking about the song, and cheaper than the other common method of garnering airplay: an envelope of cash.

    We're guessing that anyone who proudly displayed this item didn't realize that the song was inspired by a book called Possessing The Secret Of Joy, which is about the custom of female genital mutilation in parts of Africa.

Comments: 20

  • Danielle from NetherlandsThe song is now used as closure in the 10th and cliffhanger end of the series 'My life with the Walter Boys' on Netflix (Europe).
  • Mountainkid from Humboldt & Trinity County, Northern CaAs mentioned in the previous comment by by the user Sharec13, this song was placed at the end of episode 1 season 2 of “Jellowjackets”. Additionally the song “Bells for her”, another ballad coming from the same album with reference to females betraying females, was used as the ending song for the second episode. It’s highly speculated that the third song that shares the same dark and visceral concept of female brutality inflicted upon other women “The Waitress” will be used in the upcoming third episode as it’s one of only three songs on that album that share some leant meaning to the beginning of this season of “Yellowjackets “
  • Sharec13 from San DiegoCornflakes Girl was also used at the end of Yellowjackets on Showtime. Season 2, episode 1.
  • Whatever from Same"rabbit" was never any of her business, and neither is anyone else.
  • Anybody from Nearhas anyone ever put a restraining order on her, or did she utterly destroy them before that was possible?!
  • Ears With Feet from On The RoadTori does not sound, or make music like, Kate Bush. Period. No comparison. You can be devotees of both, but they are totally different. :D
  • Steve from Next DoorIt's worth noting that the lyric 'cornflake girl' was used in a billy bragg song a few years BEFORE the tori single was release
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornflake_Girl#Cover_versions
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x89xVTIe3CQ
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnCool song - the video is hilarious!
  • Ra from Asheville, NcSarah, Shannon, Sara: You're all correct.

    John Harvey Kellogg's ideas were informed by Graham's writings. Cornflakes were a (somewhat accidental) product of his experiments with grain diets, which were supposed to 'reduce passions'. Will Keith Kellogg then marketed them, and his brother John was very unhappy with that (even suing him unsuccessfully to prevent him using the Kellogg name!)
  • Sarah from Nashville, TnIn response to Sarah, Sunny...you may be confusing the food that was created to stop the urge to masturbate with cornflakes. It was, in fact, the graham cracker. Created by Rev. Sylvester Graham in 1822 as part of the "graham diet" which was initiated to supress unholy urges. (I think it's odd that graham crackers are a major snack given to children)...
  • Sadie from Dallas, TxTori's best friend "beenie" does back-up vocals on this track.
  • Cindy from Portland, OrI'm surprised no one has commented on the imagery of rape. Tori is a rape survivor; I've always assumed she's referring to it when she sings about "the man with the golden gun" and how "This is not really happening...You bet your life it is."
  • Bob from Manchester, EnglandObviously you have not listened to the two or you are serious Kate Bush fans (who seem to take exception to Tori's, quite innocent "Who is Kate Bush?" comment.). Like chalk and cheese. Kate is excellent as is Tori BUT they are not the same.
  • Tango Fistula from Gila Bend, Aztwo words. KATE BUSH. 2 more words. VERY PRECIOUS.
    id make out with her but thats about it.
  • Pete from Nowra, Australiadefinitely a Kate Bush soundalike......
  • Josef from Corpus Christi, TxD.C. based group Jawbox covered this song on their self titled Album and last live tour. I like it better than the Amos version since I love their arrangement of the song as well as the guitar work.
    Another good point is Bassist Kim Colletta singing in the backgroud. Great Song!! A must listen to version of the original!!
  • Shannon from Westland, MiIt was not the entrepreneur, Will Keith Kellogg, but his prudish brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who ran a sanitarium (which is quite ironic) that invented Cornflakes; "These were an unsweetened addition to the diets of Dr. Kellogg's patients, who suffered from a variety of ailments, which Dr. Kellogg believed could be cured by a strict vegetarian diet, vigorous exercise, sexual abstinence, and regular enemas." Will essentially stole John?s work and founded his business in Battlecreek Michigan creating the sugar-laden cereal industry that Tori Amos made a commercial for eighty-odd-years later.
  • Geri from Nova Scotia, CanadaThis song speaks for every girl that was ever "unpopular" in high school and instead of letting it defeat you, turn it into your strength. You go girl...
  • Sara from Sunny, CaI don't know how accurate this is, but somewhere along the line, I heard that in the early 20th century, a prudish entrepreneur sought to create a food so wholesome that it would sqwelch the urge to masturbate. The result? Cornflakes. Hence, Tori never was a Cornflake girl, and she thought that was a good solution. I for one, agree.
  • Nick from Arlington Heights, IlIn the late 80's Amos was in a hair metal band called "Y Kant Tori Read?" that included future Guns n Roses drummer Matt Sorum
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