Glory of the 80s
Encyclopedia
"Glory of the 80s" is a song by American
singer-songwriter
Tori Amos
. It is the fourth track on Amos' 1999 album To Venus and Back
. The song reached #46 on the UK singles chart
, having the lowest debut since her 1994 single God
when both parts of the single were recalled early for a misprint in the credits. Both parts of the single were released in Australia on October 11, 1999, and released a month later in Europe and the UK on November 1, 1999.
.
According to Amos, the song was written about the honesty of that decade, compared to the more conservative 90s of censorship and political correctness.
Tori on the inspiration of the song:
The video features Amos in Gothic attire and make-up, trapped in a cubical torture chamber, with heavy cable bars fastened on her dress to the frame of the cage. Throughout the video, a shuriken
is seen randomly but consistently flying around, slashing the cables, eventually freeing Amos from her prison. She is also seen sprouting black wings, and shape-shifting into various forms, including a raven.
Part 1 Single
Part 2 Single
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
. It is the fourth track on Amos' 1999 album To Venus and Back
To Venus and Back
To Venus and Back, the fifth album released by singer and songwriter Tori Amos, is a two-disc album set including a studio album and a live album. The first disc, titled Venus: Orbiting, features eleven original songs that finds Amos experimenting heavily in electronica...
. The song reached #46 on the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, having the lowest debut since her 1994 single God
God (Tori Amos song)
"God" is a song by American singer-songwriter and musician Tori Amos. It was released as the second single from her second studio album Under the Pink...
when both parts of the single were recalled early for a misprint in the credits. Both parts of the single were released in Australia on October 11, 1999, and released a month later in Europe and the UK on November 1, 1999.
About
Glory of the 80s is an electronically driven song with a dark, club-like atmosphere. The song also marks the final appearance of the harpsichord in Amos' work until her 2009 holiday album Midwinter GracesMidwinter Graces
Midwinter Graces is the 11th solo studio album by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. Released on November 10, 2009 , through Universal Republic Records, it is the first seasonal album by Amos, and is also notable for marking her return to a more classical, stripped-down, baroque sound with various...
.
According to Amos, the song was written about the honesty of that decade, compared to the more conservative 90s of censorship and political correctness.
Tori on the inspiration of the song:
Music video
The video for Glory of the 80s was directed by Erick Ifergan and shot in September 1999 in Los Angeles at Universal Studios and later aired on MTV Europe.The video features Amos in Gothic attire and make-up, trapped in a cubical torture chamber, with heavy cable bars fastened on her dress to the frame of the cage. Throughout the video, a shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
is seen randomly but consistently flying around, slashing the cables, eventually freeing Amos from her prison. She is also seen sprouting black wings, and shape-shifting into various forms, including a raven.
Track listing
Two parts of the single were issued for each release. The second part of the single contained a different track listing. It was only available for a short amount of time due to being recalled, making both parts of the single extremely difficult to find.Part 1 Single
- Glory of the 80s (4:01)
- Famous Blue RaincoatFamous Blue Raincoat"Famous Blue Raincoat" is a song by Leonard Cohen. It is the sixth track on his third album, Songs of Love and Hate, released in 1971.-Summary:...
(Live) (5:24) - Twinkle (Live) (2:48)
Part 2 Single
- Glory of the 80s (4:01)
- Baker Baker (Live) (3:53)
- Winter (Live) (7:01)
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.K. Singles Chart | 46 |
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
81 |