Pros: An amazing song that thousands of women relate to personally.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: The live version of this amazing song was recorded at a benefit concert for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), which was founded by Tori, and has helped thousands.
klzabawa's Full Review: Silent All These Years [Single] by Tori Amos
“I got something to say, you know, but nothing comes”
This review is the second in a series about Tori Amos. I’m in the process of going through all my singles and maxi-singles for those who may want to know a little more about that red-headed pianist phenomenon.
The single I am reviewing today is Silent All These Years.
This one is really special to me. It is the first Tori Amos song I had ever heard, and it speaks to me like very few things ever have. It is basic Tori--just that huge, angelic voice and her piano.
The songs on this cd are:
1) Silent All These Years (Album Version)
2) Silent All These Years (RAINN Benefit Concert Live Recording)
This particular single was not the original release of the song when Little Earthquakes first came out. It is a special release that coincided with a benefit concert and promotional campaign for Tori’s help line, RAINN. RAINN is the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. For those of you who haven’t heard, Tori started this network because she was raped in California when she was first trying to start her career there. She wrote a song about the incident, called Me and a Gun that was on her first cd. But all of Tori’s music has shades of her past in it. Including this single.
You may have caught the benefit concert that I alluded to on Lifetime a few years back. It was amazing. Tori sang her little heart out and even went so far as to sing Me and a Gun to the huge crowd and thousands watching at home. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but if you know the song, you will know just how personal that is. Maynard from the band Tool even sang a duet (Muhammad my Friend) as sweet as can be with Tori. It was an amazing concert, and all the proceeds went to benefit RAINN. They were even selling t-shirts made by Calvin Klein, I believe, to help raise money for the benefit. The front of this single features Tori in one of these shirts. It says “unlock the silence” with a red key. There is also something written on her hand, but I can’t make it out. She looks as beautiful as I’ve ever seen her, with her hair actually somewhat tame.
This song has done so much for women and girls everywhere. In the year 2001, many of us forget that even when I was in highschool it was nearly impossible to find music like this. And I’m only 24. Sure, there were rock-feminists—but there weren’t any women saying “I have been abused, and this is what it looks like, and I’ve had enough.” Until Tori.
I have never been violently raped. That is the luck of the draw, however. Because in this country, a woman is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. And one out of two rape victims is under age 18. One in six is under age 12. These statistics are straight from the RAINN website, which is www.rainn.org. There are plenty more extremely terrifying statistics I could quote you. The point is, Tori is speaking to and for these women. She has created this organization that does so much every day to help. I encourage all to check out this website, and if there is ever a need for help, do not hesitate to call the hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
Silent All These Years isn’t just about abuse, however. I related to this song on a totally different level. When I thought of myself as being “silent all these years” it was more about how ashamed I felt to be myself as a teenager. How easy it was for me to try not to stick out or make a scene, for fear of rejection. How easy it was for me to put myself in compromising situations with boys because I wanted their attention. How rejection you feel from the people you love can sometimes translate into self-hatred. It was about stopping the cycle of denial and looking at yourself truthfully. And opening up. Not for or to anyone but yourself.
This single contains the original album version of the song, as well as the RAINN benefit concert live recording. Both are incredible. There really isn’t anything else I can say. This is perhaps one of the most heartfelt, beautiful songs ever written by anybody, anywhere, anytime. Period. I’ll let Tori say the rest.
“Years go by will I still be waiting
For somebody else to understand
Years go by if I’m stripped of my beauty
And the orange clouds raining in my head
Years go by will I choke on my tears
Till finally there is nothing left
One more casualty you know we’re too easy, easy ,easy…
…but sometimes I hear my voice
And it’s been here
Silent all these years.”
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![Silent All These Years [Single] by Tori Amos](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/42/a5/3b/2002147950-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.