Promise

Album: Unrepentant Geraldines (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Tori Amos duetting with her 13-year-old daughter, Natashya Hawley, as they reflect on a mother-daughter relationship from both perspectives. Tash previously sung for her mother on four songs ("SnowBlind", "Cactus Practice", "Job's Coffin" and "The Chase") on Amos' classically-inspired 2010 album, Night of Hunters.
  • The song includes plenty of references to the struggles that plague teenage girls including embarrassing mothers. Amos told Jam! Music: "The song came from mothers and daughters kind of having an honest chat about stuff and yes, that includes girls doing whatever (on film, in videos, on the net, in live performances) and coming to a place where we don't have to agree with something or like something. This is (from) a woman though who nursed a pig."

    "What I'm saying to you is, 'In life, do you do things that are shocking or do you do things that are subversive,'" she added. "In my life I want it to be about subversive. I didn't want to shock to shock for shock's sake."

Comments: 1

  • Jim E. from Pgh PaWonderful Duet
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Sam Hollander

Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews

The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.