China

Tori Amos

About China

"China" is a song by American singer-songwriter and musician Tori Amos. It was released as the third single from her debut studio album Little Earthquakes. It was released January 20, 1992 by EastWest Records in the UK. It was the first song written for Little Earthquakes and was originally titled "Distance"; a recurring lyric and theme in the song. It was originally submitted to the Library of Congress in 1987.


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China all the way to new york
I can feel the distance getting close
You're right next to me
But I need an airplane
I can feel the distance as you breathe

Sometimes I think you want me to touch you
How can I when you build a great wall around you
In your eyes I saw a future together
You just look away in the distance

China decorates our table
Funny how the cracks don't seem to show
Pour the wine dear
You say we'll take a holiday
But we never can agree on where to go

Sometimes I think you want me to touch you
How can I when you build a great wall around you
In your eyes I saw a future together
You just look away in the distance

China all the way to New York
Maybe you got lost in Mexico
You're right next to me
I think that you can hear me
Funny how the distance learns to grow

Sometimes I think you want me to touch you
How can I when you build a great wall around you
I can feel the distance
I can feel the distance
I can feel the distance getting close

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Tori Amos

Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She is a classically trained musician and possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Amos originally served as the lead singer of 1980s synthpop group Y Kant Tori Read, and as a solo artist was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s. She was also noteworthy early in her solo career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument. Some of her charting singles include "Crucify", "Silent All These Years", "God", "Cornflake Girl", "Caught a Lite Sneeze", "Professional Widow", "Spark", "1000 Oceans", and "A Sorta Fairytale", her most commercially successful single in the U.S. to date. more »

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14 facts about this song

Song Origin
"China" is a song track performed by American singer-songwriter and pianist, Tori Amos.
Album Details
The song is included in Tori Amos's debut solo studio album, "Little Earthquakes," released in 1992.
Release Date
The song was initially released as a single exclusively in the United Kingdom in January 1992.
Recording Label
The song was released under the record label, Atlantic Records.
Song Theme
"China" uses the metaphor of the geographical distance and political tension between the U.S and China to describe a troubled relationship between two people.
Video Director
The music video for "China" was directed by notable music video and film director Nancy Bennett.
Early Creation
Tori Amos wrote the song years before it was officially released and it was one of the first songs she wrote.
Initial Title
The original title for "China" was "Distance" but it was later changed.
Public Reception
Although "China" did not chart highly. It has since become one of Amos's most beloved songs among fans.
Different Versions
There are several versions of the song, including the album version and the single version. The single version features a slightly different, more electronic arrangement.
Live Alteration
When performed live, Tori Amos often changes the lyrics from "China...all the way to New York" to refer to the city in which she is performing.
Album Recognition
The album "Little Earthquakes" that includes song "China" was listed 24th in Rolling Stone’s list of "Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time".
Personal Assurance
The release of "China" as a single, which is slightly different in tone to most tracks on "Little Earthquakes," shows Tori Amos' determination to not be pigeonholed into one particular musical style.
More than a Song
"China" represents not just a love song about geographical distance but also an exploration of emotional distance. It symbolizes a commentary on isolation and communication in relationships.

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