Tori Amos: "Me And A Gun"

By Michelle Rush

I chose to write about a song by the name of "Me And A Gun," written by Tori Amos. I have may Tori Amos CD's in my music collection. I started to listen to her music when I was around fifteen years old. I have always thought of her style as being very unique. Then I heard this song which opened me up to an entire different side to her because it's story written about her own experience of rape, surviving, and even healing.


"I made a commitment not to be a victim again, by writing and by singing as often as I can 'Me and a Gun'. It's like I refuse now to be a victim of my own guilt. I refuse to be a victim of not having a wonderful sexual experience again. And you are a victim when you can't allow yourself to have sexual pleasure again. I refuse to put all men in the same category, as I was doing. When something like that happens you do want to punish men, punish the ones that crushed the flower. But no one should choose to hold onto that hatred. It choked me. Sexually, I feel I won't be able to give completely and love to the extent, say, that I will want to have kids with him, for quite some time yet. I couldn't even consider that for a few years. I'm only beginning to fulfill myself now because I'm beginning to accept, and love, the parts of me, of woman, that I was trained to hate all my life. Particularly the bad girl I still can be."
-Tori Amos


For me, this song can be very painful to listen to. Yet at the same time it can also be uplifting because it shows others that have been raped (such as myself) that they are not alone. There is one particular part in this song that stands out above all, "Yes I wore a slinky red thing. Does that mean I should spread?" It's unfortunate that many do get judged or misread based on the clothes they chose to wear. Those who do abuse women always have an excuse for it.


"In America some radio stations didn't want to play Me and a Gun because it's 'too feministic' and 'too realistic'. I sing: 'Yes, I wore a slinky red thing. Does that mean I should spread?' That's the way it is, yes? 'But mister judge, she was hitchhiking in a mini-skirt!' Bullshit!"
-Tori Amos



"Me And A Gun" by Tori Amos:

5am Friday morning Thursday night far from sleep

I'm still up and driving can't go home obviously

So I'll just change directions cause they'll soon know where I live

And I wanna live

Got a full tank and some chips

It was me and a gun and a man on my back

And I sang "holy holy" as he buttoned down his pants

You can laugh

Its kind of funny

Things you think

Times like these

Like I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this

Yes I wore a slinky red thing

Does that mean I should spread for you, your friends,

your father, Mr. Ed

It was me and a gun and a man on my back

But I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this

And I know what this means

Me and Jesus a few years back used to hang

And he said "it's your choice babe just remember

I don't think you'll be back in 3 days time so choose well"

Tell me what's right

Is it my right to be on my stomach of Fred's Seville

It was me and a gun and a man on my back

But I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this

And do you know Carolina

Where the biscuits are soft and sweet

These things go through your head when there's a man on your back

And you're pushed flat on your stomach it's not a classic Cadillac

It was me and a gun and a man on my back

But I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this

I haven't seen Barbados so I must get out of this

Tori Amos is the co-founder of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network). RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. It has programs that helps the prevention of sexual assault, helps victims, and ensures rapists are brought to justice.

http://www.rainn.org/

By Michelle Rush