Hello Comet!
You and I are definitely on the same wavelength.
To me Tori Amos is an amazing Genius, who writes incrediblly brilliant lyrics and music.
I would therefore offer the following explanation, which may perhaps give some insight into why I Love her music, and will always be a devoted fan:
Tori Amos is not only a highly talented and gifted signer, the depth and scope of her lyrics are an excellent demonstration of Pure Genius at it's best. To me all songs, are Poems. They all Rhyme, and they all either tell a story or make a social comment. (Some manage to accomplish both) The only difference between songs and Poems is that a song is a Poem put to music.
Just as there are truly great Poems and silly ones, the same is true of songs. For example, the Beach Boys have extraordinary harmony,coupled with a great beat and music; however, the vast majority of thier songs have lyrics that do not exactly inspire one on an intellectual level. (i.e., "Fun, Fun, Fun"; "Dance, Dance, Dance"; "I Get Around", etc...) While I certainly enjoy the sound of their songs, and have all of them in my collection; They can not even begin to compare to such masterpieces as "I Can't See New York" By Tori; which I happen to consider the single greatest song ever done in the entire History of Music. Nor do the Beach Boys come up to the level of such songs as "Stairway To Heaven" By Led Zeppelin; "Hey Jude" By The Beatles; "Ballad Of A Thin Man (Mr. Jones)" By Bob Dylan; "Dust In The Wind" By Kansas; "Not Ready To Make Nice and Silent House" By The Dixie Chicks; "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Holiday" By Green Day; "My Immortal" By Evanescence; "Listen To The Wind" By Hayley Westenra; Beneath A Phrygian Sky" By Loreena McKennitt; "Hurricane" By Bob Dylan, etc...) All of these are amazing Masterpieces, both in sound and Lyrics.
However, notwithstanding so many great musical talents to have emerged throughout the Years, Tori stands out as the ultimate example of an extraordinarily intelligent individual, who can not only write ingenious lyrics, but who also manages to compose music that is perfectly designed to further capture and enhance it's intended message. Her songs contain lyrics that have multidimensional levels in its cryptic and brilliant messages. These are easily seen in "Crucify"; "Winter"; "The Bee Keeper"; "Scarlet's Walk; "Apollo's Frock"; "Yes, Anastasia", and her very personal and powerful song "Me, and a Gun."
This same quality becomes immensely pronounced in two of her very recent songs, entitled "Dark Side Of The Sun" and "Father's Son." First of all, we clearly see, in both of these songs an underlining theme of criticism for The Iraq War." For example, in "DSOTS" She begins with the Lines "Is there a way out of this? If there is I just don't See It." This is clearly speaking to the fact that we rushed into Iraq, and never had any exit plan, on how to get out. It is also speaking to the fact that the human Race seems to be forever caught up in finding or creating reasons to continually go to war, with no end in sight. (i.e., WW1-Called the War To end all wars, so was World War-2, and now we are on the Brink of a totally destructive Nuclear Holocost-WW-3)
Another Line from DSOTS, "Can heaven and Hell coexist? Not when both battle for Dominance." Here we see a theme emerging in which she is speaking about the fact that both sides (Islam and Christianity) are claiming to have Heaven (God) on their side and are Battling Hell (The Devil) on the other side. One also see's a very subtle cynicism about the validity of Religion itself, since all of them preach this idea of a Heaven and Hell existing at one and the same time, yet being in a constant struggle/battle with each other for supremacy.
The lines from DSOTS, "Even The 4-Horseman say all bets are off" is a satirical implication that what the Bush Administration, religious fighting, America, and the World, have done to each other, is so shocking, that even the 4-Horseman of the Apocalypse are saying that their phrophesized mission has to be totally reconsidered. (Of course this is only being done Metaphorically to illustrate a point.)
The Lines in DSOTS "Abraham and Ismael turn back the clock" are chock full of themes. On the forefront is the Iraq situation. meaning we have regressed by intensifying all the old hatreds existing between Islam and Christianity. It is also subtly referring to the fact that we are slowly going back to the days of having less freedom, more controls under the guise of safety, etc.. We are also losing ground on all the gains this country has made economically. (The Government spending 2-Billion Dollars A Week on Iraq, while going deeper and deeper in debt...What little money the Government takes in through taxes is being wasted on Giant Corporations, who could care less about the US, while our Military is being depleted, etc..
The Lines from DSOTS "How Many Young Men have to lay down, their lives and their love of their woman, for some sick promise of a Heaven" is clearly referring to the Iraq War; as well as all the Wars that have taken place throughout history--Similar to the message of "Blowing In The Wind" sung by Peter, Paul And Mary - Written by Bob Dylan. The sick promise of a Heaven is also speaking to the absurdity of both religions, and others, who seem to believe that war and death is a necessary evil for the sake of good--Not to mention the idea of Islam that Killing in the name of Allah, guarantees you a place in Heaven."
The Line from DSOTS 'Lies go back to the Garden" is also on one level referring to the lies of the Bush Administration (Weapons of Mass Destruction) while simultaneously speaking about the fact that all holy wars and other acts of deception have traversed History since the beginning of time.
The Lines from DSOTS "'Bushes burn there on the Mountain" is not only referring to President Bush and His Father, but also is tying it into the Bible 'God Appearing in a Burning Bush" in that President Bush relies upon Christiantiy to support his Holy Crusade in Iraq.
The lines from "Father's Son "So it Ends, So it begins" is on one level speaking to the fact that the Iraq War supposedly ended when Bush said 'Mission Accomplished, only to begin again in full swing. On a Another Level, it is a satire on Religion, in that everything BEGINS in Genesis, Ends with THE GREAT FLOOD, Begins again with NOAH, Ends again in REVELATION, only to begin again in the 1000-Years Reign of Christ on Earth, and so on.
The line from Fathers Son "Plant another seed of of hate, in a trusting virgin gun" is clearly speaking about the Iraq War, and how both religions are planting their seeds of hate into young men who go out to fight. This is also speaking on a wider level to all wars that have gone on through history.
The Lines from Fathers Son "Steady boy watch them pray, to you I suspect. If you keep my flesh firm, I will ready those sacraments." Here we first see a very subtle and almost imperceptible comment of how Bush and his Cronies are attempting to entice the young men from Poor families to go (Praying that they will volunteer, so to speak) by patronizing them as Hero's. (i.e., 'If you keep my flesh firm, I will ready those sacraments.") Beyond that she is also referring to the hypocrisy of the Republicans trying to use religion for their dity work. (i.e., "Steady boy watch them pray, to you I suspect.") Here she is referring to them metaphorically praying to the soldiers and to Jesus--The soldiers being sons of their Father, and Jesus being the son of his father-God)
The lines from Fathers Son "Steady Girl for the show, God versus God Ringside. Littered with corpses, Neither God can forgive" The show is Islam versus Christianity and the Stage is Iraq. The Ringside seat is through the News Media. The dead soldiers are the corpses littered throughout. Again, this is also speaking to how foolish all religious wars have been throughout History."The Lines "I am my father's son" is referring to President Bush being the son of Bush-41; and the Fact that Jesus is the son of Man, and is the Son of God.
The Lines from Fathers Son "Can you Blame Nature, if she's had enough of Us" is speaking to the fact of Global Warming and the urgent need to do something about it.
Bottom Line, Tori's songwriting (Lyrics and Music) have no intellectual equal.Her voice, music, lyrics and presentation represent the perfect synthesis of genius, and musical talent. I think that says it all.
Steve B.
some of them, I just have not figured out yet, Maybe it's the Venus and Mars thing 
Done Dave,
