"A Sorta Fairytale" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter and pianist Tori Amos. It was released as the first single from her seventh studio album Scarlet's Walk (2002). The song reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, and number two on the Triple A (adult album alternative) chart. The song has since been featured in episodes of the television shows Nip/Tuck and The L Word. There are three commercially released versions of the song: the album version (5:30), the 101 Mix (4:00) and the original single version (4:01). It was released as a CD single (UK/Canada) with "Operation Peter Pan" as the B-side (which marked her final B-side to date), and as a DVD single (U.S.) with the music video, co-starring actor and visual artist Adrien Brody.
Song information From the promotional CD Scarlet Stories:
In a 2009 interview, Amos was asked about the meaning of one of the lines:
Reception "A Sorta Fairytale" is widely regarded as one of Amos's best songs. In 2014, Stereogum ranked the song number five on their list of the 10 greatest Tori Amos songs, and in 2023, The Guardian ranked the song number six on their list of the 20 greatest Tori Amos songs.
On its initial release in 2002, Music Week described the single as "a typically emotional and touching ballad" that will "please her fanbase".
Music video The music video, directed by Sanji, features Amos, as a head attached to a disembodied leg, falling in love with another head attached to a disembodied arm (played by Adrien Brody). The two creatures show signs of romantic interest in one another, until the arm accidentally hurts the leg's feelings by laughing at her crooked fifth toe. The leg then flees by jumping onto a passing skateboard, and ends up alone on a deserted beach. The arm finds her and they consummate their love with a deep kiss. The act of kissing causes the arm and leg to suddenly start swelling up and grow their extra body parts—they finally become complete, "whole" humans by realizing their love.
Track listing Maxi-CD single (UK and Canada) "A Sorta Fairytale" (101 Mix) "Operation Peter Pan" "A Sorta Fairytale" (original single version)* "A Scarlet Story" (Enhanced CD multimedia)
7" single (US) "A Sorta Fairytale" (single version)* (on both sides)
*The "single version" and "original single version" are identical though titled differently. Issued with a picture sleeve. Disc has small center hole
DVD single (US) "A Sorta Fairytale" music video (digitally mastered) Tori Amos biography Making of "A Sorta Fairytale" Interview segment (with Amos)
Charts Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for "A Sorta Fairytale" Chart (2002–03) Peakposition Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)6 US Hot Singles Sales9Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)95
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for "A Sorta Fairytale" by Tori Amos Chart (2002)PositionCanada (Nielsen SoundScan)40
References