The Beekeeper
Encyclopedia
The Beekeeper is the eighth studio album
by singer-songwriter
Tori Amos
. It deals with the topics of death, adultery
and romantic
conflict
, and makes brief reference to ancient Gnostic
mysticism from the Apocryphon of John
. Sonically, it incorporates Celtic choirs, African drums, and Amos's whirring B-3 Hammond organ, giving it a more groove-based sound, thus making it perhaps her most melodic album to date.
The Beekeeper can be seen as a milestone for Amos, as it debuted within the top 10 on the Billboard 200, her fifth album to do so. This placed Amos in an elite group of women, including Madonna
and Barbra Streisand
, to have secured five or more U.S. Top 10 album debuts.
With the changing shape of the music industry and the disappearance of traditional B-sides, The Beekeeper is Amos's first album not to feature any B-sides. One non-LP track, "Garlands", is available only on the DVD included in the limited edition version of the album as a video track. "Not David Bowie", a track recorded during the recording sessions for The Beekeeper, was not released until its inclusion in Amos's compilation box set A Piano: The Collection
(2006).
", was shipped to radio
in early January 2005, and became an adult alternative
radio staple in the U.S. for the first half of 2005. "Sleeps with Butterflies
" reached number two on the U.S. Triple A Radio chart. The follow-up singles, "Sweet the Sting" and "Cars and Guitars," were less successful but sustained steady sales for the album. All three singles released from The Beekeeper were promo-only singles; no commercial singles were produced.
, selling 83,000 copies in its first week. The album's debut within the top 10 is Amos's fifth album to achieve that status. However, the album's debut was not as impressive in the UK. Similar to the debut of Scarlet's Walk (2002), The Beekeeper had a weaker debut at number 24 on the UK Top 40.
The Beekeeper remained on the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks before falling off the chart in late May. It was certified Gold in the U.S in April. As of May 2008, the album has sold 295,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan
.
The chart below lists the release dates for The Beekeeper in major markets around the globe.
and at Patti Smith
's Meltdown festival in London
. The tour also encompassed Australia
, which was Amos' first trip there to perform since 1994. The tour finished in the U.S. as the "Summer of Sin Tour", which received better reviews than the earlier leg. A major feature of the tour was that fans could nominate cover songs on Amos' website which she would then choose from to play in a special section of the tour. One of the songs chosen was the Kylie Minogue
hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head", which Amos dedicated to her the day after Minogue's breast cancer
was announced to the public. Other songs performed by Amos include The Doors
' "People are Strange
", Joni Mitchell
's "The Circle Game", Björk
's "Hyperballad", Led Zeppelin
's "When the Levee Breaks
", Kate Bush
's "And Dream of Sheep" and Crowded House
's "Don't Dream It's Over", dedicating it to drummer Paul Hester who had died a week before. Amos's general disconcern with the commercial side of the music industry was showcased when she did not bother performing the first single from the album in many cities; it is usually expected by record companies of a modern musician that they perform their singles or hits regularly.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
. It deals with the topics of death, adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
and romantic
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
conflict
Emotional conflict
"Emotional conflicts and the intervention of the unconscious are the classical features of...medical psychology" for C. G. Jung. Equally, 'Freud's concept of emotional conflict as amplified by Anna Freud...Erikson and others is central in contemporary theories of mental disorder in children,...
, and makes brief reference to ancient Gnostic
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
mysticism from the Apocryphon of John
Apocryphon of John
The Secret Book of John is a 2nd-century AD Sethian Gnostic text of secret teachings. Since it was known to the church father Irenaeus, it must have been written before around AD 180. It describes Jesus Christ appearing and giving secret knowledge to the apostle John...
. Sonically, it incorporates Celtic choirs, African drums, and Amos's whirring B-3 Hammond organ, giving it a more groove-based sound, thus making it perhaps her most melodic album to date.
The Beekeeper can be seen as a milestone for Amos, as it debuted within the top 10 on the Billboard 200, her fifth album to do so. This placed Amos in an elite group of women, including Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, to have secured five or more U.S. Top 10 album debuts.
Track listing
Bonus trackWith the changing shape of the music industry and the disappearance of traditional B-sides, The Beekeeper is Amos's first album not to feature any B-sides. One non-LP track, "Garlands", is available only on the DVD included in the limited edition version of the album as a video track. "Not David Bowie", a track recorded during the recording sessions for The Beekeeper, was not released until its inclusion in Amos's compilation box set A Piano: The Collection
A Piano: The Collection
A Piano: The Collection is a five-disc box set spanning the first 15 years of the solo career of American singer and song-writer Tori Amos. Released on September 26, 2006 by Rhino Records as part of the contract Amos negotiated with Warner Bros., the set consists of classics, rarities, demos,...
(2006).
Critical reception
Singles
Three singles were lifted from the album for radio release, the first of which, "Sleeps with ButterfliesSleeps with Butterflies
"Sleeps with Butterflies" is a song written and recorded by Tori Amos. It served as the first single from her album The Beekeeper. As was the case with most of her singles from Scarlet's Walk, this single was released as a digital download only, although a promo CD single was produced for radio...
", was shipped to radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
in early January 2005, and became an adult alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
radio staple in the U.S. for the first half of 2005. "Sleeps with Butterflies
Sleeps with Butterflies
"Sleeps with Butterflies" is a song written and recorded by Tori Amos. It served as the first single from her album The Beekeeper. As was the case with most of her singles from Scarlet's Walk, this single was released as a digital download only, although a promo CD single was produced for radio...
" reached number two on the U.S. Triple A Radio chart. The follow-up singles, "Sweet the Sting" and "Cars and Guitars," were less successful but sustained steady sales for the album. All three singles released from The Beekeeper were promo-only singles; no commercial singles were produced.
Background
After the release of her Epic label debut Scarlet's Walk, Amos received unsettling news when Polly Anthony resigned as president of Epic Records in 2003. Anthony had been one of the primary reasons Amos signed with the label and as a result of her resignation, Amos formed the Bridge Entertainment Group, a company devoted to helping musicians in various ways during a time when the music industry is changing. The following year saw the merger of major labels Epic/Sony Music Entertainment and BMG Entertainment. Amos would later hint in interviews that those in charge at the label (implying the Epic/Sony merger with BMG) during the creation of The Beekeeper were interested "only in making money", the effects of which have not been disclosed.Sales and chart performance
The Beekeeper debuted at number five on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 83,000 copies in its first week. The album's debut within the top 10 is Amos's fifth album to achieve that status. However, the album's debut was not as impressive in the UK. Similar to the debut of Scarlet's Walk (2002), The Beekeeper had a weaker debut at number 24 on the UK Top 40.
The Beekeeper remained on the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks before falling off the chart in late May. It was certified Gold in the U.S in April. As of May 2008, the album has sold 295,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
.
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 (U.S.) | 5 |
| Billboard Top Internet Albums (U.S.) | 1 |
| Official UK Album Chart (UK) | 24 |
| ARIA Chart (Australia) | 20 |
| Austrian Album Chart (Austria) | 8 |
| Belgian Album Chart (Belgium) | 11 |
| Top Canadian Albums (Canada) | 16 |
| Danish Album Chart (Denmark) | 21 |
| Finnish Album Chart (Finland) | 15 |
| IFOP Album Chart (France) | 44 |
| German Album Chart (Germany) | 8 |
| IRMA Album Chart (Ireland) | 27 |
| Dutch Album Chart (Netherlands) | 13 |
| Norway Album Chart (Norway) | 6 |
| Polish Album Chart by ZPAV (Poland) | 8 |
| Swedish Album Chart (Sweden) | 26 |
| Swiss Album Chart (Switzerland) | 13 |
Release history
As with Amos' prior Epic Records album, a Limited Edition version of the album was released with heavily conceptual packaging. Songs are divided into "gardens", an accompanying DVD includes the albums' only released B-side, and a seed package of a "special blend" made specifically for the album is also included.The chart below lists the release dates for The Beekeeper in major markets around the globe.
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
February 20, 2005 |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
|
| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
|
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
|
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
|
| Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
February 21, 2005 |
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
|
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
February 22, 2005 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Personnel
- Tori AmosTori AmosTori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
– lead singer, acoustic piano (BösendorferBösendorferBösendorfer is an Austrian piano manufacturer, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha. The brand is known for producing pianos with a uniquely rich, singing, and sustaining tone...
), B-3 Hammond organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, Hammond chord organ, producer - Damien RiceDamien RiceDamien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
– guest vocals - Matt ChamberlainMatt ChamberlainMatthew Chamberlain is an American drummer, producer and sound engineer. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
– drums - Jon Evans – bass
- Mac Aladdin – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Tour
The "Original Sinsuality Tour" was a solo tour with Amos playing on piano and organ. The tour received mixed reviews, but continued into the late summer of 2005 through Europe, including appearances in June 2005 at the Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
and at Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
's Meltdown festival in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The tour also encompassed Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, which was Amos' first trip there to perform since 1994. The tour finished in the U.S. as the "Summer of Sin Tour", which received better reviews than the earlier leg. A major feature of the tour was that fans could nominate cover songs on Amos' website which she would then choose from to play in a special section of the tour. One of the songs chosen was the Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head", which Amos dedicated to her the day after Minogue's breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
was announced to the public. Other songs performed by Amos include The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
' "People are Strange
People Are Strange
"People Are Strange" is a single released by The Doors in September 1967 from their second album Strange Days which was also released in September 1967. The single peaked at the #12 position of the U.S. Hot 100 chart and made it to the top ten in the Cash Box charts...
", Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's "The Circle Game", Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
's "Hyperballad", Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "When the Levee Breaks
When the Levee Breaks
"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927....
", Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
's "And Dream of Sheep" and Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
's "Don't Dream It's Over", dedicating it to drummer Paul Hester who had died a week before. Amos's general disconcern with the commercial side of the music industry was showcased when she did not bother performing the first single from the album in many cities; it is usually expected by record companies of a modern musician that they perform their singles or hits regularly.