[orillaVar]

“Father Lucifer is about needing to go to the space of shadow, to go where we hide. Not Satanism. A whole different plane.” [The Baltimore Sun – Jan 21, 1996]

“I’ve been taking tea with Lucifer. I mean I’ve truly spent time with Lucifer, the energy of Lucifer. So when I sing, ‘Father Lucifer, you never looked so sane,’ I truly went to those places. I’m talking about the shadow side, the secrets of the unconscious. It’s about claiming in ourselves what we hate in other people.” [Dazed & Confused magazine – 1996]




Father Lucifer
you never looked so sane
you always did prefer the drizzle to the rain
tell me that you're still in love with that Milkmaid
how're the Lizzies
how's your Jesus Christ been hanging

nothing’s gonna stop me from floating
nothing’s gonna stop me from floating

he says he reckons I'm a watercolour stain
he says I run and then I run from him
and then I run
he didn't see me watching
from the aeroplane
he wiped a tear
and then he threw away our appleseed

nothing’s gonna stop me from floating
nothing’s gonna stop me from floating

everyday's my wedding day
though baby's still in his comatose state
I'll die my own Easter eggs
just don't go yet, just don’t go
and Beenie lost the sunset but that's OK
does Joe bring flowers to Marilyn's grave
and girls that eat pizza and never gain weight
never gain weight never gain weight

maybe she's hiding in a hot dog
got a pig hiding in a truffle
wearing those purple garters
and girl I got a condo in Hoboken

Father Lucifer you never looked so sane
you always did prefer the drizzle to the rain
tell me that you're still in love with that Milkmaid
how're the Lizzies
how's your Jesus Christ been hanging



go away world
only glass
you're only glass

run away, turn away
run away, turn away
run away
you never looked so sane



And if you want
I'm telling you
you will see through it all
the lies are all behind me now
and if you want
something from her, well
Steve McQueen, I do believe
he keeps listening
and if you call
I'm telling you
who will see through it all
when you were a young boy
and if you want
something from her, well
I can't be her, but I can take
take you through a door




And if you call
I'm telling you
you will see through it all
the lies are all behind me now
and if you want
something from her, well
Steve McQueen, I do believe
he keeps listening
and if you want
I'll take you back
to, to '84
when you were a young boy
and if you want
something from her, well
I can't be her
but I can take
take you through a door



Go away girls
bring good laughs
Steve McQueen
always takes him back
to a place where he saves
pictures of pictures of her face

Go away girls
go too fast
Steve McQueen plays
it takes him back to a place
where he has pictures of
pictures of pictures of that day

Go away girls
they go fast
Steve McQueen
always takes him back
to a place
where he has to bring her back





"Father Lucifer" is my favorite song that Tori performs live. Given how much it's changed and evolved live, it's not hard to see that it's one of Tori's too. I've been in and out of relationships, but the one that really sticks out in my mind ended roughly two years ago. We weren't really all that attached, but when it ended and I felt betrayed, I think I had to learn what it was that kept me so angry and how I wanted other men to give me strength and stability. I think this quote really sums up the song:

“There were high spots, like my chat with Lucifer...You begin to face your fears – that’s what it’s really all about. Being alone forces you to do that. There’s nobody can make it go away. There’s this incredible strength you can pull from a great love. So being alone is hard, but it was time to claim my woman. Its what I’ve begun to do... I made a choice with this record that I wouldn’t censor it. I think when you hear the break in the voice and the fury and the piano, the undulating rhythm, its just me jumping off a cliff, a quest for freedom. But I couldn’t have freedom without looking at my part in what happened, without seeing the sides I wanted these men to give me that I could only give myself... It was the transition of womanhood for me, and I had to go visit Lucifer to make a descent. We had to go have a cup of tea, cut a deal and the deal was: No Censorship.” [Making Music – Jan 1996]

So it's not just about relationships. No, I think "Lucifer" is mainly about learning to confront the things about us we don't want to accept: accepting our weaknesses so that we can become stronger, fuller persons.

Musically, the song breaks my heart, especially at the bridge. But there's something about how graceful and light the piano is at the beginning, like falling snow, and having it progress from that to this string-tugging, heavy bridge. Caton's guitar work helps create this progression, particularly in the "nothing's going to stop me" verses.

Live, the song has taken on a lot of different "trips," whether it be with the extended "Tubular Bells" bridge and Caton, with the band and any of the three SteveMcQueen bridge incarnations, or even solo in '99, '01, '05, or '09. Personally, while I absolutely love all of the live incarnations, my favorites are from '96, '98, and '99 (with the band and solo, at that). Nonetheless, the Wurlitzer in '03 and '07 contributes a much calmer, cooler vibe that paints the song in a different light.

“I’ve always said that Lucifer understands love better than anybody. You know he’s done a mean tango with Greta Garbo a few times. Really understanding love is the only way you get to that [the dark] side of things.” [Keyboards – Nov 1994]