Professional Widow

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"Professional Widow"
Single by Tori Amos
from the album Boys for Pele
B-side(s)	Various remixes and live tracks
Released	1996
Format	Various
Genre	Rock
Length	Studio version 4:31, remixes vary
Label	Atlantic Records
Writer(s)	Tori Amos
Producer(s)	Tori Amos

"Professional Widow" is a 1996 song written by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It was originally a harpsichord-driven punk rock dirge included on her 1996 album Boys For Pele, but it gained international popularity after being remixed by house music producer Armand van Helden. The remixed single (entitled "The Star Trunk Funkin' Mix") hit number one on the UK single chart and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the U.S. The song was then further remixed by artist Mr. Roy, spawning an entirely new CD-single of remixes that again took to the charts. In October 2006, a mash-up was made by The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels of the Armand van Helden remix and Lisa Stansfield's "People Hold On".

The eponymous "professional widow" is widely rumoured to be Courtney Love, former wife of Kurt Cobain, whom Trent Reznor credits with destroying the 'friendship' (whatever its extent) between himself and Tori.^[1] In 1999, Reznor's band Nine Inch Nails released a single called "Starfuckers, Inc.", with "Starfucker" being a word that appears in "Professional Widow".

Contents 1 Personnel (of original recording on Boys for Pele) 2 Appearances and remixes of song on various CDs, EPs and singles 2.1 Professional Widow single, United States, July 1996 2.1.1 CD single 2.1.2 12" single 2.2 Hey Jupiter/Professional Widow double A-side single, United Kingdom, July 1996 2.2.1 CD single 2.2.2 12" single 2.2.3 Cassette single 2.3 Professional Widow (It's Gotta Be Big) single, United Kingdom, December 30, 1996 2.3.1 CD single 2.3.2 12" single 2.3.3 Cassette single 2.4 Non-single appearances 3 Video 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Personnel (of original recording on Boys for Pele)

• Tori Amos: harpsichord, Bösendorfer piano, vocals
• Alan Friedman: drum programming (including the cry of a bull, which was actually credited as "bull: Bull" in the Boys for Pele liner notes)
• George Porter Jr.: bass guitar
• Manu Katche: drums
• Steve Caton: guitar

[edit] Appearances and remixes of song on various CDs, EPs and singles

[edit] Professional Widow single, United States, July 1996

[edit] CD single

1. Professional Widow (LP Mix 4:31)
2. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix 8:08)
3. Professional Widow (MK Mix 7:20)
4. Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub 3:44)
5. Professional Widow (MK Vampire Dub 6:56)
6. Professional Widow (Armand's Instrumental 5:35)
7. Professional Widow (Bonus Beats 4:31)

[edit] 12" single

This release marked the first 12" single for Amos.

1. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix 8:08)
2. Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub 3:44)
3. Professional Widow (MK Mix 7:20)
4. Professional Widow (MK Vampire Dub 6:56)

[edit] Hey Jupiter/Professional Widow double A-side single, United Kingdom, July 1996

[edit] CD single

1. Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version 6:03)
2. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit 3:45)
3. Sugar (Live 5:43)
4. Honey (Live 4:19)

[edit] 12" single

1. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix 8:08)
2. Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version) (Radio Edit 4:14)
3. Talula (BT's Synethasia Mix 11:27)

[edit] Cassette single

1. Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version 6:03)
2. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit 3:45)

[edit] Professional Widow (It's Gotta Be Big) single, United Kingdom, December 30, 1996

[edit] CD single

1. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit 3:45)
2. Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
3. Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix 8:08)
4. Professional Widow (Mr Roy's Cosmic Cottage Mix)
5. Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub)

[edit] 12" single

1. Professional Widow (Mr Roy's Cosmic Cottage)
2. Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
3. Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix)
4. Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub)

[edit] Cassette single

1. Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
2. Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix)

[edit] Non-single appearances

After the release of Boys for Pele, on which it first appeared, "Professional Widow" showed up in quite a few other places.

• A live version of the song performed on her Dew Drop Inn tour, known as the "Merry Widow version" and played on an organ at a much slower pace than the original track, appears on the Hey Jupiter EP which was released in August 1996.
• The Escape from L.A. soundtrack features the original LP version.
• A compilation CD titled Work Out, which was released by Atlantic Records in January 1997, leads off with the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix."
• The compilation CD Tales of a Librarian seats the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" between two other songs from Boys for Pele.

[edit] Video

A video was made for the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix," but it was simply a collection of clips from other Tori Amos videos edited together. It is the only video from between 1991 and 1998 that does not appear on Tori Amos: Complete Videos 1991-1998.

One can see Amos playing "Professional Widow" live on the Welcome to Sunny Florida DVD. The performance features Jon Evans on bass and Matt Chamberlain on drums, while Amos plays the piano. This version mutes out any instances of "fucker," and the last word, "cock."

[edit] See also

• Number 1 Dance Hits of 1996
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
• Other Tori Amos songs that have hit number one on the dance charts:
  • "Blue Skies" (BT featuring Tori Amos)
  • "Jackie's Strength"

Preceded by "2 Become 1" by Spice Girls

UK Singles Chart Number 1 single 12 January 1997 – 19 January 1997

Succeeded by "Your Woman" by White Town

[edit] References

1. ^ An Interview With Trent Reznor. Spin (March 1996). Retrieved on December 12, 2006.

• Professional Widow page at hereinmyhead.com
• Misheard lyrics of Professional Widow at Am I Right