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 songwriter Tori Amos. Released on September 26, 2006, by Rhino Records as part of the contract Amos negotiated with Warner Music Group, the set includes singles, album tracks, B-sides, rarities, demos, and unreleased songs from album sessions.

Contents

The compilation's first disc is an "extended" version of Amos's 1992 debut, Little Earthquakes. This version has a different song sequence and alternate mixes, as well as four B-sides and the previously unreleased, unedited single remix version of "Crucify".
The second disc includes songs from Under the Pink and Boys for Pele. The tracks consist of original and remixed versions of albums cuts, the B-side "Honey", and a live performance of "Professional Widow". Also included is "Take Me with You". The third disc also includes songs associated with Boys for Pele, as well as 1999's To Venus and Back, and one song from 2003's Tales of a Librarian: A Tori Amos Collection.
The fourth disc contains original and remixed versions of songs from From the Choirgirl Hotel, Scarlet's Walk and The Beekeeper. Also included are the previously unheard intro to "Marys of the Sea" and four previously unreleased songs: "Not David Bowie", "Ode to My Clothes", "Dolphin Song", and "Zero Point", which Amos had mentioned in interviews as well as the liner notes to 1999's To Venus and Back. Amos wrote of "Dolphin Song":
The final disc includes sixteen B-sides from throughout Amos' career to that point, as well as "Merman", and one previously unreleased song: "Peeping Tommi", recorded in 1993 for Under the Pink. Finally, the disc included a medley of demos for the songs "Fire-Eater’s Wife / Beauty Queen", "Playboy Mommy", and "A Sorta Fairytale". Amos explained:

Errors in the printed track listing

The track listing incorrectly labels "Purple People" as being the B-side version from the "Spark" single, but the version featured here is the live soundcheck version from To Venus and Back.
Likewise, the version of "Take to the Sky" featured here is a different mix from the one released as a B-side to "Winter". The alternate mix on this compilation is noticeably different in that it does not have backing vocals on the second chorus or during the song's outro.