Professional Widow
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Professional Widow" is a 1996 song written by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It was originally a harpsichord-driven 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 (marketed as "Armand's 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 1996, 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. 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
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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
Singles and compilations
US "Professional Widow" single, July 1996
CD single
- Professional Widow (LP Mix) – 4:31
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) – 8:08
- Professional Widow (MK Mix) – 7:20
- Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub) – 3:44
- Professional Widow (MK Vampire Dub) – 6:56
- Professional Widow (Armand's Instrumental) – 5:35
- Professional Widow (Bonus Beats) – 4:31
12" single
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) – 8:08
- Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub) – 3:44
- Professional Widow (MK Mix) – 7:20
- Professional Widow (MK Vampire Dub) 6:56
UK "Hey Jupiter/Professional Widow" double A-side single, July 1996
CD single
- Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version) – 6:03
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit) – 3:45
- Sugar (Live) – 5:43
- Honey (Live) – 4:19
12" single
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) – 8:08
- Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version) (Radio Edit) – 4:14
- Talula (BT's Synethasia Mix) – 11:27
Cassette single
- Hey Jupiter (The Dakota Version) – 6:03
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit) – 3:45
UK "Professional Widow (It's Gotta Be Big)" single, December 1996
CD single
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit) – 3:45
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
- Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) – 8:08
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's Cosmic Cottage Mix)
- Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub)
12" single
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's Cosmic Cottage)
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
- Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix)
- Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub)
Cassette single
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
- Professional Widow (Armands Star Trunk Funkin' Mix)
Compilations
Following the release of Boys for Pele, on which it first appeared, "Professional Widow" has been featured on several releases.
- 1996 – The LP version is featured on the Escape from L.A. soundtrack.
- 1996 – The "Merry Widow version", a live version performed on an organ during her 1996 tour, appeared on the Hey Jupiter EP.
- 1997 – A compilation CD titled Work Out, released by Atlantic Records, leads off with the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix."
- 1997 – Boys for Pele was reissued in the UK featuring both the LP version and the full-length "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" back-to-back. Consequently, the track "In the Springtime of His Voodoo" is cut from the album.
- 2003 – The compilation CD Tales of a Librarian seats the radio edit of the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" between two other Boys for Pele songs.
- 2005 – The "Digital Version" of Boys for Pele was made available on iTunes, featuring the same track listing as the 1997 UK reissue.
- 2006 – The digital iTunes "Essentials" collection includes the full length (8:06) "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" in their Tori Amos best-of playlist, categorized as one of "The Basics."
- 2006 – The box set compilation A Piano: The Collection includes the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" edit as well as the "Merry Widow Live Version," but again, not the album version. The "Merry Widow" version featured here is an edit, which fades out some of Amos' dialog heard on the original Hey Jupiter EP.
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".
Covers
- Hard rock act The Good Year Pimps released a version of the song for the compilation, Wouldn't It Be Great To Have All These Songs on One Album. This release also contains a cover of Amos' song "Iieee."
- Dance/jazz Nite Flyte recorded a version of the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" for their album 30,000 Feet, revisioning it is a laid-back groove.
- A more spot-on dance cover of the "Star Trunk Funkin' Mix" was done by trance group Money Order.
- The Vitamin String Quartet included an "album mix"-inspired version on their 2nd Tori Amos tribute compendium.
Remixes
- Professional Widow (LP Mix) (Original Version) 4:31)
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix) (Radio Edit 3:45)
- Professional Widow (Armand's Instrumental 5:35)
- Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix 8:08)
- Professional Widow (Bonus Beats 4:31)
- Professional Widow (Just Da Funk Dub 3:44)
- Professional Widow (MK Mix 7:20)
- Professional Widow (MK Vampire Dub 6:56)
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's 7" Edit)
- Professional Widow (Mr Roy's Cosmic Cottage Mix)
