"Winter" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...

, released as a single in March 1992. "Winter" was Amos' first single to reach the top 40 in any country, peaking at number 25 in the United Kingdom two weeks after its release.

Release

"Winter" was the fourth single released from Amos' debut studio album, ''

Little Earthquakes ''Little Earthquakes'' is the debut solo album by the American singer-songwriter Tori Amos, featuring the singles "Silent All These Years", "China", "Winter" and "Crucify". After Atlantic Records rejected the first version of the album, Amos bega ...

''. It was released through EastWest Records on March 9, 1992, in the United Kingdom and on May 18, 1992, in Australia. In North America, it was issued through Atlantic Records the same year. The song also appears on Amos' 2003 compilation, '' Tales of a Librarian''. The music video can be seen on the video collections '' Tori Amos: Complete Videos 1991–1998'' and ''

Fade to Red ''Fade to Red: Tori Amos Video Collection'' is a double DVD set from recording artist and musician Tori Amos and was released by Rhino Entertainment on February 14, 2006. It featured music videos spanning 1992 to 2005, including the singles "Sil ...

''. The single was released globally in a variety of formats with slightly differing artwork and track listings. The most commonly available version is the United States release, which is labeled as a "limited edition" release. That version comes in a

digipak Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case ...

case with a compartment in which a "handwritten lyrics" insert is contained. The far more rare UK limited edition release features three cover versions that would later appear on the US ''

Crucify Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...

'' EP.

Track listings

UK CD single # "Winter" – 5:44 # "The Pool" – 2:51 # "Take to the Sky" – 4:20 # "Sweet Dreams" – 3:27 UK and German limited edition CD single # "Winter" – 5:44 # " Angie" (

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

) – 4:25 # "

Smells Like Teen Spirit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band's second album, ''Nevermind'' (1991), released on DGC Records. The unexpected success of the song propelled ''Neve ...

" ( Kurt Cobain,

Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician and activist. He was the bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the band Nirvana in 1987 along with drummer Aaron Burckhard, wh ...

, Dave Grohl) – 3:17 # "

Thank You "''Thank you''" (often expanded to ''thank you very much'' or ''thanks a lot'', or informally abbreviated to ''thanks'' or alternately as ''many thanks''Geoffrey Leech, ''The Pragmatics of Politeness'' (2014), p. 200.) is a common expression of ...

" ( Robert Plant, Jimmy Page) – 3:52 German CD single # "Winter" – 5:44 # "The Pool" – 2:51 # "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – 3:15 Australian CD single and cassette single # "Winter" – 5:44 # "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – 3:15 # "Angie" – 4:22 UK 7-inch and cassette single # "Winter" – 5:44 # "The Pool" – 2:50 US CD single # "Winter" – 5:44 # "The Pool" – 2:50 # "Take to the Sky" – 4:20 # "Sweet Dreams" – 3:27 # "Upside Down" – 4:22 US 7-inch and cassette single # "Winter" (edit) – 4:38 # "The Pool" – 2:50

Charts

Release history

Cover versions

Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Pos ...

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...

has included lines of the song in live performances, most notably in 1995. * Dream Theater have covered "Winter" on at least one occasion, as can be heard on the

bootleg Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to: * Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence: ** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...

of their "Uncovered" gig at

Ronnie Scott's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is a jazz club that has operated in Soho, London, since 1959. History The club opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district. It was set up and managed by musicians Ronnie Sco ...

in January 1995. * Amanda Palmer has covered the song live. *

Valen Hsu Hsu Ru-yun (born Hsu Hung-hsiu on September 20, 1974), better known as Valen Hsu, is a Taiwanese pop singer-songwriter, author and occasional actress. Since the mid-1990s Hsu has been one of the most popular female singers in the Mandopop scene, ...

has covered the song in Mandarin, on her 1995 debut album "Ingratiate (討好)" * Colin Doran of

Hundred Reasons Hundred Reasons are an English alternative rock band from Aldershot, Hampshire, and Teddington, South West London, formed in 1999. The band consists of Colin Doran (vocals), Larry Hibbitt (guitar, vocals), Andy Gilmour (bass) and Andy Bews (dru ...

and The Lucky Nine was known to sing "Winter" during soundcheck for live performances. *

Sarah Dawn Finer Sarah Dawn Finer (born 14 September 1981) is a Swedish singer, songwriter and actress. Her father is of English heritage from the United Kingdom, her mother is Jewish from the United States, and she was born and raised in Sweden. As a student, s ...

covered the song in Swedish, as ''Vinter'', on her 2014 album Vinterland. The translated lyrics tell a similar story to the original but include localised references in the verses, such as to ice skating on a frozen river in Stockholm. * Nathan Temby covered the song on his 2012 album, "Last Call".

References

External links

* Song review by Mike DeGagneat

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

{{Authority control Tori Amos songs 1992 songs Atlantic Records singles East West Records singles Songs written by Tori Amos