# 1000 Oceans

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1000_Oceans
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1000_Oceans.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000_Oceans
> Source revision: 1348975737
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

1999 single by Tori Amos

"1000 Oceans" Single by Tori Amos from the album To Venus and Back B-side "Baker Baker" (live) "Winter" (live) Released August 30, 1999 (1999-08-30) Studio Martian Engineering (Cornwall) Length 4:18 Label Atlantic Songwriter Tori Amos Producer Tori Amos Tori Amos singles chronology "Bliss" (1999) "1000 Oceans" (1999) "Glory of the 80's" (1999)

"**1000 Oceans**" is a song by American singer-songwriter and pianist [Tori Amos](/source/Tori_Amos), released as the second single from her fifth studio album, *[To Venus and Back](/source/To_Venus_and_Back)*. The song was serviced to U.S. [adult contemporary](/source/Adult_contemporary) radio formats on August 30, 1999, two weeks after the previous single, "[Bliss](/source/Bliss_(Tori_Amos_song))", was sent to [alternative](/source/Alternative_radio) formats.[1] "1000 Oceans" reached No. 22 on the US *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* [Hot Singles Sales](/source/Hot_Singles_Sales) chart. The song deals with issues of love and loss and is based on Amos' personal experiences.

## Background

[Tori Amos](/source/Tori_Amos) explained that the idea for the song came to her in a dream. An old African woman was humming the melody to her, and she got up around 5:30 in the morning to record it.[2][3] She describes writing the transition from the melody line around the words "I can't believe that I would keep, keep you from flying" to "and I would cry 1000 more" as particularly difficult, and what took the longest time.[2] The inspiration for the lyrics came when her father-in-law died, and she claims the song helped her husband deal with the grieving process.[3] The lyrics contain reference to [Silbury Hill](/source/Silbury_Hill), an ancient mound in Wiltshire, England. This is a place often visited by Amos and her husband.[4]

## Music video

The video for the song was directed by Erick Ifergan and filmed by Toby Irwin, and it was shot in a downtown Los Angeles parking lot.[5] It shows Amos singing inside a glass booth. The booth is in a busy street, and as people walk by some stop and stare. Others are engaged in everyday activities, and at one point a full-scale riot breaks out in the street, while Amos behaves like a mere distant observer.[6] The video had its TV debut on [MTV](/source/MTV)'s *[120 Minutes](/source/120_Minutes)* on October 24, 1999.[5]

## Reviews

Reviewers generally had a positive attitude towards "1000 Oceans", and many mentioned it among the better tracks on the album. [VH1](/source/VH1) said the song was "one of the most billowing songs she's written in a while".[7] *[The Tech](/source/The_Tech_(newspaper))* called the melody of this song and "Lust" "powerful ballads" and "some of Tori's finest".[8] Others were less impressed though; *[Spin](/source/Spin_(magazine))* magazine called the album track "perhaps the most disappointing", and claimed Amos came across as a "[Celine Dion](/source/Celine_Dion)-[LeAnn Rimes](/source/LeAnn_Rimes) rip-off".[9]

## Track listings

Sources:[10][11]

**US CD and cassette single**

1. "1000 Oceans" – 4:18

1. "Baker Baker" (live) – 4:18

**US 7-inch single**

1. "1000 Oceans" – 4:17

1. "Baker Baker" (live non LP version) – 3:56

**US maxi-CD single**

1. "1000 Oceans" (album version) – 4:18

1. "Baker Baker" (live non LP version) – 3:53

1. "[Winter](/source/Winter_(Tori_Amos_song))" (live non LP version) – 7:01

1. "1000 Oceans" (video)

1. "[Bliss](/source/Bliss_(Tori_Amos_song))" (video)

**Australian CD single**

1. "1000 Oceans" (album version) – 4:18

1. "Baker Baker" (live non LP version) – 3:53

1. "Winter" (live non LP version) – 7:01

## Charts

Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 145 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 50 US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)[14] 22

## Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref. United States August 30, 1999 Adult contemporary hot adult contemporary radio Atlantic [15] Australia January 10, 2000 CD [16]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** "Alternative: Going for Adds". *[Radio & Records](/source/Radio_%26_Records)*. No. 1312. August 13, 1999. p. 122.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-yessaid_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-yessaid_2-1) ["Tori talks about 1000 Oceans"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050217005007/http://www.yessaid.com/talk/111000oceans.html). toriphoria / yes, said. Archived from [the original](http://www.yessaid.com/talk/111000oceans.html) on February 17, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Zeit_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Zeit_3-1) Christiane Rebmann (1999). ["Ich habe einen Traum"](http://www.zeit.de/1999/46/199946.traum_tori_amos_.xml). *[Die Zeit](/source/Die_Zeit)* (in German). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080602170932/http://www.zeit.de/1999/46/199946.traum_tori_amos_.xml) from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["1000 Oceans: to venus and back"](http://www.thedent.com/oceans.html). The Dent. March 20, 2000. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080325052511/http://thedent.com/oceans.html) from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dent_video_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dent_video_5-1) ["1000 Oceans Video"](http://www.thedent.com/oceansvid.html). The Dent. November 25, 1999. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["1000 Oceans Tori Amos"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080602060850/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUoBhmQpFDY). YouTube. August 31, 2006. Archived from [the original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUoBhmQpFDY) on June 2, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["VH1 reviews "to venus and back""](http://www.thedent.com/vh1venus.html). The Dent. September 20, 2000. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Fred Choi (October 22, 1999). ["Tore Amos: To Venus and Back"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081011052819/http://tech.mit.edu/V119/N52/Tori_Amos_copy.52a.html). The Tech. Archived from [the original](http://tech.mit.edu/V119/N52/Tori_Amos_copy.52a.html) on October 11, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Julie Ann Pietrangelo (September 1999). ["Spin Magazine Album Review September 1999"](http://www.thedent.com/spinrev.html). [Spin](/source/Spin_(magazine)). Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Tori Amos: to venus and back"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080514020144/http://www.yessaid.com/venusinfo.html). toriphoria / yes, said. Archived from [the original](http://www.yessaid.com/venusinfo.html) on May 14, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["1000 Oceans Singles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080419021617/http://everythingtori.com/go/galleries/view/749/1/340/singles). EverythingTori. Archived from [the original](http://everythingtori.com/go/galleries/view/749/1/340/singles) on April 19, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received July 15, 2015"](https://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150716153430/http://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg) from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015 – via [Imgur](/source/Imgur).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sc_Canadaadultcontemporary_13-0)** "[Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Image 7302](https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7302&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7302.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7302)". *[RPM](/source/RPM_(magazine))*. [Library and Archives Canada](/source/Library_and_Archives_Canada). Retrieved May 20, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Hot Singles Sales"](https://books.google.com/books?id=cAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA103). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Vol. 111, no. 39. September 25, 1999. p. 103. Retrieved June 26, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** "Going for Adds". *[Radio & Records](/source/Radio_%26_Records)*. No. 1314. August 27, 1999. pp. 124, 128.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["ariaNET New Releases! > Available from 10th January 2000 > Singles (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 515)"](https://i.imgur.com/OyLHPTs.png). [ARIA](/source/Australian_Recording_Industry_Association). Retrieved December 21, 2018 – via Imgur.

## External links

- [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RTfCaj6beg) on [YouTube](/source/YouTube_video_(identifier))

- [Extracts from interviews](https://web.archive.org/web/20050217005007/http://www.yessaid.com/talk/111000oceans.html) with Tori Amos about the song

v t e Tori Amos Discography List of songs Studio albums Little Earthquakes Under the Pink Boys for Pele From the Choirgirl Hotel To Venus and Back Strange Little Girls Scarlet's Walk The Beekeeper American Doll Posse Abnormally Attracted to Sin Midwinter Graces Night of Hunters Gold Dust Unrepentant Geraldines Native Invader Ocean to Ocean The Music of Tori and the Muses In Times of Dragons Compilations Tales of a Librarian A Piano: The Collection Little Earthquakes – The B-Sides Live albums To Venus and Back The Original Bootlegs Legs and Boots Live at Montreux 1991/1992 From Russia with Love Diving Deep Live EPs Crucify Hey Jupiter Scarlet's Hidden Treasures Exclusive Session Flavor (Peter Rauhofer Mixes) Christmastide Singles "Baltimore" "Me and a Gun" "Silent All These Years" "China" "Winter" "Crucify" "Cornflake Girl" "God" "Pretty Good Year" "Past the Mission" "Caught a Lite Sneeze" "Talula" "Professional Widow" "Hey Jupiter" "In the Springtime of His Voodoo" "Spark" "Jackie's Strength" "Cruel"/"Raspberry Swirl" "Bliss" "1000 Oceans" "Glory of the 80's" "Concertina" "Strange Little Girl" "A Sorta Fairytale" "Taxi Ride" "Don't Make Me Come to Vegas" "Mary" "Sleeps with Butterflies" "Sweet the Sting" "Big Wheel" "Bouncing Off Clouds" "Welcome to England" "Maybe California" "A Silent Night with You" "Carry" "Flavor" "Trouble's Lament" "Cloud Riders" "Speaking with Trees" Other songs "Putting the Damage On" "Dātura" Videos Little Earthquakes Live from New York Complete Videos: 1991–1998 A Sorta Fairytale Welcome to Sunny Florida Fade to Red Live at Montreux 1991/1992 Tours 5 ½ Weeks Tour Night of Hunters Tour Gold Dust Orchestral Tour Unrepentant Geraldines Tour Native Invader Tour Related articles Piece by Piece Comic Book Tattoo Delirium Y Kant Tori Read Y Kant Tori Read "The Big Picture" "Cool on Your Island" "Blue Skies" RAINN The Light Princess Original Cast Recording

Authority control databases MusicBrainz work MusicBrainz release group

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1000 Oceans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000_Oceans) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000_Oceans?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.