[Vedun*]

Pirates! Yeah!

[favwebbb]

The first time I heard this album, knowing a bit of its history, I wondered why it was such a flop.

I recognize that it's nothing stellar, it's a standard pop rock glam 80's album. At that time there were tons of albums like this around and the fact that I knew of them means that they were successful enough to fly across the ocean and land in Europe.

YKTR had all that could be useful to the purpose. It was nothing better but also nothing worse.
I really can't understand why it sinked like that.

The only thing I can think of is the neverending lack of good promotion policies at Atlantic.

[GeorgeEckland]

I too have a deep love for YKTR. I don't understand why it wasn't a hit album! My favorites are of course Etienne, Cool On Your Island, Fire On The Side and I have lots of fun blaring The Big Picture. Love YKTR!

[opelayday]

I was just reading Atlantic's press release for YKTR and she mentions recording some demos when she was 17 with music producer Narada Michael Walden. Apparently he went on to produce some pretty huge hits (notably early Whitney Houston), and even young Fori claims that they were "ahead of their time". Anyone ever heard these demos or know what happened to them?

BTW it's funny to re-read that first press release and see that right out of the gate she was speaking about 'Tori' in the third-person.

[Zvmwissq]

As far as I know they've never been released. We know (Tori has said) that one of them was called "Skirt's on Fire." And I think there are some other titles that we know but I can't recall them right now. I think Tori may have sung a bar or two of some of them over the years in interviews. I didn't get the impression that they were anything other than standard dance pop fluff of the time.

[Biashpainabix]

I probably love this album way more than I should. I listen to On The Boundary, Heart Attack at 23, You Go to My Head, Floating City, Fire on the Side and Etienne pretty regularly.

[opelayday]

As far as I know they've never been released. We know (Tori has said) that one of them was called "Skirt's on Fire." And I think there are some other titles that we know but I can't recall them right now. I think Tori may have sung a bar or two of some of them over the years in interviews. I didn't get the impression that they were anything other than standard dance pop fluff of the time.

Ah so this is where "Skirts on Fire" comes from. Thanks for the info!

And even though it may just be standard dance pop fluff of the time (which is all YKTR really is), the idea of a 17 year-old pop tart Tori being produced by the guy who did "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" is quite intriguing. A missing link in the emergence of Fori, perhaps.

[anfuckinggs]

The album is all about some Fayth:

You took my love
You took my money
You took my sex
took my love
took my money
Give me

Fayth

That song is pure Joy for me.

I actually found a German pressing/bootleg of Y Kant Tori Read at this shop in Birmingham called Slip Disc. I paid $26 for it and it has the lyrics booklet with the album cover. I determined it was a fake when I went on the website that helped you figure that out. I was disappointed, but still happy to have a silver disc of this album. Pirates is my least favorite. Cool On Your Island grew on me while I was in my last relationship, and I could definitely bond with the song. But Tori does play it way too often. She should play Fire on the Side or On the Boundary.

[GeorgeEckland]

Hasn't she done just a bit of Fire On The Side live before, like a line or two?

[connandoilee]

Where's the love for Floating City!!!

[2puO4Rhf]

It's here! Floating City

I also have a soft spot for perhaps the album's most beautiful, emotional, heart-tugging moment.


FAYTH!!!!!



Seriously though, I love Fayth.

[anfuckinggs]

I love it more than you!!!

[Marc Spilkintin]

This album was my first cd purchase. I found it in one of my favorite Headshops of the time. Bootleg, silver disc full booklet and lyrics. I did not yet own a cd player. I just knew it was rare and I HAD TO HAVE IT. It took me a few months after that before getting a discman I could run through my stereo. I think it was 1993.

Where is the love for Heart Attack at 23 or You Go to Mah Head?? CLASSICS.

[2puO4Rhf]

Wow what a find!

A petition should be started to get her to play Fayth. She never will. But the sentiment's there.

(Seriously though why not Floating City or Fire On The Side? I am very happy she still plays Etienne. Oh and trivia fans: China is YKTR era. She copyrighted it in 1987 titled Distance. I think it was a later inclusion to LE but was written with these YKTR gems! )

[2puO4Rhf]

Y KANT TORI READ
Y KANT TORI READ
(ATLANTIC)
Released: July 1988

• The Big Picture
• Cool On Your Island
• Fayth
• Fire on the Side
• Pirates
• Floating City
• Heart Attack at 23
• On the Boundary
• You Go To My Head
• Etienne trilogy

Y Kant Tori Read is my decoding rebellious statement, although I want people to read into it what they want, whether it is that she refuses to read because she doesn't want to be part of the negativity that she might read, or because reading represents an accomplishment, like being a cheerleader, being on the Honors Society, or being a lawyer. We are judged so much by our accomplishments, and Tori refuses to be a part of that. You either accept her for what she is or... will you not accept her because she can't read?

___

[glasscollector]

I have to say, I love this album.

I can remember when I was just getting in to Tori, and I found out she had an album back in the 80s... I almost peed myself with excitement!!! 80s music has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Maybe it's the fangirl in me talking, but I think YKTR is a pretty great record.

My favorite song is definitely On The Boundary. Why she doesnt give that song some attention is beyond me. I think it would have fit really well in the ADP tour, with the rock vibe... strong vocals. Ah well...

[Poothevokprot]

F A Y T H .

That is all.

[kristloken]

I was just reading Atlantic's press release for YKTR and she mentions recording some demos when she was 17 with music producer Narada Michael Walden. Apparently he went on to produce some pretty huge hits (notably early Whitney Houston), and even young Fori claims that they were "ahead of their time". Anyone ever heard these demos or know what happened to them?

BTW it's funny to re-read that first press release and see that right out of the gate she was speaking about 'Tori' in the third-person.

It's interesting that she lies about where the Tori name came from here (or lied later I guess), and talks about how at 21 she was playing "college radio-type music, and after a while I became frustrated with playing just dark music" given how her career has gone from YKTR to AATS. I'd love to hear any recordings of the dark pre-YKTR stuff (maybe early versions of some LE stuff?) or the dance songs Tori did. The idea of 80's Tori singing something akin to How Will I Know is just too ridiculous and would probably be a lot of fun.

I love Fayth too! I think it would've been a perfect Santa song on the ADP tour, but it'll never be done live. I think she's too embarrassed by anything that's not COYI or Etienne to ever play anything else from this album.

[Ettiominiw]

YKTR is one of my favorite albums to workout to. I think Floating City might be one of her best produced songs.

[ibiDb4uu]

YKTR is one of my favorite albums to workout to. I think Floating City might be one of her best produced songs.

Ditto, I often workout to this album.

I really like YKTR--but I don't think it sounds similar to ADP or AATS.