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Sweet Sangria

Lyrics by Tori Amos

I know
You know
every desperado
and Sharp Shooter
in the West
You say that I can't see behind
The Mask of those who call themselves
The Good Guys in this
who take and take
"so are you with Me
or not" you say
"this time decide"

Balmy days
sweet sangria
she's been gone
have you seen her
senorita
shyly turning away
leaving me our fading flame

Yeah you think about that
What you Believe in
It matters now
to you and me
What you believe in
I'm Takin' in
I said I'm takin' in
What you Believe in
It matters now
to you and me

Before sundown
the Mexicans leave
San Antone
the car will then
Drop him at the
Border the breaking point I know
Your people have suffered
time and time again
But what about I ask you now
the innocents on both sides

Balmy days
sweet sangria
she's been gone
have you seen her
senorita
shyly turning away
leaving me your fading flame

Yeah you think about that
What you Believe in
It matters now
to you and me
What you believe in
cause I'm Takin' in
you say I'm takin' in
What you Believe in
It matters now
to you and me

so give me give me give me
a no Window
I ask you,
give me give me give me
a Bloodless Road
Tell me tell me tell me
Why does Someone
have to have to have to lose?





Tori Quotes

Her prayer is answered and instead "Sweet Sangria" finds her in Austin, Texas. There she meets a Latino revolutionary, fighting American intervention in Central and Southern America. But the more Scarlet is drawn into the fight, the more she begins to see that she can't go along with hurting innocent people -- on either side.

For him, the end justified the means. But although she believes in the cause, she can't load the gun... It's about what you believe in and how far you're prepared to go. [Scarlet's Walk bio]

Well she's in Texas, she's in Austin. She's in a very liberal place in Texas where she had met people that introduced her to people that, I guess you could say, are questioning... the political integrity of "The Good Guys" - quote, unquote - "The Good Guys," meaning us, I guess, those that are called "The Good Guys." And so this is very much um, a Central American question. There is a revolutionary-type character that is educating her in some of the transgressions that have happened and some of the factual things that have happened and also his point of view, all at the same time. And he's very much about action, and he's very passionate about it. And she's seeing somebody passionate about something, and so she begins to really understand that she's got to know what it is that she believes in and where she's willing to go with this. Because he knows what he believes in, there's no question about that. And he stands by what he believes in. Really, "Sweet Sangria" is their time together. It's really about... them, as a unity. [Scarlet Stories]


Live Versions

"Sweet Sangria"
April 25, 2003 - San Antonio, Texas



"Sweet Sangria"
December 21, 2011 - Austin, Texas



"Sweet Sangria" (audio only)
November 17, 2017 - Austin, Texas




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