Delirium/Tori
Delirium/Delight: a miniature shrine to Delirium of The Endless

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Delirium is *not* based on Tori. There are similarities, which have arisen since Neil and Tori became friends, but the character is not based on her. Tori has said she feels closer to Death.

"I really relate to Delirium a lot, because I think she's a part of all of us — that childlike quality that got really hurt, and checks out sometimes to her own world, so she doesn't have to be hurt again."

Audience question: How does it feel to be the inspiration for the character Delirium in Neil Gaiman's comic The Sandman?
Tori: Well, I think I steal from her.
Host: She inspires you?
Tori: Yes, she does. There are times I've spent with Neil where you know, we're toodling around and things you think you say in confidence end up in a comic book, you know? And then of course there are things that she says that I start saying. There's a strange sort of stealing going on.
...
[Del]'s the one who looks like a goldfish bowl hit her in the head.

-- Tori on Musique Plus (Canadian tv broadcast); October 13, 1999

Tori makes Sandman or Neil Gaiman references in her albums:
Boys for Pele, Under the Pink, Little Earthquakes, Talula

"Horses"

She's a Beauty Queen
my sweet bean bag in the street
take it
down out to the laundry scene
don't know why she's in my hand
can't figure what it is
but I lie again

I got me some Horses
to ride on
to ride on
they say that your demons
can't go there
so I got me some Horses
to ride on
to ride on
as long as your army
keeps perfectly still
and maybe I'll find me a sailor
a tailor
and maybe together
we'll make mother well
so I got me some Horses
to ride on
to ride on
as long as your army
keeps perfectly still
you showed me the meadow
and Milkwood
and Silkwood
and you would if I would
but you never would
so I chased down your posies
your pansies in my hosies
then opened my hands
and they were empty then

off with Superfly
sniffing a Sharpie pen
honey it's Bill and Ben
off Superfly
counting your bees
oh me honey like
one two three
the camera is rolling
it's easy like
one
two
three
and if there is a way to find you
I will find you
but will you find me if Neil
makes me a tree an afro a pharaoh
I can't go
you said so
and threads that are golden
don't break easily

—on Boys for Pele

"Space Dog"

Way to go Mr. Microphone show us all what you don't know centuries secret societies he's our commander still space dog

so sure we were on something your feet are finally on the ground he said so sure we were on something your feet are just on the ground girl

rain and snow our engines have been receiving your eager call there's Colonel Dirtyfishydishcloth he'll distract her good don't worry so

and to the one you thought was on your side she can't understand she truly believes the lie

Lemon Pie he's coming through our commander still Space dog lines secure Space dog

Deck the halls I'm young again I'm you again racing turtles the grapefruit is winning seems I keep getting this story twisted so where's Neil when you need him deck the halls it's you again it's you again somewhere someone must know the ending is she still pissing in the river now heard she'd gone moved into a trailer park

so sure those girls now are in the Navy those bombs our friends can't even hurt you now and hold those tears cause they're still on your side don't hear the dogs barking don't say you know we've gone Andromeda stood with those girls before the hair in pairs it just got nasty and now those girls are gone

—on Under the Pink
A poster for Under the Pink appears in issue #2 of Death: The Time of Your Life.
"Tear in Your Hand"

all the world just stopped now so you say you don't wanna stay together anymore let me take a deep breath babe If you need me, me and Neil'll be hangin' out with the DREAM KING Neil says hi by the way I don't believe you're leaving me cause me and Charles Manson like the same ice cream I think it's that girl and I think there's pieces of me you've never seen maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen well all the world is all I am the black of the blackest ocean and that tear in your hand all the world DANGLIN'...danglin'...danglin' for me DARLIN' you don't know the power that you have with that tear in your hand maybe I ain't used to maybes smashing in a cold room cutting my hands up every time I touch you maybe maybe it's time to wave goodbye now time to wave goodbye now caught a ride with the moon I know I know you well well better than I used to HAZE all clouded up my mind in the DAZE of the why it could've never been so you say and I say you know you're full of wish and your "baby baby baby babies" I tell you there're pieces of me you've never seen maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen well

—on Little Earthquakes
In Sandman #41, "Tear in Your Hand" is being played in the background of the leather bar Delirium walks into.
"Sister Named Desire"

Got a sister named Desire
They don't let you like those little boys
by their house
On the back yard swing
I know of it 'cause
I thought we told some little sweet stories
In the parking lot

They say that girl lost her sway
The say that girl lost her sway that day
Mm mm mm mm mm, mm mm

God I'd like to drag him for a long way 'cause maybe I
Then I'd just cry a little tear near him
To that sleepy safe place
And I'm gonna take him by myself if I've got to go
Don't let you know, let you know where she goes to
with those, me as I interfere
That girl lost her sway
They say that girl lost her sway that day

Mm, mm, mm, mm
Teach me about them old worlds, big brother
and in an elevator
where somebody can get out
With the
sound
They say that girl lost her sway
Just watch it
Just watch it slip through my hands, Boy
Watch it go
Oh, what you know, ooh
I guess
I see
Just see 'Cause she still can sway
Na na na na na na
Na na na

—B-side, on Talula (Disc 2) UK single

...She gives him a thank you in the BFP credits, and she also writes "hi Neil" in the credits of Earthquakes. ... Tori wrote the introduction for Death: The High Cost of Living when the series was published in trade hardback/paperback. This same piece appeared in the collection Sandman: Book of Dreams. ... In Sandman #66, Rose Walker is talking to someone, and she says, "No, I'm more of a cornflakes girl myself."

Lyrics from the Tori Amos Lyrics Database

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