Frog on My Toe
Tori Amos Lyrics


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Papa I know
There's a frog on my toe
Maybe I'll call him Jethro
Maybe I'll grow up to be wise, as good as he
And maybe I'll come back after you're long gone

Papa I'm sure
The worms have eaten you now
And Jethro's been on some Frenchy's plate long ago
Now I'm pretty sure that I listen to every word
Cause I still hear you telling me still

Slap them boys when they're naughty
Make them crawl, make you haughty
Make you strong, little girl
You paint them toes the reddest color
And you know one day
You're gonna be bigger than a flea
You're gonna be bigger than that old poison ivy tree

Now I'm pretty sure
That I think you'd come and visit
And talk sometimes kinda like Gidget
A funny little chance like an Indian Brave
You said, "we all grew fat when the white man came"
But one day, girl, you're gonna learn to make 'em crawl
Make 'em grow tall
But have the grace
To be a lady with disgrace
And you fry them taters




And you make them with lady's hands
And know you're my pappy's baby

Overall Meaning

In Tori Amos's song "Frog on My Toe," she reminisces about her father and the lessons he taught her as a child. The first verse mentions the frog on her toe and the possibility of naming him Jethro, which shows the innocence and imagination of a child. Tori then muses about growing up to be wise like the frog, which reflects her admiration for her father's words of wisdom. She acknowledges that her father is no longer alive, but she still hears him in her head, reminding her to be strong and to stand up for herself. Her father's teachings are embodied in his advice to "slap them boys when they're naughty," which is a reflection of his protective nature.


The second verse is more reflective, with Tori acknowledging her father's death and the fact that he has been gone for a long time. She imagines him visiting her, and they talk like old friends, with her father imparting more words of wisdom. He advises her to be strong and to make people respect her. He tells her that despite the changes brought about by the arrival of white men, she can still learn to make them crawl and grow tall. And even when doing mundane tasks like frying potatoes, she can still do it with grace and pride.


Overall, "Frog on My Toe" is a poignant tribute to a father's love and guidance, and how his lessons stay with his daughter long after he's gone.


Line by Line Meaning

Papa I know
I am aware of what's going on


There's a frog on my toe
I have a frog on my foot


Maybe I'll call him Jethro
I might give him a name


Maybe I'll grow up to be wise, as good as he
Perhaps I'll become wise like the frog is


And maybe I'll come back after you're long gone
And maybe I'll return once you're not around anymore


Papa I'm sure
I'm positive, dad


The worms have eaten you now
You're dead and buried


And Jethro's been on some Frenchy's plate long ago
The frog has been eaten by someone, long ago


Now I'm pretty sure that I listen to every word
I'm confident that I pay attention to everything you told me


Cause I still hear you telling me still
Because I can still hear your voice


Slap them boys when they're naughty
Punish those boys when they misbehave


Make them crawl, make you haughty
Make them crawl to please you


Make you strong, little girl
Make you strong, even though you're young


You paint them toes the reddest color
You paint your toes in the brightest red color


And you know one day
And you're aware that one day


You're gonna be bigger than a flea
You'll be bigger than a tiny flea


You're gonna be bigger than that old poison ivy tree
You'll be bigger than large, poisonous tree


Now I'm pretty sure
I'm confident


That I think you'd come and visit
That you would visit and talk to me


And talk sometimes kinda like Gidget
And sometimes speak like Gidget, a fictional character


A funny little chance like an Indian Brave
An opportunity to be funny, like a Native American warrior


You said, "we all grew fat when the white man came"
You said that we all became better off when white people arrived


But one day, girl, you're gonna learn to make 'em crawl
But someday you'll learn to have control over others


Make 'em grow tall
Make them grow strong


But have the grace
But be graceful


To be a lady with disgrace
To be a woman who handles disgrace with poise


And you fry them taters
And you fry potatoes


And you make them with lady's hands
And you prepare them like a lady would


And know you're my pappy's baby
And be aware that you're your father's daughter




Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: TORI ELLEN AMOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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