Wikipedia

Caught a Lite Sneeze

"Caught a Lite Sneeze" is a song by American singer-songwriter Tori Amos, released by Atlantic and EastWest as the first single from her third studio album, Boys for Pele (1996), on January 1, 1996. The song is about wanting to do anything to keep a relationship going, knowing that it is over.[1] It references Nine Inch Nails's album Pretty Hate Machine in the lyrics "Caught a lite sneeze / Dreamed a little dream / Made my own pretty hate machine." On December 11, 1995, Atlantic made the song available for streaming on their website, one of the earliest examples of a major label implementing such a feature.[2]

"Caught a Lite Sneeze"
Single by Tori Amos
from the album Boys for Pele
B-side
  • "This Old Man"
  • "That's What I Like Mick (The Sandwich Song)"
  • "Graveyard"
  • "Toodles Mr. Jim"
  • "Hungarian Wedding Song"
  • "London Girls"
  • "Samurai"
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1996 (1996-01-01)
Length4:27
Label
Songwriter(s)Tori Amos
Producer(s)Tori Amos
Tori Amos singles chronology
"Past the Mission"
(1994) 		"Caught a Lite Sneeze"
(1996) 		"Talula"
(1996)

Following the song's release, it reached number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the UK Singles Chart. Despite being one of her higher-charting singles, it does not appear on her best-of collection, Tales of a Librarian. In live performances from 1996 and 1998, Amos would frequently insert lines directly from and inspired by "Hurt", another song by Nine Inch Nails.

Critical reception

edit

Larry Flick from Billboard felt the song "is easily her most viable bid for top 40 success to date." He added, "Literal, accessible lyrics waft over a rumbling rock-ish beat and a haunting blend of acoustic guitars and keyboard. Her often waif-like delivery is enhanced with throaty declarations and vamps that nicely punctuate the melody and flesh out the words. Nourishment for the intelligent pop music fan."[3] Steve Baltin from Cash Box said "Wow", declaring the song as "simply stunning." He wrote, "If not the best singer in music right now, Amos is near the top of a very short list. Time and time again the passionate redhead has proven herself to be a vocalist capable of bringing listeners into her pain. “Caught a Lite Sneeze” begins with a very understated industrial feel and Amos showing great restraint in her vocals. By the end though, Amos has fans trembling with her cathartic rushes. A definite at Modern Rock and a smash at Triple A. The Cash Box psychic predicts that by the end of this year Tori Amos will have broken through to be a true superstar in every sense of the word."[4] Kevin Courtney from Irish Times noted that the song "has a contagious quality of its own."[5] Andrew Mueller from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week, adding, "The song itself is pleasant enough without being what you'd call memorable. The usual Kate Bush references will do the trick, or you could resort to some Alanis Morissette ones if you were feigning contemporaneity."[6]

Track listings

edit

Personnel

edit

Personnel are lifted from the Boys for Pele album booklet.[12]

Charts

edit
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13][14] 51
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 20
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[16] 27
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[17] 18
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 73
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 21
Scotland (OCC)[20] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 20
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 60
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] 3
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[24] 13
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[25] 9
Finnish Singles (The Official Finnish Charts)[26] 33

Release history

edit
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom January 1, 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
 EastWest [27]
United States January 2, 1996
Atlantic [2]

References

edit
  1. ^ Quotes from interviews with Tori Amos Archived January 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ a b Pride, Dominic; Taylor, Chuck (January 13, 1996). "Amos Bares Soul on Atlantic Set". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 2. p. 66.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (January 13, 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 62. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  4. ^ Baltin, Steve (January 20, 1996). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  5. ^ Courtney, Kevin (January 26, 1996). "Rock". Irish Times.
  6. ^ Mueller, Andrew (January 13, 1996). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 28. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Caught a Lite Sneeze (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Tori Amos. Atlantic Records. 1996. 85519-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Caught a Lite Sneeze (UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes). Tori Amos. EastWest Records. 1996. A5524CD1, 7567-85526-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Caught a Lite Sneeze (UK CD2 liner notes). Tori Amos. EastWest Records. 1996. A5524CD2, 7567-85525-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Caught a Lite Sneeze (UK & Australian cassette single sleeve). Tori Amos. EastWest Records. 1996. A5524C, 7567-85524-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Caught a Lite Sneeze (European CD single liner notes). Tori Amos. EastWest Records. 1996. 7567-85524-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Boys for Pele (US CD album booklet). Tori Amos. Atlantic Records. 1996. 82862-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 31 Mar 1996". ARIA. Retrieved March 12, 2016 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  14. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 14.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2926." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2900." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9200." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  18. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 3. January 20, 1996. p. 13. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Caught a Lite Sneeze". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  22. ^ "Tori Amos Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  23. ^ "Tori Amos Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  24. ^ "Tori Amos Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  25. ^ "Tori Amos Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  26. ^ https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  27. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 23, 1995. p. 32. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caught_a_Lite_Sneeze&oldid=1243550378"