Welcome to England

"Welcome to England" is a song by American singer and songwriter Tori Amos, appearing on the album Abnormally Attracted to Sin (2009).

The song's development discusses a woman who has left everything, including her family, friends and lifestyle, to start a new life with her lover.

Contemporary critics were generally favorable towards the song, who commended the personal subject matter and production.

Before the production of the single and the studio album Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Abnormally Attracted to Sin was intended to be an audio-visual project including an abundance of synchronizing visuals, and filming these Visualettes was a significant catalyst for the development of the album itself.

[1] Then Christian Lamb was hired to by Amos to shoot footage of her 2007 world tour for an intended live/concert DVD.

After her leaving of the label, Amos officially stated that from now on, she would be releasing her future studio albums and singles independently.

However, the idea was then scrapped as Amos signed a new deal to Universal Republic Records, making "Welcome to England" and Abnormally Attracted to Sin her first releases under the label.

"Welcome to England" was eventually featured on her Chapter/Visualette Index DVD, which is an alternate version of her album, The Road Chronicles.

[6] "Welcome to England" is a mid-tempo alternative rock song that features a trip hop style, with britpop, baroque pop and ambient music.

[7] Thom Jurek from Allmusic said "Welcome to England," whose 4/4 loop, drifting piano, and blend of guitars (electric and acoustic), strings, and ambient sounds is rudimentary Amos at best, and boring at worst.

"[11] Music Fix said the song was a "dreary sounding, works in the context of the album, lying snugly on its bed of electronica immediately after the disarming Give.

[13] She explained to Drowned in Sound that the "desired goal" of the song, was "to be positive about a man, and yet ambivalent about a place."

Ed Miller from Drowned in Sound stated that the song is "both a return to classic Tori and autobiographical songwriting, and an indicator that this record is free from the high concepts that mark most of her 21st century output.

"[20] A mixed review came from Margaret Wappler from the Los Angeles Times, saying ""Welcome to England" is a silken glove with a few dropped stitches, specifically a guitar line that sounds borrowed from an '80s sitcom theme.

Another main reason why was because Amos announced she would release her singles independently through major record labels.

The video later changes where Amos is walking around bridges and shores of England, where she wears a jumpsuit with the whole costume embraced with the American flag on it.

It has iconic landmarks in England including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye.

"[29] Pinkisthenewblog.com gave it a positive review saying "The video features Tori lookin’ fierce as hell in various locales in England.