The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Mr. Zebra" by the artist "Tori Amos"

Tori Amos's "Mr. Zebra" paints a surreal and multi-layered picture, filled with riddles and ambiguities. The lyrics resist literal interpretation, rather resembling a stream of consciousness where images, emotions, and metaphors intertwine.

Addressing "Mr. Zebra" likely symbolizes appealing to a force, a savior, or even the lyrical heroine's alter ego. The request for a sweater points to vulnerability and a need for protection from the "cold," which can be both literal and metaphorical – loneliness, fear, despair.

"Ratatouille Strychnine" is a striking image combining the pleasant (a dish) and the dangerous (poison). It could be a metaphor for destructive relationships that both attract and wound. The "huge whirlpool" symbolizes a loss of control, madness, pulling into an abyss of despair.

"Mrs. Crocodile" is the antithesis of Mr. Zebra, an image of an aggressive, domineering, and destructive force. "Furry mussels" and "civilized whipped cream with wine and sugar" are grotesque images emphasizing the absurdity and unpredictability of the situation. Comparing Mrs. Crocodile to Emperor Wilhelm highlights her authoritarianism and delusions of grandeur.

The phrase "Too bad the funeral was premature" sounds cynical and ominous. Perhaps it's a hint that Mrs. Crocodile manipulates death and grief. Her smile at the end adds to the creepiness of the image.

Overall, the lyrics create an atmosphere of anxiety, instability, and danger. The heroine finds herself in a world of grotesque imagery, where reality intertwines with phantasmagoria.