"....I Can Feel The Distance Getting Close..."

Have you ever noticed that once an artist realizes they have reached their pinnacle of popularity, the focus of their work shifts from the singular audience to a global one?
Prime example: While my husband and I watched Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" music video collection I gifted him for Christmas, I couldn't help but notice that his attempts to do more than connect with people on a a one-on-one basis made much of what he sang about seem like contrived conviction. I've got kind of a similar taste in my mouth left from Tori Amos's last two projects and Sting's Sacred Love album. There are passionate moments embedded within each work, but this emerging pattern has left me wondering: what causes an artist to lose the intimate tone of his or her original breakthrough work?

Rasputina

I had nothing
So I used what I had
And you knew
It wasn't much more than that
You took your turn and then
You took a turn again
Tell me when
It's time for me to speak for myself

The truth as it
Occurred in perfect three quarter time
could not
accomplish the damage
So you spit
And set
Your sights upon a higher mark
And I
am finished
Before I even start


I think it's time
That somebody told you
You fight just like a girl
You fight just like a girl
And it's a shame
that nobody knows you
like I do
but they will