Being a fan of Fiona Apple is an exercise in patience. You’ve got to hold out, sometimes for an excruciatingly long amount of time, to hear her latest work. How is one supposed to mend broken hearts without her stunning, succinct words with that hauntingly reassuring voice to guide us through? Which lyrics do musically inclined, arty high schoolers doodle on their notebooks? (Do kids still do that? Man, I hope so. Kids, go get a pen. Doodle on.)
Of course, being the genius that she is, she always makes it worth our wait. The singer-songwriter’s latest effort, The Idler Wheel…, her first since 2005’s Extraordinary Machine, has all the elements of what makes a Fiona Apple album great, aside from an exceptionally long title. (23 words total, though that’s nothing compared to the staggering 90 from When the Pawn Breaks…)
Rather, it’s those amazing, knock-out punch one-liners that do the trick. That’s not to say that every line in a great Fiona Apple song on a great Fiona Apple album isn’t a necessary part of intricately woven poetry, it’s that some lines just stick out and give it that extra power. Take, for instance, the chorus to The Idler Wheel‘s closer “Hot Butter,” in which Apple croons, “I’m a hit knife, he’s a pat of butter.” Never leave us again, Fiona.
While The Idler Wheel is 42-minutes of lyrical bliss, we wanted to reminisce on some our older favorites from her brilliant catalogue. Of course, these are best sung at the top of your lungs, while imagining your ex.
(Bonus fun fact: the entirety of this article is the name of Fiona’s next album!)
“I have never been so insulted in all my life/I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride”- from “Sleep To Dream”
“He washed me ashore/And took my pearl/And left an empty shell of me”- from “Sullen Girl”
“You got away with a lot/But I’m not turned on/So put away that meat you’re selling” – from “Get Gone”
“Please forgive me for my distance/The pain is evident in my existence”- from “To Your Love”
“And it doesn’t make sense/I should fall for the kingcraft of a meritless crown” – from “Not About Love”
“He’ll hitch a ride with any guide as long as they go fast from whence he came” – from “Extraordinary Machine”
What’s your favorite Fiona Apple lyric? Share in the comments section.
[Photo credit: WENN.com]
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