Born in Manhattan, New York, United States, Apple made her break into the music industry when a friend, who babysat for a record executive, handed her employer a demo. Apple's husky voice, nimble piano skills, and mature lyrics got the attention of Sony executive Andy Slater, who signed her to a record deal.
In 1996, Apple's debut album Tidal was released by a subsidiary of Sony. The album went on to sell 3 million copies (certified triple platinum) domestically.
"Criminal," the fourth single from Tidal, became Apple's breakthrough hit. The song garnered a great deal of attention, in part for its suggestive lyrics ("I've been a bad, bad girl...") but also for the controversial music video, directed by Mark Romanek. The video featured a waifish, half-dressed Apple surrounded by the aftermath of a party, including unconscious party-goers. The video received heavy rotation on VH-1 and MTV and gained the singer immediate notoriety. Years later, Apple said, "I wasn't (comfortable). And you can see that in the video. It's not sexy. It's disturbing."
Other singles from Tidal included "Sleep to Dream," "Shadowboxer," "Never is a Promise," and "The First Taste."
In 1998, she contributed two tracks to the Pleasantville soundtrack, "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and a cover of the Beatles hit "Across the Universe".
In 1999, Apple's second album was released with the name "When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might so When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right" but it has just been commonly called "When the Pawn..." This album released the singles "Fast As You Can," "Limp," and "Paper Bag."
A third album, Extraordinary Machine, which was produced by Jon Brion, was submitted to Sony executives in May 2003. Sony was reportedly unenthusiastic about the finished product, and the project was shelved for over two years. In 2004 and 2005, tracks were leaked on the Internet in MP3 format and played on U.S. and international radio; subsequently, MP3s of the entire album believed produced by Brion (although he later claimed the leaked tracks were "tweaked" beyond his own work), went online. Although a website distributing the album was quickly taken offline via the DMCA copyright law, they soon reached P2P networks and were downloaded by fans.
In August 2005, the album was given a release date of October. Production had been completed by Mike Elizondo (though known for his work with hip-hop artists such as Dr. Dre, he had previously played bass for Apple on Pawn) and co-produced by electronica experimentalist Brian Kehew. Spin Magazine later reported: "Fans erroneously thought that Apple's record label, Epic, had rejected the first version of Extraordinary Machine... in reality, according to Elizondo, Apple was unhappy with the results, and it was her decision to redo the record, not her label's." Two of the eleven previous leaked tracks were relatively unchanged, nine were completely retooled, and one new song was also included. According to Elizondo, "Everything was done from scratch." Upon its release, the album became the highest-charting album of Apple's career (debuting at number seven), and before the end of 2005 had sold more than 300,000 copies in the United States alone.
It was revealed in late 2005 that Sony was initially unhappy with the work, and Apple and Brion sought to rework the album. Sony made caveats on the process, to which Apple balked. After a long period of waiting, she began an attempt to rework the album with close friend Kehew (also a friend and former roommate of Jon Brion). Elizondo was brought back as co-producer to complete the tracks he had begun with Brion and Apple. Despite suggestions that the album had caused a rift between Brion and Apple, they regularly perform together at Largo, a club in Los Angeles, including a joint appearance with Elizondo on bass just before the news broke of an official release. Apple went on a live tour to support the album in late 2005, and from early 2006 supported Coldplay on their tour of North America. The album has yielded four singles: "Parting Gift," "O' Sailor," "Not About Love," and "Get Him Back."
In 2006, a special edition version of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" was released, with Fiona Apple contributing a version of "Sally's Song."
In January 2010, Fiona Apple and Jon Brion performed together at "Love and Haiti, Too: A Music Benefit", a charity concert for the people hurt by the Haiti Earthquake. Fiona sang a cover of "(S)he's Funny That Way", composed by Neil Moret, with lyrics by Richard Whiting, which is often associated with the singer Billie Holiday.
In June 2010, Fiona released a song titled "So Sleepy" produced by Jon Brion written by children involved with the non-profit organization 826LA. The song will be included in a compilation album released by the organization titled Chickens in Love. She also collaborated with Margaret Cho on Cho's album Cho Dependent.
The Every Single Night Songfacts reports that Apple began recording new material for her fourth album The Idler Wheel… in the late 2000s, keeping her sessions secret, even from her label, Epic Records. She opted to produce the album with her touring drummer, Charley Drayton, rather than her longtime collaborator Jon Brion. Executives at Epic only discovered that Apple had recorded an album in early 2012 when she presented it to them. It was released on June 19, 2012, to success, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200. The album sold 72,000 copies in the first week and was nominated for Best Alternative Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards. In 2020, the album was placed at number 213 on the list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone.
In 2020, Apple's fifth studio album, "Fetch the Bolt Cutters", was released to universal acclaim. The artist earned two Grammy Awards for the album: Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Performance for the lead single "Shameika."
Across the Universe
Fiona Apple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me
Jai guru de va om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Images of broken light, which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on, across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Sounds of laughter, shades of earth are ringing
Through my opened ears, inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a
Million suns and calls me on and on across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Fiona Apple's "Across the Universe" is a cover of the original version by The Beatles. The lyrics describe a sort of transcendental or spiritual experience where the singer feels both the agony and the ecstasy of the world around her. The first verse speaks to the fleeting nature of thoughts, ideas, and words-- how they come and go like shifting tides, leaving little lasting impact. The second verse introduces a repeated refrain of "Jai Guru Deva Om," which is a Sanskrit mantra used in Hinduism meaning "Victory to the Guru, divine teacher within." The mantra has a calming effect, and the idea is that repeating it can help connect the individual to a higher power.
The chorus of "Nothing's gonna change my world" can be seen as both a proclamation of hopelessness and a surrender to a greater force. The third verse speaks to the beauty and joy found within life's sorrows, and the sounds and colors of the world that are endlessly present and changeable. The final repetition of "Jai Guru Deva" feels like an arrival, a moment of connecting with the divine.
It's clear from Fiona Apple's interpretation of the song that she values the sentiment of this searching and the ways in which music can help lead to transcendence.
Line by Line Meaning
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
Endless thoughts and ideas are coming to me fast and strong, but they are fleeting and quickly slip away.
They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe.
These daily thoughts and emotions move on from me without carrying as much meaning as they once did.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind,
My thoughts and emotions are fluctuating between happiness and sadness, shaping my perspective on life.
Possessing and caressing me.
These emotions consume me, and in turn, shape the way I move through life.
Jai Guru Deva Om
This Sanskrit chant is an offering of respect to the universal consciousness and guidance.
Nothing's gonna change my world,
Despite the ups and downs of life, I remain committed to my beliefs and stable in my outlook.
Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
The broken fragments of light before me seem to watch my every move, challenging me to continue to see through tough times.
They call me on and on across the universe.
These challenges continue to motivate me, even as they travel further and further away.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box,
My thoughts are difficult to contain and remain unruly, leaving me feeling like an outsider in my own mind.
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe.
My thoughts carry little direction but continue to carry me further on my journey through life.
Sounds of laughter, shades of earth are ringing Through my open ears inciting and inviting me.
The sounds and colors of the world around me fill my senses and leave me feeling excited for life and what it has to offer.
Limitless, undying love, which shines around me like a million suns,
The overwhelming love that permeates everything around me fills me with hope and promise.
And calls me on and on across the universe.
This endless love promises to keep me moving forward, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
Jai Guru Deva
Continuing to pay homage to the guidance and wisdom of the universe.
Jai Guru Deva
Still offering respect and guidance to the universal consciousness.
Jai Guru Deva...
And continuing that sacred chant indefinitely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind