Window
Fiona Apple(피오나 애플) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The whole time he was talking to me
It was a filthy pane of glass
I couldn't get a clear view
As he went on and on
It wasn't the outside world I could see
Just the filthy pane that I was looking through
So I had to break the window
It just had to be
Better that I break the window
Than him or her or me
I was never focused on just one thing
My eyes got fixed when my mind got soft
It may looked like I'm concentrated on a very clear view
But I'm as good as asleep
I bet you didn't know
It takes a lot of it away if you do
So I had to break the window
It just had to be
Better that I break the window
Than him or her or me
So I had to break the window
It just had to be
Better that I break the window
Than him or her or me
Because the fact in fact
Whatever's in front of me is covering my view
So I can't see what I'm seeing in fact
I only see what I'm looking through
I had to break the window
It just had to be it was in my way
Better that I break the window
Then forget what I had to say
So again I've done the right thing
I was never worried about that
The answer's always been in clear view
But even when the window's clean
I still can't see for the fact
That when it's clean it's so clear
I can't tell what I'm looking through
So I had to break the window
It just had to be
Better that I break the window
Than him or her or me
I had to break the window
It just had to be it was in my way
Better that I break the window
Then forget what I had to say
I had to break the window
It was in my way
Better that I break a window
Then forget what I had to say
Or miss what I should see
Or breaking him or her or me
In "Window," Fiona Apple explores the concept of perception versus reality, and how our personal biases and mental states can cloud our understanding of the world around us. Throughout the song, Apple describes staring through a dirty window while someone talks to her, unable to fully grasp what they're saying because of the obscured view. She eventually decides to break the window, realizing that it's better to take action and confront the barrier rather than let it stand in the way of her understanding.
The lyrics suggest that this mental blockage is not a one-time occurrence, but rather a recurring issue that Apple struggles with. She notes that even when the window is clean, she still can't see clearly because she's unsure of what she's looking for. The repetition of the line "It just had to be" speaks to the inevitability of this struggle, and the fact that breaking the window is a necessary step towards clarity.
Overall, "Window" is a poignant commentary on the complexities of perception and the importance of taking action to break down the barriers that prevent us from truly seeing and understanding the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
I was staring out the window
I was gazing at the outside view
The whole time he was talking to me
The person was talking to me while I was gazing outside
It was a filthy pane of glass
The window was covered in dirt and grime
I couldn't get a clear view
The window was so dirty that I couldn't see clearly outside
As he went on and on
The person continued to talk incessantly
It wasn't the outside world I could see
I was unable to see the view outside because of the dirty window
Just the filthy pane that I was looking through
I could only see the dirty window that was obstructing my view
So I had to break the window
I had to break the window to see outside clearly
It just had to be
Breaking the window was the only option
Better that I break the window
It's better to break the window than to hurt myself or others
Than him or her or me
Breaking the window was a better option than hurting anyone else, including the person who was talking to me
I was never focused on just one thing
I tend to lose focus easily
My eyes got fixed when my mind got soft
When I become less alert or attentive, my eyes become fixed on a particular object
It may looked like I'm concentrated on a very clear view
It may appear as though I'm focused on something specific
But I'm as good as asleep
I'm completely lost in thought
I bet you didn't know
You probably aren't aware
It takes a lot of it away if you do
It's distracting and takes away from my ability to focus
Because the fact in fact
In actuality
Whatever's in front of me is covering my view
Anything in front of me is obstructing my view of the outside world
So I can't see what I'm seeing in fact
I'm unable to see what is really there
I only see what I'm looking through
I only see what is obstructing my view
It was in my way
The window was obstructing my view
Then forget what I had to say
Breaking the window was necessary to prevent me from forgetting what I needed to say
Or miss what I should see
Breaking the window was necessary to prevent me from missing something important
Or breaking him or her or me
Breaking the window was a better option than hurting anyone else, including myself
So again I've done the right thing
Breaking the window was the right decision for me
The answer's always been in clear view
The solution to my problem was always there, but I couldn't see it because of the dirty window
But even when the window's clean
Even when the window is no longer dirty
I still can't see for the fact
I still can't see clearly
That when it's clean it's so clear
When the window is clean, the outside world is visible and clear
I can't tell what I'm looking through
I'm unable to distinguish between what is truly there and what is obstructing my view
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind