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."
A Mistake
Fiona Apple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna do it on purpose
I'm gonna waste my time
'Cause I'm full as a tick
And I'm scratching at the surface
And what I find is mine
And when the day is done and I look back
And the fact is I had fun
All the advice I shunned and I ran
Where they told me not to run
But I sure had fun
So I'm gonna fuck it up again
I'm gonna do another detour
Unpave my path
And if you wanna make sense
Whatcha lookin' at me for?
I'm no good at math
And when I find my way back
The fact is I just may stay
Or I may not
I've acquired quite a taste
For a well-made mistake
I wanna make a mistake
Why can't I make a mistake?
I'm always doing what I think I should
Almost always doing everybody good
Why?
Do I wanna do right?
Of course
But do I really wanna feel I'm forced to answer you?
Hell no
I've acquired quite a taste
For a well-made mistake
I wanna make a mistake
Why can't I make a mistake?
I'm always doing what I think I should
Almost always doing everybody good
Why? oh oh oh
Fiona Apple's "A Mistake" seems to be about the value of making mistakes and the satisfaction that can come from taking risks and exploring our own desires. In the first verse, she expresses a desire to waste her time, to scratch at the surface of things and find what is truly hers, even if it means disregarding the advice of others. The chorus reinforces this sentiment, with Fiona proclaiming that she wants to make mistakes and that she has "acquired quite a taste for a well-made mistake."
In the second verse, she speaks to the pressure she feels to always do what is "right" and "good" for everyone, but questions why she should feel forced to answer to anyone else. There seems to be a tension for her between following her own impulses and desires and fulfilling the expectations of others. By the end of the song, she seems to have resolved to continue making mistakes and following her own path, whether or not others understand or approve.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna make a mistake
I plan on making a conscious decision that could lead to an unfortunate outcome
I'm gonna do it on purpose
I am intentionally seeking out this mistake
I'm gonna waste my time
I'm going to put effort into something that ultimately does not serve an important purpose
'Cause I'm full as a tick
I am completely satisfied and content with life as it is right now
And I'm scratching at the surface
Despite this surface-level happiness, I have an underlying need to explore and experience more
And what I find is mine
Anything I discover in my journey belongs to me and me alone
And when the day is done and I look back
When reflecting on the day and the actions I've taken
And the fact is I had fun
I realize that despite any mistakes or detours, I enjoyed myself
Fumbling around
I may have been unsure or lost at times
All the advice I shunned and I ran
I purposely ignored suggestions and warnings from others
Where they told me not to run
I pursued paths that I've been told are not the right ones to take
But I sure had fun
Despite any consequences, I enjoyed the ride
So I'm gonna fuck it up again
I'm ready for another mistake or deviation from the norm
I'm gonna do another detour
I plan on taking another route that veers from the norm
Unpave my path
I'm willing to remove the established path beneath me
And if you wanna make sense
If anyone is trying to understand me
Whatcha lookin' at me for?
Why are you even bothering?
I'm no good at math
I'm not great at following the expected formula for success
And when I find my way back
Once I have completed my journey and return to a familiar place
The fact is I just may stay
There is a possibility that I will decide to stay in this familiar place
Or I may not
Alternatively, I might choose to continue my journey
I've acquired quite a taste
I have developed a liking for
For a well-made mistake
A mistake that is deliberate and suits my intentions is something I consider a good experience
I wanna make a mistake
I'm craving another experience like the one a well-made mistake provides
Why can't I make a mistake?
I feel like I'm not allowed to take risks and make mistakes, and I question why that is.
I'm always doing what I think I should
I tend to follow what others believe I should do
Almost always doing everybody good
I try to make choices that benefit those around me
Why?
I am questioning why I always follow the 'correct' path
Do I wanna do right?
Do I truly desire to always make the correct decision?
Of course
Yes, stability and security in life are desirable qualities
But do I really wanna feel I'm forced to answer you?
However, I don't want to feel obligated to explain my choices to anyone else
Hell no
I don't want anyone telling me what to do or how to live my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Fiona Apple Maggart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind