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."
Angel
Fiona Apple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stayed with me just long enough to rescue me
And she told me a story yesterday
About the love between the moon
And the deep blue sea
Then she spread her wings high above me
And she said she gonna come back tomorrow
Fly on my, sweet angel
Fly on through the sky
Fly on, my sweet angel
Tomorrow I will be right by your side
Sure enough, this woman came home to me
Silver wings, silhouette against a child's own prize
Oh, angel, she said unto me
Today is the day for you to rise
Take my hand, take my hand
You're gonna rise
And then, she took me high over yonder
And I said
Fly on by, sweet angel
Fly on through the sky
Fly on, my sweet angel
Forever I will be right by your side
Ooh, ooh, ooh, hoo, ooh
I, uh-huh, I, uh-huh
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
I, I, uh, uh, uh, uh
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh
The lyrics to Fiona Apple's song "Angel" are a beautiful and poetic expression of hope, guidance, and love. The song tells the story of an angel who comes down from heaven to rescue the singer and show her the way to rise up and reach her full potential. The angel tells the singer a story about the love between the moon and the deep blue sea, a metaphor for the limitless and powerful bond that can exist between two entities. The angel spreads her wings and promises to come back the next day, giving the singer something to believe in and look forward to.
The singer then describes how the angel returns to her and takes her hand, prompting her to rise up and fly with the angel. The silver wings of the angel cast a beautiful, striking silhouette against a child's own prize, symbolizing the beauty and wonder of the world around us. The angel encourages the singer to take her hand and rise, promising that she will be right beside her every step of the way. Together, they fly high over yonder, a place of unlimited potential and infinite possibilities.
The chorus of the song, where the singer implores the angel to fly on, is a powerful and moving expression of hope and determination. The singer promises to be right by the angel's side, forever grateful for the guidance and love she has given her. Overall, Fiona Apple's "Angel" is a beautiful song that reminds us of the power of love, hope, and faith in guiding us towards our dreams and aspirations.
Line by Line Meaning
Angel come on down from heaven yesterday
A mysterious woman came into the singer's life unexpectedly.
Stayed with me just long enough to rescue me
The woman provided temporary relief or salvation for the singer.
And she told me a story yesterday
The woman shared a tale or anecdote with the singer.
About the love between the moon and the deep blue sea
The woman's story related to an impossible love between two disparate objects or beings.
Then she spread her wings high above me
The woman appeared to physically transform or change before the singer's eyes.
And she said she gonna come back tomorrow
The woman promised to return to the singer the next day.
And I said Fly on my, sweet angel
The singer encouraged the woman to depart or continue her journey.
Fly on through the sky
The singer wished for the woman to travel through the air or beyond earthly realms.
Fly on, my sweet angel
The singer addressed the woman once more with a term of endearment.
Tomorrow I will be right by your side
The singer promised to join the woman on her journey in the future.
Sure enough, this woman came home to me
The woman fulfilled her promise and returned to the singer's presence.
Silver wings, silhouette against a child's own prize
The woman appeared with otherworldly, gleaming wings that contrasted with a mundane object, possibly belonging to a child.
Oh, angel, she said unto me
The woman referred to herself as an angel in communication with the singer.
Today is the day for you to rise
The woman encouraged the singer to take action, attain success, or ascend in some capacity.
Take my hand, take my hand, you're gonna rise
The woman offered her support and assistance to the singer in achieving their goals.
And then, she took me high over yonder
The woman physically transported the singer to another location or perspective.
And I said Fly on by, sweet angel
The singer repeated their earlier encouragement for the woman to continue on her path.
Forever I will be right by your side
The singer asserted a commitment to remain with the woman in the long term.
Contributed by Adrian I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sean Curran
Pretty sure Jimi would have been very pleased with this tribute. As a fan of his, I certainly was.
Mike Avery
I have always loved this song by Hendrix, but this is a beautiful rendition and it is too bad that Jimi wasn't around to hear it.
poohbearsauntie
Mike Avery ~ Just Suppose He CAN Still Hear It.. Comforting, Isn’t It..? 🌺
James Anderson
poohbearsauntie we all know he’s up in heaven kicking back with a j vibin out with his guitar ❤️😭
poohbearsauntie
Dear@James Anderson ~ How Right You ARE!! How Right You Absolutely Are.
Zaz Rockwell
What's truly fantastic about her doing this is not so much the song, but her voice. She has such an amazing natural tremolo in her singing that gives such a genuine, sincere feeling of the song.
d3Ad póòl4602
This is IMO one of the best tributes to jimi . i think its a beautiful cover
y yg
she has the soul and heart for it
d3Ad póòl4602
@y yg yes she does !!! You can even see her imagining an angel flying around 2:54
Anthony Moitzger
I have loved this cover since it came out. So good .8