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."
Better Version Of Me
Fiona Apple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My way beyond the rubicon
What did I do?
And of the games that I can handle
None are ones worth the candle
What should I do?
I'm a frightened, fickle person
What should I do?
Oooh, after all the folderol
And hauling over coals stops
What will I do?
Can't take a good day without a bad one
Don't feel just to smile until I've had one
Where did I learn?
I make a fuss about a little thing
The rhyme is losing to the riddling
Where's the turn?
I don't want a home, I'd ruin that
Home is where my habits have a habitat
Why give it turn?
Oooh, after all the folderol
And hauling over coals stops
What did I learn?
I am likely to miss the main event
If I stop to cry or complain again
So I will keep a deliberate pace
Let the damned breeze dry my face
Oh mister wait until you see
What I'm gonna be
I've got a plan, a demand and it just began
And if you're right, you'll agree
Here's coming a better version of me
Here it comes, a better version of me
Here it comes, a better version of me
In "Better Version Of Me," Fiona Apple sings about the struggle to improve oneself in the face of personal shortcomings and past mistakes. The beginning of the song illustrates a moment of epiphany, or the "nickel dropped," when the realization hits that the singer has crossed a point of no return ("beyond the rubicon"). The questions "What did I do?" and "What should I do?" reveal that the singer is grappling with the consequences of choices she's made, and feeling lost about what comes next.
Apple's lyrics in the second verse reflect a deep sense of self-awareness, as she acknowledges her own difficult nature ("frightened, fickle person / Fighting, cryin', kickin', cursin'"). She laments her tendency to make too much of small things ("I make a fuss about a little thing"), and her fear that she'll ruin the stability of a "home" ("Home is where my habits have a habitat"). Throughout the song, Apple grapples with her own identity and the question of how to move forward.
In the final verses of the song, Apple turns to a more positive and empowered outlook. She refuses to be held back by fear or regret and chooses to focus on moving forward while accepting the inevitability of setbacks ("Can't take a good day without a bad one"). The refrain "Here it comes, a better version of me" reinforces this optimistic desire for self-improvement and progress.
Line by Line Meaning
The nickel dropped when I was on
I had a sudden realization when I was already crossing a point of no return
My way beyond the rubicon
I had already crossed the point of no return and ventured into unknown territory
What did I do?
I'm questioning my own actions and decisions
And of the games that I can handle
There are games I can deal with and games I can not
None are ones worth the candle
None of the games are worth the effort and sacrifice
What should I do?
I'm looking for guidance on what I should do next
I'm a frightened, fickle person
I'm scared and indecisive
Fighting, cryin', kickin', cursin'
I struggle through my emotions
What should I do?
I'm still looking for answers and advice
Ooh, after all the folderol
After all the fuss and commotion
And hauling over coals stops
After I stop torturing myself
What will I do?
I wonder what my next course of action will be
Can't take a good day without a bad one
I can't appreciate the good without also experiencing the bad
Don't feel just to smile until I've had one
I can't just put on a happy face until I've gone through some tough times
Where did I learn?
I'm reflecting on my past experiences that led me to this belief
I make a fuss about a little thing
I tend to overreact about small issues
The rhyme is losing to the riddling
The clear meaning of things is getting lost in complexity
Where's the turn?
I'm lost and unsure of how to move forward
I don't want a home, I'd ruin that
I don't want to ruin a stable, settled life
Home is where my habits have a habitat
Home is where I've become used to my own ways
Why give it turn?
Why risk changing it and potentially ruining it?
Ooh, after all the folderol
Again, after all the commotion and fuss
And hauling over coals stops
After I stop torturing myself with doubts
What did I learn?
I'm thinking about what insights I've gained from my experiences
I am likely to miss the main event
I'm worried I'll miss out on important things in my life
If I stop to cry or complain again
If I keep getting bogged down and upset by things
So I will keep a deliberate pace
I'll try to slow down and be more patient
Let the damned breeze dry my face
Let nature help me feel more at ease and calm
Oh mister wait until you see
I'm predicting some big changes in my life
What I'm gonna be
I'm going to become a better version of myself
I've got a plan, a demand and it just began
I'm confident in my goals and I've only just begun pursuing them
And if you're right, you'll agree
If my actions are successful, you'll agree with my choices
Here's coming a better version of me
I'm becoming a better version of myself
Here it comes, a better version of me
I'm excited about the changes I'm making in my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: FIONA APPLE MAGGART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind