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."
Oh Well 05
Fiona Apple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See myself something different
Though I try to talk sense to myself
But I just won't listen
Won't you go away
Turned yourself in
You're no good at confession
Tries to teach you a lesson
What you did to me made me see myself somethin' awful
A voice once stentorian is now again meek and muffled
It took me such a long time to get back up the first time you did it
I spent all I had to get it back, and now it seems I've been outbidded
My peace and quiet was stolen from me
When I was looking with calm affection
You were searching out my imperfections
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in this stuff
You came up on me like a hypnic jerk
When I was just about settled
And when it counts you recoil
With the cryptic word you even love belittling
Oh what a cold and common old way to go
I was feeding on the need for you to know me
Devastated at the rate you feel below me
What wasted unconditional love
On somebody
Who doesn't believe in this life
Oh, well
Fiona Apple's "Oh Well 05" is a heart-wrenching song about the aftermath of a toxic relationship. In the first verse, she talks about how the person she was with changed her perception of herself, and she is struggling to come to terms with it. She tries to rationalize the situation and talk sense to herself, but it seems impossible to shake off the effects of what was done to her. The second verse sees Fiona begging for the other person to go away, acknowledging that they are no good at confession. The image of what they did to her is seared into her memory, and she needs them to leave before they do any more damage.
In the chorus, Fiona expresses her frustration at wasting her unconditional love on someone who doesn't believe in it. She feels like she's been outbid in her efforts to get her life back on track after the trauma inflicted on her. The bridge of the song has Fiona reminiscing about how she used to be happy and at peace before this person came into her life. They were searching for faults in her, which has left her feeling devastated. She ends the song with a resigned "Oh well," perhaps finally accepting that this is just how things are.
Overall, "Oh Well 05" is a raw and honest exploration of the aftermath of an emotionally abusive relationship. Fiona Apple's lyrics are incredibly insightful, and the song has a powerful message about the effects of trauma on a person's sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
What you did to me made me
Your actions led me to have a different perception of myself
See myself something different
I now view myself in a negative and unflattering light
Though I try to talk sense to myself
Despite my efforts to rationalize and make sense of the situation
But I just won't listen
I am unable to accept the truth and move forward
Won't you go away
Please leave me alone
Turned yourself in
You showed your true colors and confessed your wrongdoings
You're no good at confession
Your attempt at seeking forgiveness is insincere and unconvincing
Before the image that you burned me in
Before the distorted perception of me that you created
Tries to teach you a lesson
I hope that you learn from your actions and the consequences they bring
What you did to me made me see myself somethin' awful
Your actions caused me to have a low and negative self-image
A voice once stentorian is now again meek and muffled
I used to be outspoken and assertive, but you have made me quiet and hesitant
It took me such a long time to get back up the first time you did it
It took me a long time to recover from the first time you harmed me
I spent all I had to get it back, and now it seems I've been outbidded
I invested so much time and effort into healing, but it feels like it was all for nothing
My peace and quiet was stolen from me
You invaded my personal space and robbed me of tranquility
When I was looking with calm affection
When I was trusting and viewing you fondly
You were searching out my imperfections
You were actively seeking my flaws and weaknesses
What wasted unconditional love
I gave so much love unconditionally
On somebody
To someone who did not appreciate it
Who doesn't believe in this stuff
Who does not value love and loyalty
You came up on me like a hypnic jerk
You caught me off guard and startled me abruptly
When I was just about settled
When I was finally at ease and content
And when it counts you recoil
You pull away and retreat when it is important to stay
With the cryptic word you even love belittling
You use mysterious and demeaning comments to tear me down, even though you claim to care
Oh what a cold and common old way to go
Your cruel and typical behavior is predictable and heartless
I was feeding on the need for you to know me
I was relying on your approval and validation to feel significant and understood
Devastated at the rate you feel below me
I am torn apart by the fact that you see yourself as less than me
What wasted unconditional love
I gave you all my love without conditions
On somebody
To someone who did not value or reciprocate it
Who doesn't believe in this life
Who does not appreciate the significance of life and the love it brings
Oh, well
An expression of acceptance and resignation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARRIS, JAMES SAMUEL III/LEWIS, TERRY/MORRIS, NATHAN B
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind