Paper Bag
Fiona Apple Lyrics
I was staring at the sky
Just looking for a star
To pray on or wish on or something like that
I was having a sweet fix
Of a daydream of a boy
Whose reality I knew was a hopeless to be had
But then the dove of hope began its downward slope
And I believed for a moment
That my chances were approaching to be grabbed
But as it came down near
I thought it was a bird but it was just a paper bag
Hunger hurts and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't want to clean up
I've gotta fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts but starving works when it costs too much to love
And I went crazy again today
Looking for a strand to climb
Looking for a little hope
Baby said he couldn't stay
Wouldn't put his lips to mine
And a fail to kiss is a fail to cope
I said "honey, I don't feel so good
Don't feel justified
Come on put a little love here in my void"
He said "it's all in your head"
I said "so's everything" but he didn't get it
I thought he was a man but he was just a little boy
Hunger hurts and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't want to clean up
I've gotta fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts but starving works when it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts but I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess that he don't want to clean up
I've gotta fold because these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts but starving works when it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts but I want him so bad, oh it kills
Because I know that I'm a mess he don't want to clean up
I've got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts but starving, it works when it costs too much to love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Fiona Apple Maggart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
"Paper Bag" is the third and final single from Fiona Apple's second studio album, When the Pawn... (1999).
Communicated through the metaphor of the paper bag, the song shows how hope can lead to disappointment. The inspiration for the song came from a mostly true story from her own life, although the titular bag was in fact plastic rather than paper.
The song earned Apple a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the 43rd Grammy Awards (2001).
Communicated through the metaphor of the paper bag, the song shows how hope can lead to disappointment. The inspiration for the song came from a mostly true story from her own life, although the titular bag was in fact plastic rather than paper.
The song earned Apple a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the 43rd Grammy Awards (2001).
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Lyrics
I was staring at the sky,
Just looking for a star
To pray on,
Or wish on,
Or something like that
I was having a sweet fix
Of a daydream of a boy
Whose reality I knew,
Was a hopeless to be had
But then the dove of hope
Began its downward slope
And I believed for a
Moment that my chances
Were approaching to be grabbed
But as it came down near,
So did a weary tear
I thought it was a bird,
But it was just a paper bag
Hunger hurts,
And I want him so bad,
Oh it kills
Cause
I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands
Are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts,
But starving works,
When it costs too much to love
And I went crazy again today
Looking for a strand to climb,
Looking for a little hope
Baby said he couldn't stay
Wouldn't put his lips to mine and
A fail to kiss is a fail to cope
I said,
"Honey,
I don't feel so good,
Don't feel justified
Come on put a little
Love here in my void,"
He said
"It's all in your head,"
And I said,
"So's everything"
But he didn't get it
I thought he was a man but
He was just a little boy
Hunger hurts,
And I want him so bad,
Oh it kills
Cause
I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands
Are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts,
But starving works,
When it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts,
And I want him so bad,
Oh it kills
Cause
I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands
Are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts,
But starving works,
When it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts,
And I want him so bad,
Oh it kills
Cause
I know I'm a mess
He don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands
Are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts,
But starving works,
When it costs too much to love
Hmm
Randonlando
[Verse 1]
I was staring at the sky, just looking for a star
To pray on, or wish on, or something like that
I was having a sweet fix of a daydream of a boy
Whose reality I knew, was a-hopeless to be had
But then the dove of hope began its downward slope
And I believed for a moment that my chances
Were approaching to be grabbed
But as it came down near, so did a weary tear
I thought it was a bird, but it was just a paper bag
[Chorus]
Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
[Verse 2]
And I went crazy again today
Looking for a strand to climb, looking for a little hope
Baby said he couldn't stay
Wouldn't put his lips to mine and a fail to kiss is a fail to cope
I said, "Honey, I don't feel so good, don't feel justified
Come on put a little love here in my void,"
He said "It's all in your head,"
And I said, "So's everything" but he didn't get it
I thought he was a man but he was just a little boy
[Chorus]
Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works
When it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts but I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess that he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold because these hands are just too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works me
When it costs too much to love
Oh, hunger hurts but I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess that he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold because these hands are just too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving, it works
When it costs too much to love, hmm hmm
Sara Joseph
When I was drunk singing this in High School, I never thought I’d be forty drunk singing this my empty living room. Preach Fiona.
Cynical as Spin
Me as a teenager: "I don't get this song..."
Me in my mid 30s: "oh, now I get it."
Cynical as Spin
@B and then you realize this song is over 20 years and, suddenly, it does
VelveteenHabit
I think I love you, thank you.
Alam Ali
It's something to do, that's a million miles from arbitrary. I'm sure FA would approve.
Dominique Valencia
Wurd.
JAMMER BOI
Why is blues considered pop when a woman does it? Seems wrong to me. Fiona Apple is an incredible blues artist.
GregOrCreg
You're right. But I don't know if it's necessarily meant as an insult. Her music is so catchy that it gets labelled as pop, but it doesn't take anything away from the credibility and artistry. It just means that it's able to transcend a more typically niche music genre.
judysblueeyes
@Space Bar name them.
Space Bar
no any song that becomes popular is a pop song. MGK for example. this song is in a lot of movies