Fiona Apple and Her Long Wordy Album Title That I Cannot Remember Without Looking It Up

In Fall of 1996 I saw Fiona Apple in Boston Massachusetts open up for none other then Chris Isaak.  It was about forty minutes of music and it was breathtaking.  She carried the whole venue on her voice.  She had a piano and a band as an afterthought.  Between songs she would try to explain things and curse like a sailor while explaining them.  I can only imagine how the rest of the tour went.  After the show I told my friend that this was awesome and I hope to see her again.  Sadly I never saw her again even though she came close to where I grew up in 2006.  It would have been great and this time she would have played long and she would have awed me and the crowd and I would start all over again waiting to see her perform.

The album Tidal was great but with three years to mature she made an amazing album that made my head spin.  When The Pawn... came out this album got many plays around the house.  I was touched by her awesome piano playing and her band that was behind her.  I can hear her influences on her sleeve.  But I can also how unique and how much she wants her own identity.  When I got When The Pawn... I played it back more then a dozen times.  Her word play and highly evolved lyrics sent my head spinning.  Here is an example on one of my favorite songs "Fast As You Can"

I let the beast in too soon
I don't know how to live without my hand on his throat
I fight him always and still
O darling, it's so sweet
You think you know how crazy
How crazy I am
You say you don't spook easy
You won't go
But I know
And I pray that you will

Fast as you can, baby
Run, free yourself of me
Fast as you can

I may be soft in your palm
But I'll soon grow hungry for a fight
And I will not let you win
My pretty mouth will frame the phrases
That will disprove your faith in man
So if you catch me trying to find my way into your heart
From under your skin

Fast as you can, baby
Scratch me out, free yourself
Fast as you can
Fast as you can, baby
Scratch me out, free yourself
Fast as you can

Sometimes my mind don't shake and shift
But most of the time, it does
And I get to the place where I'm begging for a lift
Or I'll drown in the wonders and the was

And I'll be your girl, if you say it's a gift
And you give me some more of your drugs
Yeah, I'll be your pet, if you just tell me it's a gift
'Cause I'm tired of whys, choking on whys
Just need a little because, because

I let the beast in and then
I even tried forgiving him, but it's too soon
So I'll fight again, again, again, again, again
And for a little while more
I'll soar the uneven wind, complain and blame the sterile land
But if you're getting any bright ideas, quiet dear
I'm blooming within

Fast as you can, baby
Wait, watch me, I'll be out
Fast as I can, maybe late but at least about
Fast as you can leave me
Let this thing run its route
Fast as you can
Fast as you can
Fast as you can
Fast as you can

Her lyrics are amazing and still after many listens I still am trying to figure out what she is telling us. It's funny her first album Tidal her lyrics where a bit more easy to understand. With When The Pawn... she is getting more and more complex. With this album too MTV was trying to keep her away.  She had few singles of When The Pawn... but these singles had more mature thought from Fiona.  I liked it none the less.  Her blockbuster selling album was behind her and a few of her audience moved on.  I liked the musicianship.  She even had a few songs with two drummers.  One Song "Limp" had a middle segment of the song where two drummers had like a like drum off.  It was odd and cool at the same time.

After first listen I was hooked after second listen I wanted to play it for the third and the fourth and so on.  Each song on this forty minute album was more then addicting then the last.  She did not let up with a simple song or something that I was like, "this is okay." Each song had a purpose. Each song was filled with beautiful words and most of all really cool music to go along with it.

With all but two albums behind her Fiona Apple had some amazing work.  It was only the tip of the iceberg for her.  Sadly it took six years to put another album out and by then her loyal fans were still behind her and her causal fans left the boat.  I continued to keep her music in my radar and when she toured I tried and failed to get a ticket.  I really wish I saw this tour for When The Pawn... because I think this tour would have been more explosive.  This tour would not only show off her great vocals but her band would knock the socks off the stage and her fans would get her fans talking about for years and years.

So if your looking to get your early Fiona craving this is the one.  She has a new album out in 2020 and it's just as fresh as When The Pawn... and maybe even more exciting.  Fetch The Bolt Cutters is as fresh as her early albums.  It might have started with Tidal but for me we would not have anything exciting if it were not for When The Pawn... I thank Jon Brion for his sense of what Fiona Apple can do and this album she does thinks she does best.  She makes great crafted tunes and great music to go along with those tunes.  It calls comes together in the 1990's and one of the best of the decade.  Fiona started rocking out with this.  Crank it up!!!