The album kicks off with a bass-heavy drum lick and a husky a capella line: 'I tell you how I feel but you don't care/I say tell me the truth but you don't dare/you say love is a hell you cannot bear/and I say give me mine back and then go there, for all I care.' Clearly this is not the work of a producer-guided youth Fiona is world- and love-weary beyond her years, evident in both her embittered lyrics and her husky alto. But for whatever maturity she lacked in public presentation was more than made up for in her music, as this lush and jazzy project proves. Right around the time Fiona Apple was garnering just as much airplay as she was accolades for 'Tidal,' her debut album, she also showed a knack for raising eyebrows: there was the video in her underwear, not to mention her denouncement of an MTV award as she accepted one. It's rare to find a young female artist who can sing AND write so well. It's hard to pick a favorite track cuz there's so many good ones-'Never is a Promise' is a meditation on hopelessness and that familiar suicidal urge, 'Criminal' is one of the best songs to hit the airwaves in years, and 'The First Taste' is perfect. Even the slower, less appealing tracks, 'The Child is Gone', 'Slow Like Honey' have a unique, beautiful sound.

' Of course the song turns out to be about her rape.

'Sullen Girl' is a song anyone, male or female, could relate to in regards to the lyrics:'Days like this, I don't know what to do with myself. Now 'sleep to dream' is one of my favorite songs, and I also like 'shadowboxer'. By the end of 1997, I fell in love with her song, 'sullen girl' and the rest of her album, through a friend's copy of 'TIDAL'. I knew she had talent and could sing and write very well (a combination lacking in today's music). But I began to respect her, artistically. A year later I still didn't like her or her new song, 'sleep to dream'-it was boring too. I didn't like Fiona when I first heard her way back in '96 (seems like eons ago). Her songwriting is beyond her years-powerful and honest. the Pop Princess Cabal.) No, this is the beautiful work of a profoundly mature young artist, and it is one that you cannot afford to miss.įiona's voice is a distinct beauty. Other notable pieces are of course the quite famous Criminal, with its jazzy, self-impugning look at romantic sin The First Taste, combining a dance beat with all of Fiona's subtle lyrical poeticism, and the perhaps underappreciated Never is a Promise, a breathtakingly beautiful, melancholy song about the limits to which one can communicate one's essence, even to those one most deeply cares about.įiona sings with a maturity, her lyrics reveal a depth, her music demonstrates a passion most would say was 'beyond her years.' To me, Fiona demonstrates clearly that popular music created by a young person (Fiona was only 18 when this was released), need not sound like the general conception of what popular music created by a young person sounds like (e.g. Fiona effortlessly transitions from such passionately angry pieces as Sleep to Dream to quieter, piano-centered pieces like Sullen Girl, giving us, through voice and lyric, a musical journey through the range of emotions that make up the ebb-and-flow of a young woman's journey through romantic life (that ebb-and-flow being the inspiration of the album's name, Tidal.) Join us as we take a journey through some of her greatest musical achievements, and discover why Fiona Apple’s music continues to resonate with listeners around the world.Tidal is a poweful, passionate, poetic piece of work, from a woman whose art, voice, and personality would seem to possess all of the aforementioned qualities as well.įrom the first track, Sleep to Dream, Fiona grabs you with her strong vocals, both in their performance and their lyrics. With her evocative lyrics and fearless approach to self-expression, Apple has cemented her place as one of the most influential singer-songwriters of her generation. Her songs explore themes of love, loss, identity, and social justice, often through the lens of her personal experiences. In this article, we will explore the 10 best Fiona Apple songs of all time.įrom the haunting ballad “Criminal” to the politically charged “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” Fiona Apple has created a diverse and impressive body of work. With her distinctive voice and eclectic sound, she has earned critical acclaim and a dedicated following. Since her debut album, Tidal, in 1996, Apple has captured the hearts of fans with her raw and honest approach to songwriting. Fiona Apple is an American singer-songwriter known for her introspective and emotionally charged lyrics, powerful vocals, and unique musical style.

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