Music Review: Fiona Apple "Limp"
Fiona Apple
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Limp
Album: When The Pawn…
Year: 2000
Fiona Apple refuses to let her boyfriend belittle her in the mighty "Limp."
A tense piano opens the song, setting a fuming tone. In the first verse, she says that her boyfriend insults her, causing her to sob for days. Then, he will prop her up and compliment her on strength. Every time he stands up for her, he wants credit. Seeing her humiliated and put in place makes him feel like a man. All that is stopping her from exploding is the power he has over her. Her need to not let him get to her is what keeping her from unraveling.
In the chorus, she says it gets her angry. All she has done is provided him with love and support. Regardless of her mood, he will manipulate her emotions into his favor. If she's happy, he will say it's because she took her meds and it's not real. He tells that she is a loon and will say she can't write music. He will call her names. He takes pleasure in ruining her self-esteem. But Apple says it's to boost up his low self-confidence.
In the second verse, she says that he knows her insecurities. He will proceed to hit every nerve until she is in a flying rage. He likes watching her squirm and glare at him. He's getting to her, which he likes. Then, once she explodes, he says the problem is her. She can't control her temper.
The chorus is sung again.
A confrontational guitar solo follows.
The chorus is sung again to close the song.
Apple realizes she may not be the stable person. Then again, neither is her boyfriend who acts above her. He has more deep-seated problems than her. He believes her issues give him the upper hand. He views her as weak and easy to dominate. She's onto the politics of the relationship, though. If he wants to salivate at her every tear, then she will let him. But once he crashes from his high, she will take her self back little by little. Her plan is to let him ruin himself. Then, she will be from his power over her.
Apple's hoarse voice is filled with disgust and rancor. However, it's directed at him, not herself. She loathes him for infantilizing her and his selfishness. It's all to benefit him and to prove that he's the superior one. Nonetheless, it makes her even more determined to break away from his mind games.
Her metaphors and imagery are fully developed. She takes a normal vulgar phrase like get off and builds on it. An erection becomes symbolic of power. Then, once he has reached orgasm, he's without. It doesn't sustain him and soon, he will have to continue. The other metaphor compares him to an audience member in the stands of a bullfight, egging the bull on. With each hoof clawing the ground and rush to the matador, he is satisfied, knowing he has provoked the animal.
"Limp" is a rare, literary song that singers just don't make anymore.
Album: When The Pawn…
Year: 2000
Fiona Apple refuses to let her boyfriend belittle her in the mighty "Limp."
A tense piano opens the song, setting a fuming tone. In the first verse, she says that her boyfriend insults her, causing her to sob for days. Then, he will prop her up and compliment her on strength. Every time he stands up for her, he wants credit. Seeing her humiliated and put in place makes him feel like a man. All that is stopping her from exploding is the power he has over her. Her need to not let him get to her is what keeping her from unraveling.
"You wanna make me sick/You wanna lick my wounds/Don'tyou, baby?/You want the badge of honour when you save my hide/But you're the one in the way of the day of doom, baby/If you need my shame to reclaim your pride."
In the chorus, she says it gets her angry. All she has done is provided him with love and support. Regardless of her mood, he will manipulate her emotions into his favor. If she's happy, he will say it's because she took her meds and it's not real. He tells that she is a loon and will say she can't write music. He will call her names. He takes pleasure in ruining her self-esteem. But Apple says it's to boost up his low self-confidence.
"And when I think of it, my fingers turn to fists/I never did anything to you, man/But no matter what I try/You'll beat me with your bitter lies/So call me crazy, hold me down/Make me cry, get off now, baby/It won't be long 'till you'll be/Lying limp in your own hand."
In the second verse, she says that he knows her insecurities. He will proceed to hit every nerve until she is in a flying rage. He likes watching her squirm and glare at him. He's getting to her, which he likes. Then, once she explodes, he says the problem is her. She can't control her temper.
"You feed the beast I have within me/You wave the red flag, baby you make it run run run/Standing on the sidelines, waving and grinning/You fondle my trigger, then you blame my gun."
The chorus is sung again.
A confrontational guitar solo follows.
The chorus is sung again to close the song.
Apple realizes she may not be the stable person. Then again, neither is her boyfriend who acts above her. He has more deep-seated problems than her. He believes her issues give him the upper hand. He views her as weak and easy to dominate. She's onto the politics of the relationship, though. If he wants to salivate at her every tear, then she will let him. But once he crashes from his high, she will take her self back little by little. Her plan is to let him ruin himself. Then, she will be from his power over her.
Apple's hoarse voice is filled with disgust and rancor. However, it's directed at him, not herself. She loathes him for infantilizing her and his selfishness. It's all to benefit him and to prove that he's the superior one. Nonetheless, it makes her even more determined to break away from his mind games.
Her metaphors and imagery are fully developed. She takes a normal vulgar phrase like get off and builds on it. An erection becomes symbolic of power. Then, once he has reached orgasm, he's without. It doesn't sustain him and soon, he will have to continue. The other metaphor compares him to an audience member in the stands of a bullfight, egging the bull on. With each hoof clawing the ground and rush to the matador, he is satisfied, knowing he has provoked the animal.
"Limp" is a rare, literary song that singers just don't make anymore.