Fantastic Lyrics

Just in case some of you forgot how great Fiona Apple is, this is "Oh Well."

What you did to me made me see myself - something different.
Though I try to talk sense to myself, but I just won't listen.

Won't you go away, turn yourself in.
You're no good at confession.
Before the image that you burned me in tries to teach you a lesson.

What you did to me made me see myself - something 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 the stuff.

You came upon me like a hypnic jerk when I was just about settled.
And when it counts you recoil with a cryptic word and leave a love belittled.

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 fell below me.

What wasted unconditional love,
On somebody who doesn't believe in the stuff.

Oh well

***

I mean I don't know about you but did you know what a hypnic jerk was before that song? It's that muscle twitch you get involuntarily when you're super relaxed and about to fall asleep. I mean that is a PERFECT lyric. I also like the part about the stentorian voice becoming meek and muffled.

Beyond just her diction, I think sometimes the thoughts she expresses are the ones that are quite difficult to get at, and yet so true. When she talks about it being a "cold and common way to go...devastated at the rate you fell below me" -- I just think that's perfect.

VC